Discussions

I was just wondering if anyone knew how early can you start maternity leave. Im 24 weeks (6months). I tried looking online with no luck on the answer. Been wanting to go on maternity leave as soon as I can.

When you can start receiving EI maternity benefits? If that's the case just look on Service Canada website... I just googled EI maternity benefits and clicked on service Canada brought me right to the questions your asking.. At quick glance it stated earliest as 8 weeks before due date and EI could be as low as 49% of wages. Read everything they have on the website and make the best decision for your family.

It's on the government website...  
When can an employee start her maternity leave?  
Maternity leave can begin up to 17 weeks before the expected date of the birth.  
 

Good to know thanks. My pregnancy brain is not working properly lol. Didn't think of looking there.

Remember if you start maternity leave early than it ends early. You only get a year of mat leave. I think if a doctor wants you off early than you can get sick leave before mat leave but not positive on that.

I believe you can start maternity leech up to 2 months before your due date but then you still come back 52-54 weeks later. EI allows for up to 15 weeks of sick leave prior to maternity leave if your reasoning is medical in nature.

site will have all the info, just remember if you start early it also ends early unless you go on sick leave

Do you have sick time? If so I would consider taking this first. I was off for 2 months sick time, started my mat leave when my baby was born so I would have the full year.

First and foremost Congratulations on the before you know it arrival of your new baby or babies. Sometimes the areas to look to are not as easy. Send me a message and I can help unscramble the pregnancy brain memory loss you may be experiencing.  

Unless you can't avoid it for medical reasons and what not, I think many try to work as long as they can so their mat leave ends around when baby is 11/12 months. Finding daycare for infants is tough already and only a few take really young ones IME. Just something else to think about? Unless you're not planning on going back to work, I guess it won't matter though  
 
Congrats!!  
 
Oh I just realized you were suspended from work. Does this affect your mat leave benefits??  
 
Edited by sammy, 2015-12-12 23:35:46

you can go on regular benefits and switch to maternity when you have to but it will affect your claim  
 
im not sure what happened at work but your side of the story doesnt seem right, how do you know you are suspended for two weeks without a meeting? you should have had one of those ect something isnt right here you can go ask ei and the labour board for clarification of your options tho and i would advise for financial reasons to try and work it out with your employer, you really dont want to be going back when baby is 2 months old

EI benefits for maternity leave.  
 
I saw your other post? You're now suspended from work for two weeks. You need to talk to your manager or human resources. What they did was not professional. You need a reason why and a co-worker should never of been involved.  
 
Good luck

I was put on sick leave from my work at 26 weeks pregnant. This allowed me to get 14 weeks sick benifits before I started my full year of maternity benifits. So in total I will get 1 year maternity pay and 14 weeks sick pay. You do need a dr note however to be eligible for sick benifits.