Paternity Leave in Canada

[ladeeda]

Just curious, I know in canada you mamas get a whole year off of mat leave that can be taken by either parent, or split by the two.... If you are a SAHM, can your DH take a year off and spend it at home with you aswell?

[zoev81]

Yes, because the stay at home mom would not be collecting EI (employment insurance), which is what pays for parental leave. The father could actually only take 35 weeks off as the first 17 weeks are strictly maternity leave and the remaining 35 are parental. EI only pays 55% of your wage up to 400 something per week, so you'd have to be able to afford such a big cut in pay :-)

[kaimon]

It varies province to province, but yes Dad would have some time off. Not a whole year though. Dad woul have 28-37 weeks off. We had this situation with DS. I had been a student and thus not paying into QPIP so I wasn't eligible for maternity leave. DH was able to take all of the parental leave himself. He was also able to work the difference. So he didn't go on full leave. He chose the special plan and then simply worked a quarter of his hours to make up the 25 % of his salary that the leave did not pay him.

In Qc there are two plans to choose from. Only mom can take maternity, only dad can take paternity. Parental can be taken by either parent or divided and taken by both (either concurrently or not).

Basic Plan:

Maternity = 18 weeks at 70% of the salary
Paternity = 5 weeks at 70% of the salary
Parental = 7 weeks at 70% of the salary + 25 weeks at 55% of the salary

Special Plan:

Maternity = 15 weeks at 75% of the salary
Paternity = 3 weeks at 75% of the salary
Parental = 25 weeks at 75% of the salary

[MaMaJodiapers]

The quebec plan is awesome- but when you talk about 75 percent of salary- there is a cap of salary at about 65K

[NikiG]

Quebec also has a Preventative Leave plan (which I've been on since 18 weeks). They pay 90% of your salary if you need to be off work because your job is detrimental to your health pregnancy wise. I was on my feet 8 hours a day and having back problems, so I'm off until my mat leave starts (36 weeks). Then I get 50 weeks and DH gets 5. He'll be taking more time off, but financially it made more sense for me to take the maternal and parental leave. They also have a program if you're breastfeeding, but I'm not sure how it works. And you get a baby bonus. My friend gets 600$/month for her two kids. Quebec is awesome for parents. Also some municipalities offer money to parents who cloth diaper!

[zoev81]

Man, I shoulda moved to QC!!! :-)

[Computermama]

Originally Posted by NikiG Quebec also has a Preventative Leave plan (which I've been on since 18 weeks). They pay 90% of your salary if you need to be off work because your job is detrimental to your health pregnancy wise. I was on my feet 8 hours a day and having back problems, so I'm off until my mat leave starts (36 weeks). Then I get 50 weeks and DH gets 5. He'll be taking more time off, but financially it made more sense for me to take the maternal and parental leave. They also have a program if you're breastfeeding, but I'm not sure how it works. And you get a baby bonus. My friend gets 600$/month for her two kids. Quebec is awesome for parents. Also some municipalities offer money to parents who cloth diaper!

That does sound awesome, but moms in other provinces aren't high and dry either. There is federal sickness leave which a doctor can sign you off onto if necessary to extend your maternity leave into your pregnancy if your job would put baby at risk or your pregnancy is high risk and you need to go on bedrest or something. It's not quite as nice as the quebec plan, but I know about it since my sister in law works a very physical job, and she had to go off at 5 months with both her pregnancies. It pays out at the standard EI rate. If I remember right, it can add up to 22 weeks to your maternity leave.

Baby bonus is also federal. I got up until this year almost $500 between it, the UCCB and some low income credits and I have one child. That's likely to change significantly since our income has gone up, but it's not going to be calculated based on 2011 until after the June payment. By then I'll also have another child, so we'll see.