Job-protected leave · Nunavut
Nunavut pregnancy & parental leave.
How long Nunavut 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: 37 weeks. The combined maximum is 52 weeks.
Your situation
Job-protected leave length
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Nunavut's pregnancy and parental leave rules
| Leave | Length |
|---|---|
| Pregnancy/maternity leave | 17 weeks |
| Parental leave (birth parent who also took pregnancy leave) | 37 weeks |
| Parental leave (other parent, adoptive parent, or no pregnancy leave taken) | 37 weeks |
| Combined maximum | 52 weeks |
Qualifying period
12 consecutive months employed by the same employer.
Notes
Labour Standards Act. IMPORTANT OUTLIER: Nunavut has NOT extended its combined job-protected leave to match the ~78-week "extended EI" alignment every other jurisdiction in this dataset uses -- its statutory ceiling is only 52 weeks total. An employee who elects EI’s 18-month extended parental benefit option can outlast Nunavut’s own job protection. Pregnancy leave can be extended by 6 weeks if the baby is born late. Parental leave must be taken within 52 weeks (1 year) of the birth or the child’s arrival.
Source, read directly 26 September 2026: Gov.nu.ca -- Labour and employment standards in Nunavut.
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 Nunavut. 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.