Parenting & Family

New Dad - Parental Benefits

Newbie
Aug 4, 2021
1 posts

New Dad - Parental Benefits

Hey everyone,

My wife's delivery date is in Oct, and I'm looking for a new job and also I will be completing my Master in Dec 2021, I'm just wondering if I can change the job after taking the paternity leave which is for 2 weeks and if I join a new company can I take the parental benefit leave. I'm planning to take it in April, May 2021 for two months, is it feasible to change the job or stay with the same till I avail myself of these leaves.

Thank you.
2 replies
Deal Addict
Oct 24, 2010
2982 posts
3186 upvotes
Ottawa
You're eligible for parental EI as long as you've accumulated 600 hours of insurable employment during the qualifying period (i.e., within the 52 week before you take parental, or since the last time you took EI, whichever is shorter). So, if you've worked 4 months in the last year, changing employers shouldn't impact your eligibility for parental EI benefits.

However, you'll also want to look into the labour standards for your province (or federally, if you're in a federally regulated industry), to determine whether your new job will be protected in April/May 2022. For Ontario or Saskatchewan, for example, you need to be working for an employer for at least 13 weeks (91 days) prior to commencing parental to be eligible to take parental. In Alberta, the requirement is 90 days. So, to be eligible for parental on April 1, 2022 (i.e., have your job protected), you'll have to start working at your new company by the end of 2021. I believe in BC and the Federal labour standards, you're eligible right away. Every province has their own legislation.

In addition, I believe most provinces don't allow you to split your parental into two different blocks. So, if you're working for the same employer in April/May 2022 that you're working with in October 2021, your job may not be protected if you take a second block of parental leave in April/May 2022. This is certainly the case in Ontario.

As for the other part of your question, as far as I'm aware you are permitted to split your parental EI into multiple blocks (i.e. 2 weeks in October 2021, and then 2 months in April/May 2022). I recommend contacting Service Canada to confirm.
Deal Fanatic
Jun 24, 2015
8520 posts
2941 upvotes
0 downvotes
I got nothing when my wife had our babies, i ended up fine
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