Job-protected leave · Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan pregnancy & parental leave.
How long Saskatchewan 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: 19 weeks. Parental leave: 71 weeks on its own, or 59 weeks if the same parent also took pregnancy leave. The combined maximum is 78 weeks (a completion deadline / this module’s own arithmetic — see notes below).
Your situation
Job-protected leave length
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Saskatchewan's pregnancy and parental leave rules
| Leave | Length |
|---|---|
| Pregnancy/maternity leave | 19 weeks |
| Parental leave (birth parent who also took pregnancy leave) | 59 weeks |
| Parental leave (other parent, adoptive parent, or no pregnancy leave taken) | 71 weeks |
| Combined maximum | 78 weeks |
Qualifying period
13 consecutive weeks employed by the same employer (the general qualifying rule for most Saskatchewan leaves, applied here).
Notes
Saskatchewan Employment Act. Pregnancy leave is reduced to 15 weeks if the employee does not give the employer 4 weeks’ notice. A separate 19-week adoption leave exists for a primary-caregiver adoptive parent. The 78-week combined figure (19+59) is this module’s own arithmetic, consistent with the norm elsewhere, not a sentence quoted verbatim from the source.
Source, read directly 26 September 2026: Saskatchewan.ca -- Family leaves.
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 Saskatchewan. 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.