The following information on changes to Employment Insurance (EI) was emailed to APSA managers, from Human Resources, on February 21, 2018.

What changed?

The Federal Budget 2017 has introduced changes to EI maternity benefits, parental benefits and caregiving benefits that took effect December 3, 2017. The Canada Labour Code was amended to align the laws governing leaves with the new EI benefits.

An employee must make their selection of benefit periods at the time of EI application. This choice is irrevocable.

You can choose to claim extended parental benefits only if your child was born or placed with you for the purpose of adoption on or after December 3, 2017.

Birth mothers will be able to start taking their maternity leave up to 12 weeks prior to the expected date of birth, instead of 8 weeks currently.

As a result of the parental leave options, birth mothers will therefore be able to take up to 18 months of combined maternity and parental leave, as opposed to 12 months currently.

Employees will be able to take up to 15 weeks of leave to care for a critically ill or injured adult family member under the new Family Caregiver Benefit. This may be combined with the existing Compassionate Care benefit which provides up to 26 weeks of benefit to those providing support to a critically ill family member.

The EI Family Caregiver Benefit for children has been improved to increase availability to 35 weeks, and may also be combined with the Compassionate Care benefit. This benefit is now available to other caregivers which may include immediate family as well as relatives and other individuals considered to be like family.

In addition, on January 1, 2017, the waiting period for EI claimants was reduced from 2 weeks to 1 week.

How does this impact you?

While SFU is not governed by the Canada Labour Code, we can expect changes to the BC Employment Standards Act and in the meantime we continue to be governed by the BC Human Rights Code which relates to our treatment of persons entitled to maternity, parental and caregiving benefits. 

In summary, it is the intention of the University to adopt these changes and allow employees to take the extended parental and caregiving leaves, if they elect to do so.

As such, eligible employees will be entitled to the following:

  1. An extended parental leave of up to 61 weeks for birth mothers, birth fathers and adoptive parents which must be claimed within a 78-week period (18 months) after the week the child was born or placed for the purpose of adoption; or, the current parental leave of up to 35 weeks for birth mothers, birth fathers and adoptive parents which must be claimed within a 52 week period (12 months) after the week the child was born or placed for the purpose of adoption.

  2. Maternity leave up to 12 weeks prior to the expected date of birth (applies to birth mothers only).

  3. Up to 15 weeks of unpaid personal leave to care for a critically ill or injured adult family member. Eligible caregivers are family members or individuals that the critically ill or injured adult considers to be like family.

  4. Up to 35 weeks of unpaid personal leave to provide care or support to a critically ill or injured child. Caregivers must be family members or someone who is considered to be like family to the child needing care or support.

Please note, these changes to the EI benefits do not change your current maximum reimbursement entitlements available through your AD10.08 Leaves With and Without Pay.