Eligibility for Employment Insurance - Canada or US?

[Sholezard]

Hi There,

I have been working in Canada for over 4 years now and will be moving to the States for a period of 1 year, starting next July (2010) and back in Canada in July 2011. Here's my "complicated" question:

If I were to get pregnant and due to deliver in July of 2011, which Employment Insurance would I be eligible for (the Canadian or US one)?

Apparently, to get the Canadian EI, you have to have worked 600 hours in the 52 weeks before the application (which I would not qualify for since I'd apply in July 2011). So does that mean I'd get the American equivalent?

Also, which company (the Canadian or American one - same company) would "top" me up?

So confused!

[agnelson]

US doesn't give any UI for pregnancy. A couple of states do have a form of paid mat leave, but it is nowehere near the coverage you'd get in canada.

You seem to have a wrong notion that US has somewhere near the same social benefits as US. They simply don't.

As to what your employer would cover, you'd have to talk to them. The US firm certainly aren't required to provide anything to you. The Cdn firm might, but they would have policies in place, likely requiring that you work for a time first.

Are you dong some form of 'transfer' between US and Cdn firm? Becaue I douby any Cdn firm would be required to to off any mat leave if you only work for them a couple of weeks.

Maybe a more clear timeline of when you wil/have worked would reveal a loophole.

[Reba]

I'd suggest that you wait to get pregnant until after you return to Canada.

The US has only 6 weeks maternity leave, and it is entirely UNpaid.

[agnelson]

... actually its 12 weeks by FMLA

[Reba]

if you decide to take the FMLA sure, but it's not a given. And FMLA is still UNpaid.

[agnelson]

FMLA is a given -- it's the law, so that is what "the US has". It cannot be refused, and is not dependent on company policy -- which is "6 weeks" only if the company sez it is "6 weeks", like apparently yours does, otherwise it is 0, 2, 10, 50, whatever the company says.

It is indeed unpaid, as already pointed out.