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Details of the PBP and the QPIP

Standard symbols

	Parental benefits program	Parental insurance program (basic plan)¹
Birth mothers	15 weeks of maternity leave	18 weeks of maternity leave
	55% of average earnings up to a maximum of $39,000 in 2006 ($413 per week)	70% of average earnings up to a maximum of $57,000 in 2006 ($767 per week) (adjusted every year)
	two-week waiting period	no waiting period
	requires 600 hours of paid work in past year	requires at least $2,000 of earnings in past year
	self-employed excluded	covers salaried and self-employed
	non-flexible	some flexibility¹
Birth fathers	not applicable	5 weeks of paternity leave
All parents (birth and adoptive)	35 weeks of parental leave	32 weeks parental leave for birth parents
	taken by one or shared by both	37 weeks parental leave for adoptive parents
	same rules as maternity leave but no second waiting period required	taken by one or shared by both parents
		same rules as maternity except for benefit rate: 7 weeks at 70%, rest at 55% for birth parents; 12 weeks at 70%, rest at 55% for adoptive
1. Parents can choose between the basic or the special plan. In all types of benefits—maternity, paternity, parental or adoption—the special plan offers fewer benefit weeks (15, 3, 25 and 28, respectively) at an income-replacement rate of 75%.