Employment Insurance Maternity Compensates Pregnant Or New MothersEmployment insurance (EI) in general is native to Canada. In the rest of the world, it is called unemployment insurance. Employment insurance maternity helps compensate pregnant or new mothers when they are unable to work. Employment insurance can cover a wide variety of unemployment issues, such as pregnancy, maternity leave, sickness, care of a dying family member (also known as compassionate care), seasonal work and parental leave. A pregnant mother must provide proof of pregnancy and the expected due date in order to apply for employment insurance maternity. Additionally, the expectant mother must also have worked for a minimum of 600 hours in the 52 weeks previous to her claim, or she must have put in at least 600 hours since the time of her last employment insurance claim. The mother is eligible to receive employment insurance maternity benefits for a total of 17 weeks. The time period for receiving payments can start the week that she actually gives birth or up to eight weeks previous to the expected due date. If the baby is born early, the Human Resources and Social Development Canada needs to be notified as soon as possible to ensure that you receive your maximum benefits. Under the employment insurance maternity guidelines, your benefits can be extended in the event that your baby must be hospitalized after birth. The time period for payments can be extended every week that your baby is hospitalized for a maximum of 52 weeks. However, payments due to hospitalization of your baby may be delayed until your baby returns home. Proof of hospitalization must be provided to ensure you receive all the benefits you are eligible for. All benefits and guidelines remain the same regardless of whether it is a single birth or a multiple birth. If a pregnancy terminates before the nineteenth week of pregnancy, a mother can no longer apply for employment insurance maternity benefits. However, she may be able to apply for sickness benefits. If the pregnancy is terminated any time after 20 weeks, the mother may still remain eligible to receive maternity benefits if certain conditions are met. In addition to employment insurance maternity benefits, you and/or your spouse or partner may be eligible for parental benefits at the same time. Parental benefits can be applied to the parents or guardians of newborn or adopted children. Unlike employment insurance maternity benefits, parental benefits are payable for a maximum of 35 weeks with the same 600 hour requirements as maternity benefits. Either one or both partners may take parental leave, but the 35 weeks must be shared between both parties rather than each party receiving 35 weeks. Employment insurance maternity and parental benefits can both be extended if the child must be hospitalized. Parental benefits must be used within 52 weeks of the birth of the baby or date of adoption. However, in the event of hospitalization, benefits can be extended for every week the child is in the hospital up to a maximum of 104 weeks. Proof of the child's hospitalization must be provided, however. |