Job-protected leave · Manitoba
Manitoba pregnancy & parental leave.
How long Manitoba employment standards require your employer to hold your job open during pregnancy/maternity and parental leave — not how many weeks EI pays you, a separate question.
Pregnancy/maternity leave: 17 weeks. Parental leave: 63 weeks. Manitoba does not state a combined cap for the two leaves together.
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Job-protected leave length
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Manitoba's pregnancy and parental leave rules
| Leave | Length |
|---|---|
| Pregnancy/maternity leave | 17 weeks |
| Parental leave (birth parent who also took pregnancy leave) | 63 weeks |
| Parental leave (other parent, adoptive parent, or no pregnancy leave taken) | 63 weeks |
| Combined maximum | No stated cap |
Qualifying period
7 consecutive months employed with the same employer.
Notes
Employment Standards Code. Parental leave has been 63 weeks since 4 June 2018. A separate 16-week Attachment Leave exists for some adoptive/surrogacy situations. Parental leave must immediately follow maternity leave if both are taken, unless the employer agrees otherwise.
A discrepancy in the primary source itself
Manitoba’s own fact sheets state no combined ceiling for maternity + parental together -- 17 + 63 literally allows up to 80 weeks, longer than the ~78-week figure most other jurisdictions use. Reported as published rather than force-fit to the 78-week pattern.
Source, read directly 26 September 2026: Gov.mb.ca -- Parental Leave fact sheet (see also the Maternity Leave fact sheet).
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as how long EI pays maternity/parental benefits?
No. This is the EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS job-protection length — how long your employer must hold your job. EI benefit PAYMENTS run on a separate schedule set by the federal Employment Insurance Act, which can be shorter or longer. See the EI Maternity & Parental Calculator for the benefit-payment side.
Can my employer refuse to give me this leave?
Not if you meet the qualifying period stated above. This is a statutory right, not something an employer can decline at its discretion.
Do I get my exact job back?
You are generally entitled to reinstatement in the same position, or a comparable one if your original role no longer exists, at the same or better pay and benefits, when your leave ends.
Does an employer benefit plan or contract change these numbers?
A contract or plan can offer MORE than the statutory minimum shown here (for example, paid top-up during part of the leave), but never less. This page shows the legislated floor only.
Estimate only — not legal advice
This page states the statutory MINIMUM job-protected leave length from the published employment-standards legislation for Manitoba. It is not legal advice and does not model shared-custody-style splitting beyond what is stated, mid-leave changes in circumstance, or a unionized workplace's collective agreement (which can differ). For a binding answer, contact the employment-standards office named above or a lawyer.