Maternity Quick FAQs

How early can I apply for maternity leave? How do I apply? When can I apply? When will I receive my first payment?

How much will I receive?

What is considered income? Is part time work included?

How many weeks am I entitled to?

What if my child is hospitalized?

What if I get put on bed rest or told not to work by my doctor or midwife?

What are Sickness Benefits?

Can I work while collecting maternity, parental or sickness benefits?

Can I work while collecting maternity, parental or sickness benefits?

When do you get paid?

Can I travel outside the country while on maternity/parental leave?

Maternity Quick FAQs

You can start your maternity leave as early as 8 weeks before your expected due date. You can apply online or in person at your local Service Canada Centre. You can apply as soon as you finish working. In fact you can apply as soon as your last day of work. Usually within 28 days from the date you filed your claim. There are many variables that go into calculating your claim. The short answer is that you will receive 55% of your average insurable See "How do you Calculate weekly earnings up to a maximum of $457 per week. Please see the the amount of my Benefits" Calculator for an approximation of your weekly earnings. Any job for which you receive payment is considered income. You should include any and all payments you receive from full time, part time. Basically anything you put on your taxes you should include in the calculator. Maternity leave is ONLY payable to the mother or the surrogate mother and is a maximum of 15 weeks. Parental leave may be used for the mother or the father and generally lasts 35 weeks. The weeks can be taken by one parent or shared between the two parents and can only be paid in the 52 weeks following the child's birth in less your child is hospitalized. Parental benefits can be delayed until your child comes home from the hospital. Each week your child is hospitalized extends the period in which you can claim parental benefits to a maximum of 104 weeks. If your doctor or midwife recommends that you stop working due to medical reasons you may be eligible for Sickness Benefits. Sickness Benefits are an additional 15 weeks on top of your 50 weeks of maternity/parental leave (up to 65 weeks in total). You must have a medical certificate explaining why you cannot work, and how long your incapacity is expected to last. If you work while collecting maternity or sickness benefits, your earnings will be deducted dollar for dollar from your benefits. Apply Online

You may however work while collecting parental benefits. Please see the spreadsheet to calculate how much you can earn. Any amount above that will be deducted dollar for dollar from your benefits. Your EI payment will come every 2 weeks, on Tuesday. It may be delayed due to holidays. Yes, you may leave the country if you are on maternity or parental leave. You should contact HRDC to inform them that you will be gone. You MAY NOT however travel while on sickness benefits, in less it is for medical treatment.

Calculating Your EI/Maternity Leave Benefits

Please choose the most appropriate method to calculate your benefits for your situation

Please fill in all boxes outlined in RED, and fill in only ONE calculation method SALARY, BI-WEEKLY or WE

Calculate your benefits with a salary

Gross Yearly Income $ $ $ -

Calculate your benefits with a weekly pay

Fill in your Gross weekly pay for the past 26 weeks

Date (Optional)

Gross Amount $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ -

Calculate your benefits with a bi-weekly pay

Fill in your gross bi-weekly pay for the past 13 pay weeks

Weeks worked in the past 26 week p

Unemployment rate in your re

Date (optional)

Gross Amount $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ -

(Rates used by the Employment Insurance Program. Effective from A

Divisor used for your calculation

You can earn an additional

without affecting your parental bene

Tax Rate

$ Max $ -

Approximate Weekly Gross amount

Approximate Weekly Net amount

nity Leave Benefits

culate your benefits for your situation.

lation method SALARY, BI-WEEKLY or WEEKLY.

Reset

Select your Region Weeks worked in the past 26 week period Unemployment rate in your region

---

d by the Employment Insurance Program. Effective from August 7 2011 to September 10 2011)

isor used for your calculation

Insurable Hours Required to Qualify

You can earn an additional $ per week without affecting your parental benefits. $ -

12%

Default is set to the highest tax rate. Tax rate of $317 is 7%

Weekly Gross amount

$
$

Your yearly income

Weekly Net amount

Top Up & Benefit Calculator

Please calculate your weekly EI Payment before completing this spreadsheet. Please complete the CCTB Calculator for your UCCB and CCTB Benefits

Reset

$ $ $ $

Yearly Salary Weekly Salary Approximate Weekly Gross EI Payment Approximate Weekly Net EI Payment

95% Company Top Up Gross received from company 20% Tax Percentage on Top Up (Speak to your HR Dept) Weekly Total Received from Company (Net) Universal Child Care Benefit (Monthly) Canada Child Tax Benefits (Monthly)

