^{Frequently Asked Questions} You’ve Got Questions and We’ve Got Answers

Maternity benefits are up to 15 weeks. Maternity benefits are only available to the person who is away from work because they’re pregnant or have recently given birth. They cannot be shared between parents.

The birth parent may receive the following benefits:
Standard parental leave
• up to 35 weeks (in addition to maternity leave of 15 weeks) for a total of 50 weeks of benefits at 55% of salary to maximum of $595 weekly
Extended parental leave
• up to 61 weeks (in addition to maternity leave of 15 weeks) for a total of 76 weeks of benefits at 33% of salary to maximum of $357 weekly

You must be a birth or adoptive parent and have accumulated 600 insured working hours within the last 52 weeks or since your last claim. For purposes of calculating insured working hours, AHS records resident physicians hours at 40 hours per week.

If you are in your first year of residency and have not yet accumulated 600 hours, you may still be eligible if you have insured working hours from another source/employer. You will need to check with Service Canada to see if you are eligible.

Maternity leave is for up to 15 weeks of the total leave time. It is this time that is eligible for the “top- up” payment to ensure that the resident physician receives 90% of their salary when combined with the EI benefits paid during this time.

After 15 weeks, the birth parent is eligible to take up to another 61 weeks of unpaid parental leave during the first 78 weeks following the birth of a child. Parental leave can be taken by the birth parent, the non-birth parent or split between both parents.

You may begin maternity leave up to 12 weeks before your estimated due date once you give your employer the required written notice which indicates the date your leave will begin. The latest that you may begin your maternity leave is the date of the birth of your child. Resident physicians have the option of going on sick leave prior to the start of their maternity leave at the recommendation of their physician.

You may be eligible for paid Sick Leave prior to your maternity leave. In such cases, be prepared to provide a doctor’s note and advise your Program Director that you require paid sick time. Please ask your program to provide written notification to AHS Human Resources confirming the date on which your medical leave started.

Resident physicians are strongly encouraged to let their programs know as soon as they feel comfortable sharing family planning information. The program will have you complete a leave of absence (LOA) request form and submit it to your Program Administrator through e-people.
Once your signed LOA form is received by the PGME they will start the process with AHS. You will receive a Maternity Benefit Package from AHS with further information.

The University of Alberta has Parenting in Residency resources available here

Maternity and Parental Leave Checklist

The University of Calgary has Parenting in Residency resources available here

If you do not receive this package one month before the start of your maternity leave, call the AHS HR Contact Centre at 1-877- 511-4455

The PARA maternity top-up benefit tops up your employment insurance maternity benefits for 17 weeks (2 weeks at 90% of salary to represent the EI waiting period and 15 weeks at a rate that when added to your EI payments equals 90%).

You can apply for your PARA maternity top-up benefit by completing the Supplementary (Un)Employment Benefit form (SUB-Plan form) and obtaining your first EI maternity benefit confirmation; send both to the Benefits Service Centre (details are on the form). Provided that all the correct documentation is received in a timely manner, resident physicians will receive a lump sum cheque approximately 4.5 – 5 months after the start of their maternity leave. This form should be included as part of the maternity package you receive from AHS.

IMPORTANT: The SUB Plan Application form must be submitted within six months of a resident physician going on maternity leave. If this deadline is not met, the top-up payment will not be processed by AHS.
You are required to fill in a Supplementary (Un)Employment Benefit form (SUB form) in order to be eligible for this benefit. Keep in mind that income tax and CPP will be deducted from this amount.

Unless a PARA member chooses otherwise, they will not be required to perform a call in excess of twelve (12) hours or between 2400 and 0600 hours after 24 weeks gestation.

If there is a valid medical reason (typically a medical certificate from your doctor), the pregnant resident physician could stop overnight calls and/or shifts in excess of twelve hours earlier.

No, cost sharing of your health and dental coverage does not continue during your maternity or parental leave. A resident physician has the option of continuing the Supplementary Health and Dental benefits coverage by submitting the “Benefits Coverage During Leaves of Absence” form that is included in the Maternity Package you receive from AHS Benefits three months before your expected due date. This form must be submitted to Benefits prior to the start of your maternity leave.

If you opt into your health and dental benefits, you will be responsible for paying 100% of the health and dental benefit premiums.

Yes, PARA members can access their flexible spending account while on maternity/parental leave. This benefit is not contingent on a resident physician opting in to their health and dental coverage.

Yes, PARA ensures that your life and long-term disability coverage continues while you are on maternity and parental leave by covering the cost of your benefit in full. No additional paperwork is required from PARA members.

It is AHS’ responsibility to provide a private space for you to breastfeed. You can find a listing of lactation rooms using the following links.
University of Alberta
University of Calgary

Where a resident physician has or adopts a child, but is not eligible for maternity leave, they are eligible for two weeks paid leave. In addition, a Resident Physician shall receive at their request additional leave without pay or benefits as follows:
• Maternity Leave granted – total leave of up to seventy-eight (78) weeks inclusive of any leave taken under Article 11.03(b), or
• No Maternity Leave granted – total leave of up to sixty-two (62) weeks inclusive of any leave taken under Article 11.04(a).

