As you prepare to welcome a new baby, planning for maternity or parental leave can bring up a lot of questions.
What are your rights? How should you prepare for your time away from work? And what can you expect when you return, both personally and professionally?
For working women, the transition into your career as a parent starts well before a baby arrives. Here are some things to think about before and after your leave to help keep momentum in your career and position you for a strong return to work.
Know your rights: Federal and provincial regulations
Understanding your legal rights is key to making informed decisions about your leave. Under the Canadian Human Rights Act, you are protected against pregnancy-related discrimination. This means that no one can treat you unfairly or deny you opportunities because you’re expecting a child.
In Alberta, the Employment Standards Code provides the following rules on leave after a birth or adoption:
- Eligibility—after 90 days with your employer, you qualify for maternity and/or parental leave.
- Job protection—your employer must give you the same job or an equivalent job when you return to work after your leave.
- Length of leave—you can take up to 16 weeks of maternity leave and up to 62 weeks of parental leave. Parents can share parental leave between them.
- Pay—your employer is not required to pay wages or benefits during leave unless specified in your contract. However, you may qualify for employment insurance benefits.
For more details, see the Alberta employment standards rules for maternity and parental leave.
If your employer isn’t compliant
If your employer is not aware of maternity leave laws, especially if you work for a company based outside of Alberta or Canada, you may need to advocate for yourself. Reach out to human resources to make sure they’re up to date on regulations.
In cases of discrimination or unjust termination where you can’t resolve the issue by talking to your employer, you can contact the Alberta Human Rights Commission for more information and file an employment standards complaint.
Setting the stage for a successful leave
You can’t control everything about how your leave unfolds. But taking the following steps to prepare will reduce stress and set you up for a smoother transition:
- Understand your company’s policies—know what you’re entitled to, and plan how much notice you’ll give.
- Create a transition-out plan—work with your supervisor and co-workers to hand off responsibilities while you’re gone.
- Consider your return—develop a loose plan for transitioning back into your role. Discuss options for flexible hours, remote work, or reduced workloads to make the return more manageable.
- Stay connected (on your terms)—if it feels right, you can offer colleagues a way to reach you for urgent matters during your leave. You may also want to participate in key meetings or social events to stay in the loop—but this is entirely up to you.
Returning to work
For most new parents, going back to work can be emotionally complex. You may feel torn between career and family, and getting back into the rhythm of the workplace might take time.
Here are a few tips for managing the transition:
- Arrange child care early—finding the right care for your child can take time, so start the process well before your return date.
- Keep your skills and knowledge current—if you have time during your leave, consider upskilling through an online course or workshop to continue your career growth.
- Reconnect with your team—a few weeks before you’re set to return, check in with your manager and colleagues to get up to speed. Make sure that you’ll have a comfortable workload as you transition back—not too much or too little.
- Explore flexible options—if you didn’t decide on a return plan before your leave, or if your needs have changed, discuss flexible work options with your employer.
- Test your new routine—ease into your new childcare setup a few days before you officially return to work. A head start will give both you and your baby time to adjust.
- Talk to other parents—seek advice and support from fellow working parents. It helps to hear about other people’s experiences and to talk about what you’re going through with someone who has been there.
Embracing change
Of course, the transition continues well beyond your return from leave. In a way, you’re launching a new career—as a parent!
You’ll face new challenges. For example, you may need to find different approaches to managing your time as you balance parenting responsibilities with work. And if you move to working from home some or all of the time, you may need to explore strategies to help you stay focused during work hours.
Also, unfortunately, biases like the “motherhood penalty” still exist. Women tend to take on a larger share of child care and domestic tasks while also juggling a career. As well as negotiating the division of responsibilities with your partner at home, it’s important to be aware of steps you can take to advocate for yourself in the workplace and minimize the gender pay gap.
On the plus side, you may also find that being a parent helps you develop skills and qualities that can enhance your career—like empathy, flexibility, and efficiency.
Having or adopting a baby will transform your personal and professional life in ways you can’t fully predict. Your career ambitions may shift to match your new lifestyle, and your priorities may re-align—and that’s okay. It’s all part of being on an evolving career path.