Quebecers call for parental leave reform after being denied employment insurance

Clarisse Zelmat was only weeks back from maternity leave when she got laid off, and the bad news piled on when she was rejected from employment insurance.

“Two days before Christmas, they told me, ‘Hey, you can't because you just came back from maternity leave, and it’s the same pool of money,’” she said.

In the current system, a worker must bank a specific number of hours to make a new claim. But most people returning from parental leave can't meet that requirement.

It took Zelmat six months to find a new job, and she says she “would have been screwed” if it wasn’t for her partner’s financial support.

Every year, 3,000 women find themselves laid off after parental leave in Canada, according to labour lawyer Gabriel Pelletier.

“It's an issue that affects women disproportionately. And we have to find a solution to make sure that if that happens, they can be covered, at least for some time,” he said.

The agency representing unemployed Quebecers has launched a campaign to get Ottawa to reform EI. It's proposing a 15-week extension for anyone laid off after returning from parental leave — something Pelletier says wouldn't cost much and would help many get back in the workforce.

“The EI fund isn't going to go bankrupt from this — let's be very clear — 3,000 women, about 15 weeks of paid of additional paid benefits,” said Pelletier.

“It's a fraction of a percentage. It's almost nothing. So it's something that the Liberal government could easily do.”

With an election looming, he says time is running out to change the system.

Now pregnant with her second child, Zelmat says she's been reassured that her job will be there for her when she gets back.

“We are not not working. We are having kids,” she said.

“And they were like, 'Don't worry about it. We'll do everything we can to keep you with us. So do not panic. Do not panic.'”

CTV News reached out to Employment and Social Development Canada for comment but didn’t hear back before publication.