Canada is extending paid parental leave to 18 months

[Tennis]

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...ext-month.html

OTTAWA—New parents planning to begin parental leave on or after Dec. 3 will be able to spread their federal benefits over more months, but many will have to wait on provinces and their employers before they can actually get the extra time off.

When the federal government’s long-promised changes to parental leave rules go into effect, eligible new parents will be able to spread 12 months of employment insurance benefits over 18 months after the birth of a child.

Other changes for family caregiver benefits and the option to take maternity benefits 12 weeks before the baby is due will also come into effect on the same date.

Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the changes, first outlined in this year’s federal budget, combined with the new child benefit and other changes to the EI system are all designed to give families more flexibility and help the economy as well.

“Anything that makes it easier for families to balance work and life is good for our economy, is good for our businesses,” he said at an event at an Ottawa hospital.

The change in rules will automatically give workers in federally regulated workplaces like banks, transport companies, the public service and telecoms, the option of taking time off.

Provincial changes are still needed for the other 92 per cent of Canadian workers to access similar leave. So far, Ontario has publicly said it will adjust its legislation.

Affected workplaces will also have to decide how to amend existing leave policies and collective agreements that spell out issues like salary top-ups.


“It’s only certain companies that will do that, but certainly they’ll have to fit it over the framework,” said employment lawyer Natalie MacDonald of MacDonald & Associates.

The measures the Liberals first promised in the election have been problematic for employers and child care advocates, who asked the government to boost the value of parental leave benefits over 12 months and make it easier for workers to qualify. As designed, anyone who opts for the longer time frame will receive up to $326 a week as opposed to $543 week over 12 months.

Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said small business owners aren’t expecting a large amount of take up for the new measures, because they seem only to benefit high-income Canadians who can afford to take the extra time off.

Morna Ballantyne, executive director of the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada, said the government should have opted to fund a dramatic increase in daycare spots for children under 18 months, which are difficult to find and the most expensive in the country, in order to help more families. Duclos suggested the extra leave could help parents with this daycare crunch.

The Liberals once hinted at creating dedicated paternity leave similar to what is available in Quebec, but have since been quiet on the idea. Still, the expanded parental leave may boost the number of non-birthing parents, like fathers, taking leave, said employment lawyer Bram Lecker of Lecker & Associates.

Federal officials estimate that about 20,000 families will opt for the extra time, but caution the figures could vary. Much will depend on family finances and where parents are in their careers.

“Everyone has to do the math and most people when they’re expecting a baby, the last thing they want to do is math,” said Nora Spinks, CEO of the Vanier Institute of the Family.

Marie-Eve Whitefield and her husband are doing the math now ahead of February, when the couple’s second daughter is due to be born. She is also helping other expectant parents working at Ottawa’s Montfort Hospital as part of the team that handles maternity and parental leave.

This is great news! Being a new parent is a difficult transition time. Babies need the best care possible so it's great that we're increasing parental leave.
Having a child can be quite taxing for the Mother so hopefully the increased time off can be useful in this regard as well. Plus, I'd much rather there be a mom at home to take care of the baby than some live in caretaker.

[Eliandal]

In families where the woman is not the major bread winner - it is a HUGE plus. In families that require the woman's salary to make ends meet, not so much so. Not saying it isn't a good thing, and any extra time with the baby is a good thing!

[cubby]

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...ext-month.html



This is great news! Being a new parent is a difficult transition time. Babies need the best care possible so it's great that we're increasing parental leave.
Having a child can be quite taxing for the Mother so hopefully the increased time off can be useful in this regard as well. Plus, I'd much rather there be a mom at home to take care of the baby than some live in caretaker.

That is fantastic news. Could not agree more with you. Not trying to derail, but I wish the U.S. would join the 21st century regarding health and medical benefits.

[Captain N]

$326-$543/week depending on if you take the 12 or 18 month path isn't a bad at all.

$25,000 - $28000 to care for your child instead of doing the American thing and going back to work 2 weeks later is pretty stellar.

