(Ottawa) The federal government is considering dropping rules preventing some new mothers from being eligible for the parental leave program, Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said.
She recognizes that this problem can be acute for new mothers because of the way the decades-old system has been designed.
You have to work a certain number of hours to qualify for EI benefits. These criteria must be respected on the occasion of each new request.
A new mother who has lost her job and applied for regular EI benefits will have to return to work a sufficient number of hours if she applies for parental leave benefits.
According to the minister, not being able to submit a single claim for employment insurance benefits and parental leave creates inequity in the system, especially for new mothers.
Mme Qualtrough is examining ways to modernize Employment Insurance, a program whose weaknesses have been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.