$ $ $ $ $

Approximate Weekly Budget With Top Up and Benefits

CCTB Calculator (Except Alberta) Reset

for the period July 2010 to June 2011

Please choose your Province

Total Number of Children Under 18 Years

0 $ 0 .OO

Your net Income (line 236 on your tax return) If your net income is negative enter "0"

Subtract: Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) If you have not started collecting UCCB enter "0" (Line 117 on your tax return) Add: Repayment of UCCB (line 213 on your tax return or the tax return of your spouse) Number of Children Under the age of 6

0 .OO

0 .OO

Basic Monthly Amount National Child Benefit Supplement Universal Child Care Benefit Child Disability Benefit 0 $ -

0 0 0 0

Base year 2009

d July 2010 to June 2011

Select

Number of children who are qualified disabled dependants

0 $ 0 .OO

Your Spouse or Common-law partner's net income (Line 236 on your spouse's tax return) Subtract: Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) claimed by you, your spouse or common law partner. If the RDSP is negative enter "0" Add: Repayment of RDSP (liner 232 on your tax return or the tax return of your spouse)

0 .OO

0 .OO

Total Benefits Per Month

CCTB Calculator Alberta Reset

Number of Children Under 7 years of age Number of Children 12 to 15 years of age Number of children who are qualified disabled dependants

for the period July 2010 to June 2011

0 0 0 $ 0 .OO

Your net Income (line 236 on your tax return) If your net income is negative enter "0"

Subtract: Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) If you have not started collecting UCCB enter "0" (Line 117 on your tax return) Add: Repayment of UCCB (line 213 on your tax return or the tax return of your spouse) Number of Children Under the age of 6

0 .OO

0 .OO

Basic Monthly Amount National Child Benefit Supplement Universal Child Care Benefit Alberta Family Employment Credit Child Disability Benefit

0 0 0 0 0

Base year 2009 July 2010 to June 2011

Number of Children 7 to 11 years of age Number of Children 16 to 17 years of age

0 0

Your Spouse or Common-law partner's net income (Line 236 on your spouse's tax return) Subtract: Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) claimed by you, your spouse or common law partner. If the RDSP is negative enter "0" Add: Repayment of RDSP (liner 232 on your tax return or the tax return of your spouse)

0 .OO

0 .OO

0 .OO

Total Benefits Per Month

Reset

On Going Costs
Leave item blank if you do not wish to include it in your calculations

Reset

One

Childcare $ Diapers $ Wipes $ -

Day care/ babysitter costs per month x 12

Select per month x 12 months

$ $

Feeding First 6 months $ I plan to breast feed- x 6 months 6 months to a year $ On solid foods x 6 months $ Select Clothing $ Savings $ -

$ $ $

Per month on clothing

per month for savings (college etc.)

Medicine/First Aid $ per month (tempra, band aids etc.) Toiletries $ -

per month (excluding diapers)

Toys/Books/Media $ per month

Monthly Total

Yearly Total

Weekly Total

Reset

One Time Costs

The default is set to the average price. Change default to $0 if you wish to remove the item from your calculations

Gear
Average price range in (brackets)

Infant car seat ($60 - $150) Convertible car seat ($80 - $300) Basic stroller ($70 - $900) Double stroller ($100 - $300) "Snap-on" stroller frame ($40 - $90) Jogging stroller ($100 - $300) Play yard ($59 - $150) Baby backpack ($40 - $300) Front carrier ($25 - $120) Sling or wrap carrier ($29 - $100) Diaper bag ($25 - $200)

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

100.00 139.00 129.00 159.00 50.00 180.00 79.00 140.00 59.00 39.00 50.00

Activities
Swing ($85 - $120) Bouncer/bouncy seat ($30 - $70) Activity center ($70 - $80) Play mat/gym ($25 - $80) Doorway jumper ($30 - $40)

$ $ $ $ $

100.00 40.00 80.00 50.00 40.00

Nursery
Crib ($120 - $850) Changing table ($80 - $250) Glider or rocker ($189 - $600) Bassinet ($50 - $260) Co-sleeper ($130 - $200) Hamper ($20 - $60) Basic bedding and blankets Coordinated crib bedding set ($50 - $600) Mobile ($20 - $55) Dresser ($80 - $500) Lamp ($24 - $70) Decorations Crib mattress ($60 - $140) Baby monitor ($40 - $60)

