Cookies help us to understand how you use our website so that we can provide you with the best experience when you are on our site. To find out more, read our privacy policy and cookie policy.
Manage Cookies
A cookie is information stored on your computer by a website you visit. Cookies often store your settings for a website, such as your preferred language or location. This allows the site to present you with information customized to fit your needs. As per the GDPR law, companies need to get your explicit approval to collect your data. Some of these cookies are ‘strictly necessary’ to provide the basic functions of the website and can not be turned off, while others if present, have the option of being turned off. Learn more about our Privacy and Cookie policies. These can be managed also from our cookie policy page.
Strictly necessary cookies(always on):
Necessary for enabling core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies. This cannot be turned off. e.g. Sign in, Language
Analytics cookies:
Analytical cookies help us to analyse user behaviour, mainly to see if the users are able to find and act on things that they are looking for. They allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. Tools used: Google Analytics
Social media cookies:
We use social media cookies from Facebook, Twitter and Google to run Widgets, Embed Videos, Posts, Comments and to fetch profile information.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of Canadian families welcome new children into their lives – and they must balance their work and care responsibilities during this important time.
To provide more flexible Employment Insurance (EI) maternity and parental benefits, as well as unpaid job-protected leaves under the Canada Labour Code for workers in federally regulated enterprises, the Government of Canada is considering new options for eligible Canadians who are off work to care for a newborn or a newly adopted child, in addition to the current option of a combined 12 months of maternity and parental benefits and unpaid leave:
Allowing combined maternity and parental benefits and unpaid leaves to be extended to up to 18 months at a lower EI benefit rate (more time off work, with less money per month)
Allowing the current amount of parental benefits and unpaid leave to be taken in smaller blocks of time over a period of up to 18 months rather than over 12 months.
Each option would result in the same total amount of EI benefits paid, and each option involves considerations for both employees and their families and their employers. In each of the options, the duration of the EI maternity benefit and leave would not be changed.
As we explore ways to do this, we would like your input so that we can learn what is most important to you. Join the conversation – tell us your stories and what you think.
We invite you to read the discussion paper before submitting your views.
Please note: The Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) offers maternity and parental benefits as well as paternity benefits to residents of the province of Quebec. Accordingly, Quebec residents are not eligible for EI maternity or parental benefits. However, if you are a resident of Quebec, we welcome your views and feedback.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of Canadian families welcome new children into their lives – and they must balance their work and care responsibilities during this important time.
To provide more flexible Employment Insurance (EI) maternity and parental benefits, as well as unpaid job-protected leaves under the Canada Labour Code for workers in federally regulated enterprises, the Government of Canada is considering new options for eligible Canadians who are off work to care for a newborn or a newly adopted child, in addition to the current option of a combined 12 months of maternity and parental benefits and unpaid leave:
Allowing combined maternity and parental benefits and unpaid leaves to be extended to up to 18 months at a lower EI benefit rate (more time off work, with less money per month)
Allowing the current amount of parental benefits and unpaid leave to be taken in smaller blocks of time over a period of up to 18 months rather than over 12 months.
Each option would result in the same total amount of EI benefits paid, and each option involves considerations for both employees and their families and their employers. In each of the options, the duration of the EI maternity benefit and leave would not be changed.
As we explore ways to do this, we would like your input so that we can learn what is most important to you. Join the conversation – tell us your stories and what you think.
We invite you to read the discussion paper before submitting your views.
Please note: The Quebec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) offers maternity and parental benefits as well as paternity benefits to residents of the province of Quebec. Accordingly, Quebec residents are not eligible for EI maternity or parental benefits. However, if you are a resident of Quebec, we welcome your views and feedback.
What
are some advantages/disadvantages to a longer
combined EI maternity/parental benefits and leave period (i.e., of up to 18
months, rather than 12 months)?
What are some advantages/disadvantages to taking
EI parental benefits and leave periods in smaller
blocks of time, over a longer period of up to 18 months (rather than over
12 months)? (For example, at the time of application, a parent indicates
their plans to take a certain amount of leave, return to work temporarily, and
then resume their parental leave.)
As an employer, if EI benefits and/or unpaid job-protected leaves were made more
flexible and available over a longer period of time, how would you address this
and what impact would this have on your business?
Sometimes, expecting mothers work
jobs that pose risks to their health or safety during their pregnancy; and, workplace
accommodation (modifications to work conditions or tasks, or job reassignment)
is not feasible. As a result, they must temporarily leave work.
In your opinion, should pregnant workers have the option to access EI maternity benefits earlier than
currently allowed (i.e. more than two months prior to their expected due date) in these circumstances?
How much earlier do you think EI maternity benefits and leave should be available for pregnant workers, keeping in mind that up to 15 weeks of EI maternity benefits are provided? Please explain.