Start with your leave plan
Enter maternity weeks if applicable, then choose standard or extended parental benefits and the weeks each parent expects to use.
Parental leave planner
Canadian Parental Leave + Employer Top-Up Planner
Estimate EI maternity and parental benefits, employer top-up, income drop, return-to-work timing, and cash-flow pressure during leave in Canada.
Before you calculate
This planner is most useful when you have your salary, expected leave weeks, employer top-up rules, and normal take-home pay nearby. It gives a planning estimate, not an EI eligibility decision.
If you live or work in Quebec, confirm whether Quebec Parental Insurance Plan rules apply. This MVP uses EI-style maternity and parental benefit assumptions, not a full QPIP model.
How to use this calculator
Add employer top-up carefully
Use the employer policy, HR email, or collective agreement. Top-up rules often have caps, waiting-period rules, or return-to-work conditions.
Read the cash-flow section
Add normal net pay and fixed monthly expenses if you want the report to show a rough monthly shortfall.
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Enter your leave details
Canadian Parental Leave + Employer Top-Up Planner
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Common mistakes
- Assuming EI is paid immediately without checking the waiting period or first-payment timing.
- Using salary instead of average weekly insurable earnings when recent hours or pay changed.
- Entering top-up as if every employer pays it the same way. Some top up only maternity weeks, some include parental weeks, and some exclude the waiting period.
- Forgetting that EI and employer top-up can be taxable and that withholding may not match the final tax bill.
- Planning shared parental weeks without confirming that both parents chose the same benefit option.
Coming soon: downloadable spreadsheet version
The calculator is free. A downloadable spreadsheet version may be added later for people who want to save more detailed household scenarios.
Sources and assumptions to verify
EI replacement rates, maximum weekly benefits, parental week limits, and
the waiting period come from editable values in data/assumptions.js.
Confirm current EI rules with Canada.ca before making a final decision.
- Canada.ca EI maternity and parental benefits
- Canada.ca temporary EI measures
- Your employer top-up policy, HR confirmation, collective agreement, and payroll treatment
- Service Canada guidance for application timing, eligibility, insurable hours, and required records
FAQ
Does this parental leave calculator replace Canada.ca?
No. It is a planning estimate. Confirm eligibility, benefit rates, waiting period rules, and application steps with Canada.ca.
How does employer top-up work here?
The calculator estimates top-up as the amount needed to bring gross weekly leave income up to the entered percentage of normal weekly salary.
Can partners share parental leave weeks?
Yes. Shared week limits depend on the standard or extended option and should be confirmed with Canada.ca.
Why is after-tax income approximate?
Tax withholding depends on payroll treatment, province, credits, total income, and your final tax return.
Does this calculate Quebec parental benefits?
No. Quebec has its own parental insurance program. Use this only as a rough comparison prompt and confirm the correct QPIP rules separately.
Why does the top-up ending week matter?
Many household cash-flow problems show up after employer top-up ends, even if EI continues. The weekly timeline helps show that drop.
Disclaimer
This tool is for general informational purposes only. It is not financial, legal, tax, employment, or government advice. Confirm details with your employer, lender, government source, or qualified professional.
Last reviewed: July 28, 2026
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