https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 24 May 2026 16:11:44 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase/page/2#post-2315701 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 18:57:30 +0000 YouGotMe 2315701@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sera_87: oh for sure! We are eligible for a subsidy and that's still over $35 a day... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase/page/2#post-2315684 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 18:03:06 +0000 sera_87 2315684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@YouGotMe: true. they've introduced a sliding scale based on household income; under 50k its 7.30$, 75-100k is 8$, 100k-122k is 11.75$, 122-150k is 15$ and anything over 150k is 20$.</p> <p>Still FAR better than what the rest of Canada has to deal with though! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase/page/2#post-2315672 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 17:31:39 +0000 YouGotMe 2315672@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sera_87: didn't they just change that for anyone over a specific income? </p> <p>My SIL mentioned her daycare was going up a few months back. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase/page/2#post-2315657 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 16:25:03 +0000 sera_87 2315657@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: Quebec's daycare is $7.30/day ;)</p> <p>More &amp; more I think Mulcair is trying to get the rest of Canada to follow what Quebec already has in place, family wise. We already have the 5 weeks set aside for paternity and we can both take leave (and be paid!) at the same time over the year.</p> <p>Truthfully what makes more sense to me is instead of extending the <i>maternity</i> leave itself, they should extend the <i>qualifying</i> period back (something Quebec also already does). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase/page/2#post-2315575 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 11:54:32 +0000 Grace 2315575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Goose: I think we should totally have double leave time for multiples. When you have kids one at a time, you get one year per child. Why should multiples be any different? Especially since you could have both parents home for a bit. I can't imagine juggling twins all alone. Would be so much nicer to have an extra pair of hands. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase/page/2#post-2315572 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 11:47:13 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2315572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: it's both. It says on their website that he is going to "create and sustain one million quality hold care spaces at no more than $15/day" over 8 years. I also just read it says they want to add an extra 5 weeks of leave for the second parent and double leave time for parents of multiples-which seems a bit odd to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase/page/2#post-2315547 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:55:19 +0000 Freckles 2315547@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BandDmommy: most women I know in very senior positions do not take the full leave. My friends in director positions took 6 months at most. </p> <p>@Mrs. Goose: I thought his plan was universal daycare like quebec's $15/day plan. I may have to read his proposal a little more carefully. I personally feel that his proposal is too big of a cost. I also feel that this only helps a certain group of parents, those who work typical 9-5 day jobs, not parents who work nights, have constant shift changes, etc. anyways, I am going off topic, sorry! :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase/page/2#post-2315541 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:41:12 +0000 Mrs. Goose 2315541@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: that's what Mulclair's plan is. I agree there definitely needs to be more focus on infant spots though since mat leave is currently only 12 months or sometimes shorter. It is hard to find a daycare spot for a 12 month old or younger. At 18 months you would have a lot more choice among daycares at least, but it's not really a solution to the current childcare shortage, though I guess it isn't claiming to be... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase/page/2#post-2315539 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:37:41 +0000 BandDmommy 2315539@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Grace: that's awful! I was curious if that happened. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2315538 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:34:49 +0000 Grace 2315538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BandDmommy: I find that the more ambitious women don't tend to take the whole year. They will split it with their husbands and they'll work from home and answer emails on leave and so on. For a down economy, it will depend on your company. When mine downsized, they laid off the women on mat leave. They aren't supposed to, but they skirted the rules by saying that they were laying them off on the day they came back. It does open them up to a lawsuit, and I know 2 people that managed to keep their jobs by fighting it, but most of the women just took the severance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2315534 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:28:22 +0000 BandDmommy 2315534@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: I'd find it hard as a CEO to leave for a year and come back. Same with some other professions, surgeon, etc.. I can see how it would work with a lot of other positions though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2315532 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:18:29 +0000 Freckles 2315532@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BandDmommy: I am pretty sure someone would just take over as "acting CEO" for that time and it would shuffle up, just like when any other reorg happens. