Parental leave in Ontario is a job-protected leave that allows eligible employees to take time off work to care for a newborn or newly adopted child. The leave is unpaid, but employees can apply for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits to receive financial assistance during their leave.
There are two types of parental leave in Ontario: maternity leave and parental leave. Maternity leave is available to birth mothers and allows them to take up to 17 weeks of leave. Parental leave is available to both parents and allows them to take up to 63 weeks of leave. Parents can choose to take their leave all at once or in smaller blocks of time.