Paid Maternity Leave Benefits
The Canadian federal government offers maternity benefits to working mothers who qualify. EI (Employment insurance) offers paid maternity leave for 15 weeks. Maternity benefits can be claimed by only the mother.
To qualify, a new mother must:
Be an employee who has had EI deductions taken from your earnings (not self-employed, unless you’ve been paying into EI).
Have worked for a minimum 600 hours in 52 weeks before giving birth, or since her last EI claim.
Paid Parental Leave Benefits
EI also offers paid parental benefits up to 35 weeks for either parent while they are caring for the baby. Paid parental benefits can be used entirely by the mother or split between both parents.
