Canada Maternity Benefits

The maternity benefits of Canada are oriented to help the parents so that they may spend enough time with their infants and recently adopted toddlers. Canadian benefits for maternity include component of leave and assisting compensation. One may attain maternity, adoption or parental leave of 17 weeks to a maximum of 52 weeks as per the rules in their residential jurisdiction.

Government Aided Maternity Benefits in Canada

It is obligatory for the employer to re-employ you in the current position, or some equivalent position with similar benefits that you were enjoying before opting for maternity leave. In addition, you will get approximately 55 percent of the normal pay with the maximum limit of $413 a week to assist you during the important periods of maternity leave. A pregnant woman may enjoy monetary benefits provided by Canadian government up-to a period of 15 weeks. Parents who decide to adopt a child and provide proper care for a newly born adopted child may enjoy a limit of 35 weeks of governmental monetary aid. While remaining on your maternity leave, you may also choose to work for minimal hours to draw further earnings.

Eligibility Criteria for Maternity Benefits

If a woman accumulates about or more than 600 hours of earnings that are insurable, she will qualify for a maximum of 52 weeks leave for maternity or leave benefits for parents. The actual period of insurable period of earnings is dependent on the residential jurisdiction of the person applying for maternity benefits.

Applying for Maternity Benefits

It is very easy to acquire the profitable maternity benefits offered by Canadian government. A worker or employee can attain these maternity benefits in the following ways

• Inform the employer about the probable commencement for parental or maternity leave in advance. One should inform at least 4 weeks ahead of the planned commencement for maternity leave.
• Properly state the period for which you are planning to remain away from your work for the maternity or parental leave.
• It is obligatory for you to provide an authenticated certificate or document to the employer confirming that either you or your spouse is pregnant. The attending doctor, gynaecologist or physician may authenticate the document by signing on it.
• You will be needed to inform the local office of Human Resource and Development of government of Canada by submitting an application for Employment Insurance. You may also apply online.

How to Replace Loss of Income due to Maternity Leave

You will be benefited to gain at most 55 percent of your total salary during the maternity leaves by the Canadian government’s maternity aid program. Apart from that, you may check and get benefited by using your bag of sick leaves and paid vacations for replacing your maternity leave loss. One may also choose to apply for disability insurance for short terms to gain proper monetary benefits during maternity leaves.