Leave for New Parents
Changes to Parental Leave Benefits
Procedures for Application
Faculty members should complete the Parental Leave Application form for paid and/or unpaid parental leave and provide to the Department Chair at least 3 months prior to the anticipated commencement of the leave.
Employment Insurance Parental Benefits
You must obtain the forms required for Employment Insurance (EI) parental benefits from your local EI office at Service Canada. The SFU Payroll department will file a Record of Employment (ROE) electronically with the EI office once your leave begins. EI will have this record of employment to refer to when you process your application for benefits. As of January 1, 2017, the required waiting period before receiving EI benefits has changed to 1 week (from 2 weeks). For further information: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/waiting-period.html
It is important that you advise Faculty Relations as early as possible whether or not you are required to serve the one-week waiting period before receiving EI benefits). In many cases, when parental leave is shared, the other parent may have already served the one-week waiting period. If you are required to serve the waiting period, the university pays that first week at 95% salary, but you must advise us that you are required to serve the one-week waiting period.
Tenure-track faculty members who have been on medical or parental leave from the University for four months or longer will be notified by the Office of the Vice-President, Academic that they may request a contract extension and, where applicable, a delay in tenure consideration for one year (art. 30.13).
Resources
Tools:
Parental Blue Cross - Employee Change Form (To add new family member)
Collective Agreement Article:
Article 47: Leaves of Absence (Leave for New Parents, sections 47.10 to 47.23)
Tools:
Parental Leave Application Form May 2/18
Contacts
Contact the Faculty Relations Advisor handling inquiries for your Faculty.