[breadisfunny]

child care leave.....as a american this sounds scary and communist thinking to me! :S

[Spectral]

I don't find the idea of subsidizing people that can't afford their kids all that appealing, but it's apparently a very popular idea. I think it's probably a decent enough policy in nations with decent levels of social trust.

[Deleted]

I don't find the idea of subsidizing people that can't afford their kids all that appealing, but it's apparently a very popular idea. I think it's probably a decent enough policy in nations with decent levels of social trust.

It's a two way street: social trust is built on these niceties. I also suspect investing a few bucks on newborn nationals is on par with the expenses of integrating imported labor.

[Kellhound]

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...ext-month.html



This is great news! Being a new parent is a difficult transition time. Babies need the best care possible so it's great that we're increasing parental leave.
Having a child can be quite taxing for the Mother so hopefully the increased time off can be useful in this regard as well. Plus, I'd much rather there be a mom at home to take care of the baby than some live in caretaker.

There is a simple solution, single working parent + stay at home parent.

[Allybeboba]

$326-$543/week depending on if you take the 12 or 18 month path isn't a bad at all.

$25,000 - $28000 to care for your child instead of doing the American thing and going back to work 2 weeks later is pretty stellar.

I think it is something like 6-8 weeks (nearly 2 months) here.

- - - Updated - - -

There is a simple solution, single working parent + stay at home parent.

That’s what my two older daughters and one of my nieces did. They simply just put their careers on hold while they had children. All three are in the medical field. So they worked part to keep up with their certifications and the changing fields. But, but for the most part they stayed home.

[Captain N]

I think it is something like 6-8 weeks (nearly 2 months) here.

It's six weeks paid in a few places, but a lot of places do not have maternity leave instead having people take unpaid time off with FMLA. In fact the only paternity/maternity leave federal law in the US is for it to be unpaid -- very different than what Canada is proposing.

So I'll stand with what I said about it being only two weeks since a lot of people cannot afford to take prolonged periods of time off work.

[callipygoustp]

Holy crap! 18 months? That's huge.

[Logwyn]

So they get paid leave for 18 months? Can just lay out for 18 months? Women wonder why they are paid less. There's a chance that your productivity will be 0 for about 18 months now. Why burden a company when you get free stuff!!!

[Masark]

So they get paid leave for 18 months? Can just lay out for 18 months? Women wonder why they are paid less. There's a chance that your productivity will be 0 for about 18 months now. Why burden a company when you get free stuff!!!

It's not maternity leave, it's parental leave. The 18 months can be taken by either parent in almost (15 weeks are reserved for the mother) whatever division they like.

[Fostus]

So they get paid leave for 18 months? Can just lay out for 18 months? Women wonder why they are paid less. There's a chance that your productivity will be 0 for about 18 months now. Why burden a company when you get free stuff!!!

You do understand this is parental leave, as in the father can take it.

Secondly it’s built into the employment insurance that everyone pays on their paycheques, it’s not “free” it’s a benifite of paying taxes.

[Kraenen]

I don't find the idea of subsidizing people that can't afford their kids all that appealing, but it's apparently a very popular idea. I think it's probably a decent enough policy in nations with decent levels of social trust.

Or perhaps in countries with low levels of native birth rates?

Then again wouldn't you expect a country with moderate-high levels of social trust to already have such a social structure that could rely on voluntary subsidy rather than government based ones?

[Aggrophobic]

So they get paid leave for 18 months? Can just lay out for 18 months? Women wonder why they are paid less. There's a chance that your productivity will be 0 for about 18 months now. Why burden a company when you get free stuff!!!

You know, dads can stay at home as well.
The problem is that men are paid more so it makes sense to let the woman stay home. If that was not the case, sharing would probably be the best option.

[Independent voter]

24 months would be better.

[Deleted]

That's why temporary contracts were invented.

And also why I rather not hire female workers that arent at least 30 and already have kids.

[Anastacy]

IDK.

I'm weird about this.

I already have to bust my ass on weekends (our busiest days) because we have so many people that "can't" work them (they also can't work late shifts), due to having children. Plus, where are my weekends off?

[Mafic]

Maternity/Paternal leave shouldn't extend beyond 12 months. 18 months is theft of tax payer money.