Maternity Benefits in Canada
Author: Angela Heidt
When you are getting ready to have a baby, it is good to research your options when it comes to taking maternity leave. Understanding how much time you are allowed to take and how much money you can expect gives you a head start on sorting out a pre-baby budget and will also help you decide how soon you want to go back to work.
Eligibility
You can qualify for maternity, paternal, or sickness benefits if:
- You can show that your weekly earnings have decreased by 40% or more
- You have 600 insured hours in the last 52 weeks or since your last claim
When to Apply
It is important to apply for benefits within 4 weeks of your loss of earnings or else you may have difficulty getting benefits. To apply, you will need an ROE (record of employment) from each of your employer's over the last 52 weeks. You will be required to give your Social Insurance Number, banking information, and medical information.
Waiting Period
For any claim, there is a two-week waiting period where no benefits are paid. In certain circumstances this waiting period may be waived, such as when sickness benefits are being paid by an employer. Also, if both parents are planning on taking time off then only one waiting period needs to be served.
Maternity vs Paternity Leave
First off, there are two types of leave that you can take. Anyone who gives birth gets 15 weeks of maternity leave. This only applies to the mother of the child. Paternity leave makes up the remaining 35 weeks of leave, and can be taken by the mother or father. Additionally, paternity leave can be taken by the adoptive parents of a child.
If your husband wants to try his hand at being a full time parent, then he can take all or part of the paternity leave allotment. You can even both take time off at the same time, as long as in total your time off does not exceed 35 weeks.
Actual Benefits
Maternity (and paternity) leave benefits are as follows: 55% of your gross annual salary up to a maximum of $42,300. So at the most, you are going to get $447 per week. Keep in mind that taxes are taken from that amount, but they are minimal.
Early Leave
It is possible to take maternity leave up to 8 weeks before the birth of your child; however, this will be deducted from your total 15 weeks of maternity leave. If you have to leave work prior to this due to pregnancy complications, then you may qualify for sickness leave. Depending on the situation, sickness leave can be counted separate from the maternity and paternity weeks, so you will still get your 50 weeks off once your baby is born.
