With Ontario's Family Leave, you're now eligible for up to 8 weeks job-protected leave from work in the event of a loved one becoming gravelly ill. So you can stop work and care for them, knowing your job will be there when you get back.

How does it work?
An employee can take Family Medical Leave up to 8 weeks to provide care and support to a specified family member who has a serious medical condition with a significant risk of death occurring within a period of 26 weeks. This medical condition and risk of death must be confirmed in a certificate issued by a qualified health practitioner.

Who can take Family Medical Leave?
All employees, whether fulltime or part-time, permanent or contract, who are covered by the Employment Standards Act, 2000 are entitled to Family Medical Leave.

What does providing care and support means?
Care and support includes: providing psychological or emotional support, arranging for care by a third party provider or directly providing or participating in the care of the family member.

For which family members may a Family Medical Leave be taken?
The specified family members whom a Family Medical Leave may be taken are:

The employee's spouse (including same-sex spouse)

A parent, step-parent or foster parent of the employee

A child, step-child or foster child of the employee or the employee's spouse

Does Family Medical Leave have be taken all at one time?
The 8 weeks of a Family Medical Leave do not have to be taken consecutively by an employee may only take a leave in periods of entire weeks within a specified 26-week period.

Are Employment Insurance (EI) benefits available to an employee who takes Family Medical Leave?
Six weeks of Employment Insurance benefits called Compassionate Care Benefits may be paid to EI eligible employees taking Ontario's Family Medical Leave.

Contact Information: 416-326-7160 or 1-800-531-5551

Additional Information available at: Family Medical Leave.