Resident Physicians who are meeting expectations in training may be granted an educational leave. The Agreement outlines a ‘Short-Term Educational Leave’ and a ‘Long-Term Educational Leave’. The Agreement does not specify how many days a resident physician can request for educational leave each academic year.

A short-term leave is intended to allow for attendance at educational events such as medical conferences, provided that the educational event and the Resident Physician’s attendance at such event are approved by the appropriate Program Director.
• A short-term leave is paid and must be for a period of fourteen (14) consecutive days or less.
• Fourteen (14) educational days does not indicate the number of educational leave days available each academic year but it is to differentiate between long and short term leave.
• A program can determine how many educational leave days will be available to resident physicians each year

Long Term Educational Leave is intended for a non-program required course, program or degree. Long-term leave shall be discussed and approved by the program.
• A long-term leave is for a period of longer than fourteen (14) days, and the entire long term educational leave shall be without pay.

Applications for short term educational leaves of absence shall be made a minimum of twenty-eight (28) days in advance of the event in order to ensure appropriate service coverage.

Applications for long term educational leaves of absences shall be made a minimum of eight (8) weeks in advance of the requested commencement of the leave in order to ensure appropriate service coverage.

Resident physicians are entitled to up to five (5) consecutive days off to write each component of their Canadian qualifying and licensing examinations.

Residents are entitled to up to five (5) consecutive days without loss of pay to write each Canadian qualifying and licensing examination component. The days will consist of the following:
the day prior to outbound travel,
• one (1) day of outbound travel,
• one (1) day prior to the exam
• one (1) or two (2) days as required to attend the actual examination, and
• one (1) day for return travel.

If travel is not required for writing the exam resident physicians are entitled to up to three (3) consecutive days without loss of pay:
• one (1) day prior to the exam
• one (1) or two (2) days as required to attend the actual examination

Subject to patient care considerations and at the request of the Resident Physician, a Resident Physician will not be scheduled for on-call duty in the period seventy-two (72) hours prior to the Exam Leave described in Article 13.01.

In addition, Resident Physicians shall work only Standard Duty Hours (i.e. no more than twelve (12) hours per day) during this period.

A Resident Physician may be granted up to five (5) non-consecutive days off during the eight (8) weeks preceding the Exam Leave. These non-consecutive days off will be standard or shift-based duty hours days. At the discretion of the Program Director, some of these days may be taken consecutively.

Applications for exam leaves shall be made in writing to the Program Director a minimum of twenty- eight (28) days in advance of the exam date to ensure appropriate service coverage.

Applications for study leave shall be made in writing to the Program Director a minimum of twenty-eight (28) days in advance of the block in which the study leave is being requested to ensure appropriate service coverage.

Applications shall indicate the date of departure on leave and the date of return. Confirmation of the leave shall be made by the Program Director within fourteen (14) days of the initial request.

Residents can request Special, Compassionate and Bereavement Leave as needed throughout their training.

Special Leave includes reasonable circumstances where the Resident Physician is unable to report to service due to an unanticipated circumstance which requires the Resident Physician’s personal attention and which may include illness in the Resident Physician’s immediate family.

Resident Physicians are granted up to a maximum of five (5) days in each Appointment Year of Special Leave, without loss of pay and health benefits.

Compassionate leave is a leave of absence granted to resident physicians to handle family emergencies, serious illnesses of loved ones, or a death in the family.

Resident Physician is granted five (5) days of leave and shall suffer no loss of pay or health benefits. In extenuating circumstances, paid compassionate leave may be extended by up to a maximum of five (5) additional days subject to approval of the Associate Dean. Such extension shall not be unreasonably requested or denied. If further time off is required, such additional leave shall be subject to the approval of the Associate Dean and shall be unpaid

Bereavement Leave is a leave of absence granted to a resident physicians in the event of the death of a relative of the Resident Physician.

Resident Physician is granted five (5) days of leave and shall suffer no loss of pay or health benefits. In extenuating circumstances, paid bereavement leave may be extended by up to a maximum of five (5) additional days subject to approval of the Associate Dean. Such extension shall not be unreasonably requested or denied. If further time off is required, such additional leave shall be subject to the approval of the Associate Dean and shall be unpaid

How many sick days do resident physicians receive?

Resident Physicians shall be provided paid leave and health benefits, as defined in Article 32: Health Benefits, for illness or non-occupational injury for a total of up to ninety (90) days for each Appointment Year.

In the event that the leave for illness or non-occupational injury occurs in the last ninety (90) days of the final Appointment Year, that Appointment Year shall be extended to ensure coverage for up to ninety (90) days of sick leave benefits at which time the Resident Physician may become eligible to receive long term disability benefits.

In the event the educational requirements are not met, the Resident Physician may be required by the Program Director to make up the period of appointment missed due to the illness or nonoccupational injury.