Are you having a child? The Ontario Employment Standards Acts provides for protected pregnancy and parental leaves. During your leave, you may be eligible for employment insurance (EI). Many U of T employees also receive a top-up directly from U of T to supplement EI. Learn about U of T’s pregnancy, parental, primary caregiver and adoption leaves below.
Groups
Faculty and Librarians
U of T Faculty and Librarians may be eligible for Pregnancy Leaves and/or Parental, Adoption & Primary Caregiver Leaves. For more details, review the associated leaves article in the HR Service Centre.
Staff
U of T staff may be eligible for Pregnancy Leaves, Parental, Adoption & Primary Caregiver Leaves, and/or Non-birth Parent Leaves. For more details, refer to your collective agreement or review the associated leaves article in the HR Service Centre.
CUPE 3902 Unit 1, 3, 5 and 7
Please refer to your collective agreement for the pregnancy and parental leave policies, as well as non-birth parent leave policies, that will govern your leave. Your collective agreement can be accessed on the People Strategy, Equity and Culture website.
Students
There are many students who successfully complete their program of study while caring for a new child. A Family Care Advisor is available to meet with you individually to discuss your situation. Learn more about academic leaves.
If you currently are working as well as studying, and have been with your current employer for at least 13 weeks, you may be entitled to a leave of absence and your job will be protected. If you are pregnant, you are entitled to a 17-week pregnancy leave and up to 61 weeks of parental leave from work as outlined in Employment Standards. All other new parents are entitled to up to 63 weeks of parental leave. If you have paid Employment Insurance premiums and worked 600 insurable hours, you may be eligible for Employment Insurance benefits while on leave. Book an appointment with our Family Care Advisor to explore taking a leave from employment.
Finding Assistance
To learn more about pregnancy and parental leaves, including primary caregiver and adoption leaves, please email us with your employment group and/or bargaining unit information. We will send you an information package. Faculty members, librarians and staff members planning a leave within 3-5 months should register for a workshop.