New Ontario mother discovers she doesn't qualify for parental leave benefits
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic hairstylist Kaitlin Ward has had to overcome adversity.
With her work closing due to provincially mandated shutdowns earlier this year, the new mom is now learning she doesn’t qualify for parental leave benefits and will have to return to work much sooner than expected.
“It’s heartbreaking – it just feels super unfortunate that I have no option now and I’m being pressured to go back,” said Ward, who welcomed her first daughter Gordie-Rose in August and is now preparing to return to work in December.
The Keswick, Ont. hairstylist had relied on the Canada Emergency Response Benefit and employment benefits programs to supplement her income while the salon she worked at was closed.
She returned to work briefly in the spring, only to find herself out of work again amid another provincial shutdown. Ward did not return in July when personal-care services reopened because it was too close to her due date.
When applying for parental leave, Ward said government officials told her she didn’t qualify for parental leave benefits which are earned with a minimum of 600 hours worked the year prior.
“I feel robbed from something that I’ve contributed to and kind of earned,” said Ward. “It’s crazy to think I’m entitled to only three-and-a half months with my daughter.”
In the wake of the pandemic, the federal government temporarily changed the requirement to 120 insurable hours, providing a credit of 480 insured hours to help new and expecting mothers meet the required 600 insured hours of work.
Ward found out that credit was applied to her first EI claim in December 2020, which she says was never explained to her.
“That credit was given to me in December unneeded – so then now when I go to apply again I will need the full 600 hours, which I will never qualify for this year because I only worked six weeks.”
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion told CTV News Toronto “to be eligible for EI maternity and parental benefits, a person normally needs at least 600 hours of insurable employment in the 52 weeks prior to the start of their benefits or since their last EI claim, whichever is shorter.”
Government officials also say “to be eligible for additional EI benefits, a claimant must have accumulated the required number of hours to establish a new benefit period.”
Starting on September 26, 2021, the number of hours of insurable employment to qualify for benefits will be 420 hours.
However, Ward will still not qualify under those conditions.
“It’s about finding the balance fighting for what’s right…and enjoying what time I have with my daughter."
Now, she’s trying to make the best of the limited time she has with daughter before returning to work.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women in Winnipeg, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.