Parental/Maternity Leave

Parental or Maternity Leave provisions vary from one collective agreement to the next. Please refer to your Collective Agreement for details specific to your Group.  

What is Parental Leave?

It is unpaid leave granted to an employee (male or female) for the purpose of caring for their new-born or adopted child.

What is Maternity Leave?

It is unpaid leave granted to a female employee for the purpose of dealing with the pregnancy, delivery, and care of her new-born child.

How to Apply for Maternity or Parental Leave:

1. Provide a notice to your Employer at least 4 weeks in advance of the birth or when you intend to commence the leave;
2. Complete and sign the Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) Plan agreement, as described in the following Benefits Section;
3. Apply for the Pregnancy or Parental Benefits under the Employment Insurance Act.

Maternity or Parental Benefits During the Leave Period:

NOTE: These may vary depending on your Collective Agreement. Also check out the Maternity-Parental Benefits guide for more details.

1. You do not earn vacation leave credits when you are on parental/maternity leave.  However, the period of such leave counts towards your years of service for the purpose of calculating your vacation leave entitlement and severance pay.  It also counts for pay increment purposes.
2. You receive a Maternity or Parental Allowance under the SUB Plan, provided you:
   • have completed 6 months of continuous employment before the commencement of the Maternity or Parental Leave;
   • have satisfied the Employer that you have applied for Maternity or Parental Benefits under the Employment Insurance Act;
   • have signed an agreement stating that:
     • you will return to work upon the expiry date of the Maternity or Parental Leave;
     • upon returning to work, you will work for a period equal to the period in which you received the Maternity or Parental Allowance;
     • should you fail to fulfill the 2 conditions above (in this set), you will be indebted to the Employer for the following amount:

NOTE: The following limitations may vary depending on the Collective Agreement in place. 

Maternity Leave Limitations:

You may be granted Maternity Leave without pay for a period beginning before, on or after the termination date of the pregnancy and ending not later than 17 weeks after the termination date of the pregnancy. In the case where the child is hospitalized and you decide to return to or remain at work, your Maternity Leave period will be extended accordingly, provided your new expiry date does not go past the 52 week mark previously identified (i.e. 52 weeks from the original start of the Maternity Leave).

Maternity and Parental Leave combined may not exceed 52 weeks.

Parental Leave Limitations:

1. You may be granted a single period of up to 37 consecutive weeks in a 52 week period, which commences when the child is born. In the case where the child is hospitalized and you decide to return to or remain at work, your Parental Leave period of 37 weeks will be extended accordingly, provided your new 37 week expiry date does not go past the 52 week mark previously identified (i.e. 52 weeks from the birth of the child).
2. It may commence anytime after the birth or adoption of the child.
3. Parental leave may be split between the father and mother, both of whom are employed in the Public Service. The total Parental Leave without pay may not exceed 37 weeks for the couple.