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2315531 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:17:17 +0000 Freckles 2315531@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sapphiresun: I find that if the position is filled internally, it's presented as a development opportunity. A unionized person took over my management position and she was chosen because her job is guaranteed after her 1 year contract is over, whereas if it was a non-unionized person applying, her position wouldn't be guaranteed. </p> <p>It won't sway my vote. I really care about the government increasing more daycare spots, ESPECIALLY infant spots in quality centres. Harper government has done jack shit. 18 month wait lists shouldn't be the norm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2315530 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:11:08 +0000 BandDmommy 2315530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sapphiresun: what happens if it's the CEO of the company? Like yahoo? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2315529 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 10:05:28 +0000 BandDmommy 2315529@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sapphiresun: so the people that get hired are right out of college? If everyone moves up a position, I'm assuming they are new hires not experienced hires. What happens in a down economy when a company can't keep extra people on. I'm just curious how this works. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2315527 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 09:56:47 +0000 Sapphiresun 2315527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: yes, in theory when she comes back everybody will shuffle back in their old positions, but with new experience and perspective :)<br /> However, while I was on maternity leave I competed for an internal promotion (which they held back the start date for an extra two months until I finished my maternity leave). So in my case, the promotion chain that my mat leave caused became permanent for ~6 people. They all had to go to competition again based on our union rules but obviously the people that had been doing the job for a year were pretty strong candidates. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2315485 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 07:24:32 +0000 NavyRN2012 2315485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@cascademom: not just private companies. The US Navy has 16 weeks paid maternity leave! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2315477 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 06:55:50 +0000 Truth Bombs 2315477@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Sapphiresun: but in your example, you didn't say what happens to your boss when she comes back? Does everyone get bumped back down so she can have her job back? I'm not trying to be snarky, I'm genuinely curious. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2315449 Sat, 10 Oct 2015 02:11:19 +0000 Sapphiresun 2315449@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: I agree with @Grace: in my workplace at least (a decently sized municipality), a maternity leave just creates a domino effect, upwards. My boss is going on a maternity leave next year. In my office, this will mean one of us senior *insert title here* backfills her job, that vacancy will get filled by a more junior person, the junior job will open up as a cross training opportunity to an internal candidate that wants to try something different. That typically goes on and on, until you've shuffled up right from the very entry level position.... which we hire somebody new on a contract for, and they often end up getting hired on full time when positions open up through regular attrition. It's generally pretty good all around; not attempting to hire a temp to replace senior staffers.</p> <p>I find the attitude of acting like a long maternity leave is kind of a strange concept. It's not like people get pregnant and leave immediately. There's a significant number of months to figure out how to re-distribute a work load. There may be cases where someone is truly, incredibly difficult to replace, and not to sound smug, but I think the culture here is just more that it's worth a little extra effort/money to prioritize family.</p> <p>To answer the actual question though, no, extending a maternity leave further isn't an election platform that would sway my vote very much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2314291 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 20:40:05 +0000 MrsB2012 2314291@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No, this won't affect the way I vote. I think it's a neat option for someone who could afford the lesser pay over the longer term. However, I don't think I could afford a smaller payment. I also think it's great that people are looking at seeing the benefits of children staying home with parents for a longer term, how it would free up some spaces in daycare ( It's very hard to find daycare where I live) and that, but like others, I'd like to see more help towards daycare costs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2314260 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 20:13:02 +0000 Mae 2314260@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hate you all. (not really. but a little bit lol). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2314188 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 19:24:11 +0000 Grace 2314188@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Truth Bombs: You have to remember that this is the norm here and the environment surrounding mat leave is totally different than in the US. In my job, they hired someone on a term (they had all the right credentials etc), and they ended up staying at the company afterwards. It's a great way for people to get their foot in the door.