Going to school while on mat leave

[jcon]

Unemployment EI and maternity EI are different with different rules and requirements! While on maternity EI, one can work (during the parental leave section), study, and go out of the country (does not require someone die or very ill)!!

I was responding directly to a comment about employment EI.

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It's ridiculous to suggest that taking vacations or studying is somehow 'stealing'. If the governments intention was to limit this, they would build it into the legislation.

Mat leave allows to carry on your life as normal as possible while enabling you be there during the earliest days of your baby's life, which is considered beneficial to development.

[asianada]

Well, I am caring for my infant plus taking a course myself. My husband is also going to take part of the maternity leave and work part time from home. Yet, we don't consider ourselves scamming the system.

Exactly the same as what my setup is going to be for my 3rd child!! My husband begged to stay home to care for my 2nd as he felt that he missed the most important stages of my first. So we decided to split the benefits where I worked while he stayed home. It worked beautifully and plan on doing the same again.

Now that my boss is potentially going to retire I may be out of a job that I had for 13 years. This is the best time to get educated into a job that I would finally enjoy. Plus I wouldn't start school till ds is at least 10 months old.

Some of you make it sound like we purposefully had a child to scam EI??? Thats a bit far fetched.

[jcon]

Exactly the same as what my setup is going to be for my 3rd child!! My husband begged to stay home to care for my 2nd as he felt that he missed the most important stages of my first. So we decided to split the benefits where I worked while he stayed home. It worked beautifully and plan on doing the same again.

Now that my boss is potentially going to retire I may be out of a job that I had for 13 years. This is the best time to get educated into a job that I would finally enjoy. Plus I wouldn't start school till ds is at least 10 months old.

Some of you make it sound like we purposefully had a child to scam EI??? Thats a bit far fetched.

You've been at the same place for 13 years. You've been paying into EI that whole time. You only claimed when you had your first two children, and the second for only half the time. It's pretty bad that someone is trying to say that you're (or anyone) is 'scamming' by wanting to further your education and therefore contribute back more the system (assuming education means pay raise).

I think it sounds like excellent idea. Good luck!

[Neovingian]

Bottom line is "YES" it is possible to receive maternity / parental benefits while going to school.

There could be several legitmate reasons and scenarios where a new mother/parent would enroll in courses and have time to devote to taking care of their child.

Keep in mind, if you advise EI ofyour training you will need to start filing your own reports in order to be paid as you're normally exempt from doing this while collecting mat/parental benfits.

As far as the scamming comment, its uncessary, in this economy there's no such thing as job security, so why not take a few courses or full time studies while on mat leave. It may actually become more common since many new parents are facing posssible lay offs or reduced hours upon returning. I mean how could one be a scammer for something she paid into for years and is legally entitled to?

A better definition of scamming would be someone using another persons ID collecting EI & social assitance & and or collecting osap while pretending to be in school. Sounds far fetched but i've heard of
case were it happend, now thats what you would call a scammer.

I also applaud anoyone willing to better themselves thru education while raising a family....KUDOS!

[oddduck]

I've personally been wondering this as well. I'm currently expecting number 2, and have thought about applying to teachers college with intents to go while on maternity leave.

[jennifoster41]

I was wondering the same thing, because I am teacher that moved to another province and only have so much time to upgrade my certificate so I can teach where I am living now. No scamming here. Different people have different circumstances and taking a course or two makes sense for their family while on mat. leave. Plus, I like the idea of taking a course or two to acclimatize my baby and myself to being away from each before I go back to work full time.

[starboy869]

maternity leave is looked at differently then EI... if your on EI you cannot go to school, you have to be looking for a job, you cannot leave the country(i don't even think you can leave the province but not sure on that one).. where with maternity leave you don't have to be looking for a job, you don't have to be filling out weekly (or every 2 weeks) claims, you can go on holidays and from what i've read(don't know personally as i haven't done myself) you can go to school to upgrade courses

You know with the right amount of research on your own and submitting a few letters to EI they'll will pay for a post-secondary course.

[bubble.tea]

Why don't you take care of your child like you're suppose to ....

I'm curious to know what the original reasons where for Maternity leave were.

From a common sense perspective-I'm sure we'll all agree-it was to RAISE ones infant child...lol. But from a govt/substantiated perspective, what was the reasoning behind it?

Nobody here will deny for a second that us Canadians have it among the best (used lightly, as you can replace it with "spoiled") in the world for mata/pata benefits, but with the current climate, perhaps the govt may in fact revise their liberal treatment of what parents can do while on such benefits. If they see too many parents taking courses, they may just cut the benefits down to force people back to work?

I fully encourage eduction, I fully encourage reaping the *fringe benefits* vis-a-vis the current economic climate, however-let's call a donkey a donkey. mata pata isn't for furthering ones academic or professional career. it's for raising your child. Great that it's not restrictive at all for the time being.

This poster isn't as diplomatic as one would like (lol)...but does raise a valid point.

[rossandmarita]

Yes, my wife just finished her CMA AP while on mat leave.