New parents should ask for longer leave while province studies legislation: minister
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/11/2017 (2879 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Manitobans won’t know until the spring session of the legislature whether the province will join Ottawa’s plan to extend parental leave to 18 months.
Federal legislation that takes effect Sunday allows federal employees to extend their employment insurance benefits over 18 months from the current 12 and return to their job protected.
But provinces have to sign off if other residents are to get the same protection.
Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen told reporters Thursday he referred the matter only that same morning to his labour-management review committee. Manitoba is studying the bill, just as every other province and territory is doing, Pedersen said.
It will take up to three months to study the committee’s report before Pedersen decides if he will table legislation, which would then have to move through the regular legislative process, he said.
“It’s not binding on the provinces. The federal plan does not give any more money: you change the benefits from 12 months to 18 months,” he said.
In the meantime, parents can ask their employers if they will extend EI over 18 months and guarantee their jobs, the minister said.
New Democrat Nahanni Fontaine said it was unfair women who fought hard to have children and keep their jobs should have to ask for extra time off.
“The minister of growth, enterprise and trade is telling mothers to go and argue with their employers, or perhaps involve their unions,” Fontaine said.
NDP leader Wab Kinew pointed out that Ottawa passed its bill in June to take effect Dec. 2. He accused the provincial government of not even being aware of the deadline.
“We’ve got a bit of a political gotcha moment, in that we found them asleep. All of a sudden, after we bring it up, the government needs to consult,” he said.
nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca