Maternity, Parental & Pre-placement Adoption Leave for B.C. Government Employees

Leaves are available so you can focus on your new responsibilities as a parent.

If you're an auxiliary employee without leave benefits, your maternity and parental leaves are covered under the Employment Standards Act.

Maternity Leave

Birth parents who are expecting a baby are entitled to a maternity leave of up to 17 consecutive weeks. When combined with parental leave, the time off work can add up to 78 consecutive weeks.

Parental Leave

Parents welcoming a new baby or adopting a child are entitled to parental leave of up to 63 consecutive weeks. You may also qualify for the parental sharing benefit if you and your spouse are sharing parental leave and your child is born or placed with you for the purpose of adoption on or after March 17, 2019.

Pre-placement Adoption Leave

This leave provides parents with up to 7 weeks off (245 work hours) and the flexibility you need to complete the steps to adopt a child. 

Benefits, Pension, Vacation Accrual & Payroll Deductions

You may want to adjust or cancel benefits or deductions during your leave. Know your options.

Extending Your Leave

There are two ways to have more time off after you've finished your maternity, parental or pre-placement adoption leave.

Extended child care leave

Regular employees can take this leave without pay at the end of their maternity, parental or pre-placement adoption leave if they haven't already taken the full 18 months with maternity and extended parental leave. The total combined leave can be up to 18 months. Send a written request to your supervisor at least four weeks before the end of your initial leave.

Extended childcare leave follows the same rules as a general leave without pay for pension contributions and maintaining benefits coverage.

Vacation

Employees can use vacation earned before their maternity, parental or pre-placement adoption leave to extend their time off work. Vacation may be approved up to 6 weeks prior to their due date or up to the date in which they have been cleared to work. Look up your annual vacation entitlement.