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $

230.00 120.00 230.00 100.00 165.00 25.00 64.00 150.00 30.00 250.00 40.00 150.00 99.00 50.00

Feeding
Bottles and nipples Highchair ($60 - $250) Utensils Plates and bowls Cups and sippy cups Burp cloths (6) Bottle brush (2)

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

60.00 100.00 13.00 10.00 21.00 10.00 8.00

Bibs (10)

12.00

Total One Time Costs $

3,371.00

Canada Child Benefits, Subsidies and Grants

Program Name & Link to Site Province Universal Child Care Benefit All Canada Child Tax Benefit All Alberta Child Health Benefit AB Alberta Centennial Education Savings Plan AB Child Care Subsidy Kin Child Care Fund Program AB BC Family Bonus Program/ BC Earned Income Benefit BC Child Care Subsidy BC BC Healthy Kids BC Manitoba Child Benefit MB Healthy Baby MB Day Care Assistance NB AB

New Brunswick Child Tax Benefit NB The Newfoundland and Labrador Child Benefit (NLCB) NF Mother Baby Nutrition Supplement NF NWT Child Benefit NWT Nova Scotia Child Benefit NS Ontario Child Benefit Ontario Child Care Supplement ON Soutien aux Enfants / Child Assistance ON

QC Registration for most (but not all) of the program listed above occurs automatically when you register for th Canada Child Tax Benefit. Please see the program's website for additional information.

Resources
Canada Benefits A-Z Index National Child Benefit ALL ALL

Child Benefits, Subsidies and Grants

Brief Program Description The UCCB is designed to help Canadian families, as they try to balance work and family life, by supporting their child care choices through direct financial support. The UCCB is for children under the age of 6 years and is paid in installments of $100 per child. The Canada Child Tax Benefit is a tax-free monthly payment made to eligible families to help them with the cost of raising children under age 18. The Alberta Child Health Benefit plan pays for health services, such as eyeglasses, prescription drugs and dental care, that are not available through standard Alberta Health Care Insurance. The Alberta Centennial Education Savings Plan (ACES) was created as an incentive for parents to begin planning and saving for their childrens postsecondary education as early as possible. Provides financial assistance to Alberta families with preschool children who attend day care. If you would like to pay relatives to care for your children, you may do so though the Kin Child Care program. The B.C. Family Bonus and the B.C. Earned Income Benefit are tax-free monthly payments designed to help low- and modest-income working families living in British Columbia with the cost of raising their children. The Child Care Subsidy is a monthly payment that helps British Columbia families meet the costs of child care. The BC Healthy Kids Program helps low income families with the costs associated with basic dental care and prescription eyewear for their children. The Manitoba Child Benefit (MCB) provides monthly benefits to low-income Manitoba families needing assistance with the cost of raising children. Assists income-eligible pregnant women to meet their extra nutritional needs and provides community-based support services. Provides a day care subsidy to families who are not eligible for basic financial assistance and who do not have reasonable access to licensed child care facilities. Amount Taxable?

100.00

Yes

Variable

No

Variable

No

500.00 Variable

? ?

up to $400

Variable

No

Variable

Variable

Variable

No

Variable

Variable

NBCTB is an additional benefit paid to qualifying families with earned income who have children under the age of 18. Benefits are combined with the CCTB into a single monthly payment.

Variable

No

The NLCB is a tax free benefit that is combined with the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) into a single monthly payment. The benefit is designed to help lowincome families with the cost of raising children. Variable This is a monthly financial benefit for low income pregnant mothers and for families with children under the age of one $ 60.00 The NWT Child Benefit (NWTCB) is administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and is included with monthly federal Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) payments. Variable The Nova Scotia Child Benefit is the provincial government's contribution to the National Child Benefit (NCB) initiative. Variable The Ontario Child Benefit is part of Ontarios plan to expand opportunity for low-income families. Variable OCCS is a tax-free monthly payment to help with the costs of raising children under the age of seven.
Calcul@ide vous permet de calculer facilement le montant des crdits dimpt remboursables pouvant tre verss dans le cadre des mesures Soutien aux enfants et Prime au travail.

No

No

No No

Variable

No

Variable not all) of the program listed above occurs automatically when you register for the Tax Benefit. Please see the program's website for additional information. All benefits, child and otherwise can be found on this site. Has information on all Province's Benefit Programs

No