OTTAWA --
The federal government is being asked to give new and soon-to-be moms a Mother's Day gift by closing a hole in the safety net preventing some from having their maternity leave fully covered.
As is, eligible workers need a minimum number of hours on the job to qualify for employment insurance benefits, including maternity and parental leave.
But many moms have been unable to work because of pandemic-related job losses, and been caught by the EI safety net.
When a new mother receiving regular benefits gives birth, they have to file a new claim for maternity and parental benefits, meaning they need to meet the hours requirement anew, even though they have been unable to work because of the pandemic.