Maternity Leave

A pregnant employee who requests leave is entitled to up to 17 consecutive weeks of unpaid leave which begins

• no earlier than 13 weeks before the expected birth date

• no later than the actual birth date;

and ends no later than 17 weeks after the leave begins

• an employee who requests leave after the termination of the pregnancy is entitled to up to 6 consecutive weeks of unpaid leave

A request must:

• be given in writing

• if the request is made during the pregnancy, be given 4 weeks before the prosed beginning

• if required by the employer, be accompanied by a nurse practitioners certificate stating the expected birth date and actual birth date or the date of termination

BC ESA s.50 (1-5)

Parental Leave

An employee who requests leave is entitled to:

• For an employee who takes maternity leave, they may take up to 61 consecutive weeks of unpaid leave, immediately after the end of the maternity leave.

• for a parent, who is not an adopting parent, and who does not take a maternity leave

• A parent who takes leave for the birth of a child can take up to 61 consecutive weeks of unpaid leave,

• an adopting parent can take up to 62 consecutive weeks of unpaid leave.

• If the child has a physical, psychological, or emotional condition requiring additional care, the employee can take up to an additional 5 consecutive weeks of unpaid leave.

• The employee must provide written notice to the employer and, in some cases, a medical certificate or evidence of entitlement. The combined entitlement to leave is limited to 78 weeks plus any additional leave allowed.

BC ESA s.51

Family Responsibility Leave

An employee is entitled to up to 5 days of unpaid leave during each employment year to meet responsibilities related to

• the care, health or education of a child in the employee's care, or

• the care or health of any other member of the employee's immediate family.

BC ESA s.52