An employer cannot lay off or terminate an employee who is pregnant or taking a leave of absence.

When the employee returns from leave, the employer must give them their job back or a similar one with the same pay and benefits.

However, this doesn't apply if the employer had reasons unrelated to the leave for laying off or terminating the employee.

For certain types of leave, such as maternity leave or leave related to critical illness, an employer can only ask for a doctor's note if it's allowed by the regulations.

An employee's employment is considered continuous for pension and benefits purposes, even if they took a leave of absence.

If an employee feels that their employer violated any of these rules, they can file a complaint with an officer within six months. The employer must keep information about the leave confidential, and can only disclose it to certain people or with the employee's consent.

Manitoba Employment Standards Code s.60