https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 04:00:33 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531762 Fri, 22 Apr 2016 05:49:29 +0000 woodentulip 2531762@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husbands company provides SOs with 2 weeks of paid time off for the birth of a child. With our first he took it immediately following the birth, with our second, he differed it to later in the year when we had travel planned. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531751 Fri, 22 Apr 2016 04:54:04 +0000 Charm54 2531751@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH tooK a week of vacation. It sucks and I hope they change it to give fathers some guaranteed, paid parental leave right at the time of birth. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531722 Fri, 22 Apr 2016 00:49:40 +0000 delight 2531722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD was born in August and DH is a teacher so he was home for a few weeks before going back to work in September. I took time off until after March break and then went back for 14 weeks (then it was summer again). DH took those 14 weeks off. Timing was great because of the summer holidays for us, since we both work in schools. This next baby is due in November and he will get a week off from work when baby arrives. I don't think he will be taking parental leave this time. I want it all!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531687 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 22:07:47 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 2531687@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband took a few vacation days after each baby. He had a week with K and two days with M. However, because you can split the 35 weeks of parental leave, your husband could take those at any point! It would mean that those weeks come out of your time at home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531639 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 21:08:48 +0000 cam 2531639@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I wanted to take the whole year (17+35) so my SO took some unpaid leave when our son was born. But if you are willing to "give" him some of your parental leave (the 35 weeks part) then he could take that off after the baby. It doesn't have to be after yours is over it can be at the same time. Also most people don't take the 17 weeks starting until baby is due or very close. <a href="http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pubs/guide/pregnancy.php" rel="nofollow">http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pubs/guide/pregnancy.php</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531389 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 17:46:43 +0000 YouGotMe 2531389@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DH got three days paid off work for the birth and then took the rest of the week vacation, also paid. </p> <p>I went back to work early but DH desided he didn't want to take my remaining weeks off himself. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531308 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 16:27:54 +0000 mrsmacandcheese 2531308@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband took a few days off and worked from home but it was a stupid situation with his former employer not giving him the time he had requested. This time I'm hoping it'll coincide with some Christmas holidays. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531128 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:42:17 +0000 erinbaderin 2531128@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My husband took three weeks, all vacation time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531088 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:16:31 +0000 Autumnmama79 2531088@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Am in BC, but similar idea. I'll take the 52 weeks and DH will take two weeks paid vacation time from his work when baby is born to help out and drive DD to school.</p> <p>I know some couples who split the 52 weeks between mum and dad (mum takes 9 months, dad takes 3, etc.) but its not for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531085 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:15:27 +0000 Banana330 2531085@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stiletto_mom: My DH took the day of birth off (friday) he worked from home the following week, and a few days the week after that. I ended up having a c-section so needed a little extra help. He used holiday. I didn't want him to shorten my mat leave and there is no provincial paternity leave just for partners (that doesn't affect the mothers). </p> <p>As for maternity leave - you get 17 weeks maternity cover via EI @55% of your salary (to a max per week)but the first two weeks are a waiting period where you don't get paid (effectively 15 weeks paid but you get the other two off). You can apply for it as soon as you leave work (work will send your Record of Employment and you can apply online) your maternity coverage will be effective either when you leave work or when the baby is born. If you need to go off early you can go on EI sick leave (8 weeks before your due date) or your companies sick leave. Some companies offer top up on the EI to a percentage of your regular salary. </p> <p>Then it goes in to paternity cover where you get 35 weeks for one of you or split between you. Since you've already had the waiting period your partner does not require this. But any time he takes of this will reduce your leave (think about this when finding daycare etc). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531077 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:08:57 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2531077@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think for days following birth here it's all up to their work when it's not part of those 36 weeks that follow your 17, unfortunately. I was two weeks late and had an unexpected c section. My husband took off the first four weeks. He is given 5 personal days per year and then the rest was vacation leave and shift days that got switched around so he could be at home to help me. Thankfully they were a bit flexible due to the way the birth played out. </p> <p>Has he asked his work about it at all yet? We told his work at 15 weeks so they were oven lots of notice, but there was still a lot of stress at the end and he was out of town and far away a week and a half before I was due. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531076 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:06:47 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2531076@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@stiletto_mom: forgot to add.. I had 52 weeks paid from ei for leave. I transferred 5 of them to my husband. His 5 weeks overlapped the middle of mine, and that was fine. </p> <p>Hope that makes sense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531073 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:05:47 +0000 Mrs. Champagne 2531073@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>He took one week (ds was born on a Sunday and he went back to work the next monday) </p> <p>He then took parental a few months later. I gave him 5 of my weeks and his employer tops up to 95%. I didn't go back to work so I didn't care about losing some of my weeks. It was nice to have a lot of the summer off together with the baby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/ontario-canada-maternitypregnancy-and-parental-leave#post-2531071 Thu, 21 Apr 2016 14:03:09 +0000 stiletto_mom 2531071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I understand that I can get up to 17 weeks of maternity/pregnancy leave (up to 8 weeks of those paid, I think) before my due date. Then we get 35 weeks of parental leave that can be taken by one parent or split between the two.</p> <p>I also get that I maybe eligible for EI during parental leave.</p> <p>My question is, when baby is born, is DH entitled to time off work at all? Or is he expected to go back to work the following day? </p> <p>How did you all do it? Did your SO take a few emergency days or sick days? SO's work requires him to sign for vacation weeks the year prior, so it's not flexible for him to switch it around (especially no knowing when baby will be here).</p> <p>How many days did your SO take off immediately following the birth? </p>