Human Resources Legislative Update

EI Changes – Parental Sharing Benefit Coming into Force on March 17, 2019

Human Resources Legislative Update

EI Changes – Parental Sharing Benefit Coming into Force on March 17, 2019

Date: March 6, 2019

Changes to the Employment Insurance Act will come into effect on March 17, 2019 to implement the additional Parental Sharing Benefit announced in the 2018 Federal Budget.  

Additional employment insurance (EI) parental benefits (up to 5 weeks of standard parental benefits or up to 8 weeks of extended parental benefits) will be available to be used by two-parent families, including same-sex and adoptive parents, where each parent takes a leave and shares the EI parental benefits, subject to certain minimums. The intended goal of this change is to allow parents, particularly mothers, additional flexibility to plan their return to work. The additional weeks of EI parental benefits will be available to parents with children born or placed for adoption on or after March 17, 2019.

For more information about these changes, see our prior publication, Early Effective Date Announced for New Federal Parental Sharing Benefit, or call any member of our Pension, Benefits and Executive Compensation group.


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