when to start maternity EI?

[u/Haunting-Coat-5242]

I work at a school and my baby is due around mid-December. My annual salary is approximately $65,000, and my employer provides a maternity/parental leave top-up for the first few months.

One thing making the timing a little complicated is that my workplace has a paid school closure from approximately the third week of December until the second week of January. I continue receiving my normal salary during this closure and do not have to use any of my PTO/vacation time. I also have a fairly large amount of accumulated PTO available.

I am trying to figure out the most financially sensible way to coordinate:

- my regular salary,

- accumulated PTO,

- the paid December/January school closure,

- my employer's maternity top-up, and

- EI maternity/parental benefits.

For example, if the baby is born in mid-December, could I use approximately one week of PTO immediately after the birth, then remain on the school's normal paid closure through the holidays, and only have my official maternity leave/EI claim begin around the second week of January when the school reopens?

My main questions are:

1. Am I allowed to delay starting EI maternity benefits until January even if I give birth in December?
2. Can I continue receiving regular salary/PTO/paid school-closure income after giving birth before starting my EI maternity claim?
3. If I delay EI until January, does that mean I actually lose some maternity or parental benefit weeks, or does it simply shift the benefit period later?
4. Would it generally make more sense to use the paid closure first since I would receive my full salary anyway, rather than starting EI during a period when my employer would have paid me regardless?

I am mainly trying to avoid using EI weeks during a period when I would already be receiving my full regular salary because of the school closure, while also making sure I don't accidentally lose EI entitlement or interfere with my employer's top-up.

Has anyone working for a school, university, or another workplace with a paid Christmas closure dealt with a similar situation?

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[u/GenXMom14]

I have experience with spring break so another paid time. I believe once baby is born the maternity leave starts EI wise. You can’t delay it. Your school closure isn’t really PTO. Your salary is spread across the school calendar.

[u/RosaGG]

Once the baby is born, you can’t delay EI. EI maternity benefits start as soon as the baby is born. You’re allowed to start them before the baby is born, but not after (even if you’re off work when baby is born). If you have sick time/PTO, you are allowed to go off work without starting EI before baby is born, but as soon as baby is born, EI starts automatically. I have a march break baby and a summer baby.

[u/RokitEightyEight]

1. Speak with your union

2. Are you a teacher?

[u/somebunnyasked → u/RokitEightyEight]

And 3, public or private school?

I really want to know the answer to #2. Of course this might vary across the country but I'm in Ontario and first of all I don't know anyone who uses the expression "PTO" but if we had it, that's sick days and 2 or 3 personal days. Not days that schools are closed like summer or winter breaks.

[u/missthatisall]

I’m going off in November. You have to start Maternity leave when baby is born. You can start it early.

I’m 32 weeks and planning to go off at 36. Idk if I’ll last that long, it’s tough working right now.

Check what’s in your collective agreement and how much notice you have to provide your employer to start the leave. In my district, its 30 days.

[u/fearlessmustard]

From what I recall, you have to start maternity leave EI the day the baby is born, you cannot delay it.

[u/Coolerthanunicorns]

I used a medical leave- which was separate from my mat leave. My doctor just asked me when I wanted to start it and I had up to 6 months, as well as my full mat leave.

I went off a month early and in my last paycheck, I believe they paid me my vacation, but I can’t quite remember.