Difference between revisions of "Types of Employment Insurance Benefits (8:IV)"

== H. Parental Benefits ==

Parental benefits are available to the parents of a newborn or newly adopted child. There are two options available to parents: They may choose to get 55% of their wages for 40 weeks (standard parental), or they may choose to receive 33% of their wages for up to 69 weeks (extended parental). These benefits are available to any parent, including adoptive parents, who experience an interruption of earnings to care for their new child. However, birth mothers can collect parental benefits in addition to their maternity benefits.  

   

Should parents elect to receive benefits for up to 40 weeks, parents can share the 40 weeks of benefits between them. However, each parent cannot individually claim more than 35 weeks. For example, if one parent claims 35 weeks of benefits, then the other parent may claim a maximum of 5 weeks.

    

Should parents elect to receive benefits for up to 69 weeks, parents can share the total benefit between them as they choose. However, no parent may receive more than 61 weeks of benefits individually.

In either case, only parents who are eligible claimants can qualify. In other words, each parent must qualify individually, and one parent cannot qualify on behalf of the other.

Although you don’t have to take weeks of parental benefits consecutively, you must take them within specific periods, starting the week of your child’s date of birth or the week your child is placed with you for the purpose of adoption. These periods are:

* standard parental: within 52 weeks (12 months)

* extended parental: within 78 weeks (18 months)

== I. Provisions for Low-Income Families ==