Discussions

Hi there. Im 12 weeks pregnant today. How soon can i take sick leave. Ive been so sick this time around and i have missed alot of work. Please help

Are you part of a union?? If so check your Collective agreement for details on this. Otherwise if you have sick days banked you could use those in the time being.

If you apply for sick leave via EI prior to your Maternity leave, the hours available are shared between the 2. SO you will be allotted the 52 weeks for either your maternity or split between Sick leave and maternity. Regardless you would need to be written off work by a doctor. Read through this link for further detail.  
 
https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/ei/ei-list/reports/sickness.html

You have to be written off work by a doctor. Do you have short term disability through your work? My doctor wrote me off early due to high blood pressure and I went on short term disability through my benefits then when my baby was born it was switched to maternity leave from EI.

It really depends on the dr but usually you can't claim sick leave til around 30 weeks. If you are dealing with morning sickness, get a prescription for diclectin. A lot of dr's don't have any sympathy because if you and baby are otherwise healthy, there's no reason to be written off. Especially at only 12 weeks. Hang in there!! It sucks!

Tradespinner said "If you apply for sick leave via EI prior to your Maternity leave, the hours available are shared between the 2. SO you will be allotted the 52 weeks for either your maternity or split between Sick leave and maternity. Regardless you would need to be written off work by a doctor. Read through this link for further detail.     https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/ei/ei-list/reports/sickness.html "

This is incorrect information. You can access up to 16 weeks of sick leave through EI and then on your due date or when baby is born (whatever is earlier) your benefits switch to EI. You get 50 weeks of EI (not 52) it's 15 of maternity and 35 of parental, or 61 if you choose the extended leave.  
 
so to answer your question, you can go off around week #24 if you want your maternity benefits to kick in when you have the baby. otherwise your sick leave will end after 16 weeks and you'll have a gap in pay until the have the baby or your maternity benefits will start after the 16th week then you'll run out of benefits wayyyy before baby's first birthday. so it's up to you and your family and what you can afford.  
 
my suggestions would be get some diclectin and wait it out. you'll start to feel better after 12 weeks.