</p> <p>It won't affect my vote because I don't think I could handle staying home that long anyways. But, I do appreciate being given the option. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2314159 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 18:59:33 +0000 Truth Bombs 2314159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm an American so I'm not used to such long maternity leaves but honestly even just the 12 months has always seemed crazy to me. I would lose so much ground in my field if I were out of the business for a year. Not to mention, I can't imagine a temp could fulfill my duties for a full year, since you have to be specialized and licensed/registered. But I would hate for my coworkers to have to take on my duties for a full year! I feel badly enough that they have to do it for the 14-15 weeks I've taken for my leaves. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2314052 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 18:11:50 +0000 babycanuck 2314052@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Personally - too little, too late. You're pulling this out a week before the election? If they were serious it would have come out before. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2314023 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 17:50:23 +0000 LadyPantaloons 2314023@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for making this post. I'm in Saskatchewan and am about to go on a mat leave in late November with my second babe (oldest is 3). I don't think this is enough to completely sway my vote but it's interesting. </p> <p>I'm in the community sector (non-profit) and I am poorly paid but the work I do has other types of rewards. I'm fretting about the first few months back to work because infant daycare spots are so expensive and my oldest will also be attending daycare until she can start kindergarten in the fall. So until kindergarten starts, I will have 300$ a month after daycare fees. But if I can stay at home until one is in school and return to work at that point, I'm actually better off. This is my personal scenario, for me the 18 month leave is not a bad option. BUT maybe the problem is an affordable daycare problem NOT a leave problem.</p> <p>I also remember it taking a long time to bounce back professionally after my first 12 month leave. Not sure if I ever got back to where I was. Pretty sure a 18 month leave might be, for some, the first stop before quitting town.</p> <p>Such an interesting time in politics, enjoying the discussions about parental rights. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2313885 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 15:10:47 +0000 sslm 2313885@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the more exciting part of this is the loosening up of the EI rules to allow parents on leave to still earn some money through self employment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2313874 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 15:06:36 +0000 Peasinapod 2313874@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's great! Even at reduced payments . Infant daycare spots are so expensive ($1900 a month at my centre ) so even with reduced payments I wouldn't be coming out that much behind.</p> <p>Plus there's nothing that says the mother has to take the extra weeks. </p> <p>My daughter is having a rough transition to daycare and I really wish I had the option for my husband to take 6 months now and I return at the 12 month mark. If this is in place when we have our second child I would seriously consider using the full 18 months between myself and my husband. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2313839 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 14:51:08 +0000 mrswin 2313839@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Given that the current maximum payout is just over $500 per week, there are many families that cannot afford for one parent to stay home for this long. In addition, I worry about what kind of implications this has on women and the income gap issue. Being out of the work force for 18 months is a long time in many industries, not to mention the missed pay raises or promotions when taking this kind of "break". </p> <p>Like some other PPs mentioned you would also need to consider child spacing.</p> <p>One upside would be that taking 18 months would reduce some of the demand for infant day care spots which can be near impossible to secure!</p> <p>I agree with Sera_87, I would rather see them focus this efforts on figuring out the issues surrounding childcare </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2313584 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 11:25:50 +0000 sera_87 2313584@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would rather they be proposing something to do with daycare than this half effort at what basically amounts to useless pandering. Ahem. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/proposed-maternity-leave-increase#post-2313572 Thu, 08 Oct 2015 11:17:35 +0000 Astro Bee 2313572@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Goose: I'm glad you posted this. I just spent some time reading up on the different platforms. According to the Liberals site, the are two options: same pay for total of a year's maternity/parental leave with the ability to spread over 18 months, or 18 months off with reduced EI premiums, presumably worth a year at full EI payout. The Conservatives are saying they would provide 61 weeks (an extra 11 weeks), at a reduced payout. </p> <p>To answer your question, it will not be affecting how I vote, as this is just one factor, and not even a very attractive one, compared to what we already receive. In all honesty, it seems to amount to trickery on those two parties to try to garner additional votes from a population (young families) that might not delve into other issues. But after 16 yrs of eligible voting (and several elections), I have come to expect smoke and mirrors from our politicians. </p>