An eligible employee who has completed the required period of continuous employment is entitled to:

• up to 17 weeks of family caregiver leave to care for a critically ill adult; or

• up to 37 weeks to care for a critically ill child, without pay.

The employee must:

• provide a request for leave,

• advise the employer of the expected duration of the leave, and

• provide a medical certificate confirming the critical illness.

The family caregiver leave may be taken in separate periods, but each period must be of not less than one week's duration.

The period of leave begins on the day the employee takes leave or the day a medical certificate is issued and ends on the Saturday of the earlier of the 52nd week after the leave began or the week the family member dies.

NWT ESA s.30.1