Quebec parents to be given option to spread out parental leave benefits over 2 years

The Couillardgovernment has announcedit plans to tweak measures in the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan, to permitnewparents to usetheir55weeks of leaveany way they like over a period of two years.

The new rules would allow parents to spread out their time off, giving them the optionof returning to work part-time.

It would also give them the option of receivingtheir allotment of parental leavebenefitsover two years, allowing a parent to stay homefor that entire period.

The measure ispart of a government effort to improve work-family balance,Premier Philippe Couillardtold reporters Thursday, sounding in pre-electoral campaign mode.

"We will give more time flexibility to parents," Couillard said. "We heard them, and we knowthat is the new Quebec they wish for."

The change in rules isnot expected to result in any additional cost to the government, since there is no actual increase in the monetary value of parental leavebenefits.

Thumbs-up from parents

Parents of young children welcomethe proposed change.

"I think it'll be great, because the baby gets more time to bond with both parents," saidMary Lee, a pharmacist whose daughter was born 18 months ago.

Rene Boudreau, the co-owner of Notre-Dame-de-Grce maternity boutique Melons et Clementines and a mother of two, said she would have appreciated having such options during her parental leaves.

"I think it's a good move from the province to give that much flexibility, if they want to encourage birth rates to go up," she said.

Employers' concerns

The level of flexibility new parents are allotted is subject to employer approval, but at least one employers' group wants to see more details, concerned the changes could negatively affect small- and medium-sized businesses.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) says Quebec already has the best parental leave program in Canada.

"We embrace work-life balance," said Bruno Leblanc, CFIB director of provincial affairs for Quebec. "We think that we already have something that's really good without changing it right now."

Leblanc said the CFIB is worried tweaking the program could create problems for its members.

"When you're in a [business] of 10 employees, versus an enterprise with 2,000 employees, the business is less likely to be able to provide the flexibility," he said.

Another sign of looming election

The government has also created a consultation committee on work-family-education balance, chaired by Families Minister LucFortin.

Couillard'sannouncement comes five days before the National Assembly returns to work, and eight months to the day before the provincial election on Oct. 1.