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PAGE 10 TERRACE BAY NEWS OCTOBER 16,1975 If you are employed and going to have a baby, you're entitled to pregnancy leave. This is what Ontario is doing to make certain you receive it. We have a law in Ontario which permits any pregnant woman, married or not, to take a 17-week unpaid leave of absence to have her baby. This law covers part-time as well as full-time employees, provided that they have been working for the same employer for at least 63 weeks before the expected date of birth. When she returns to work, the new mother is guaranteed the right to her former position or to a comparable position with no loss of seniority or benefits. Naturally, pregnancy does not prevent an employee from being dismissed for valid reasons not connected with pregnancy, but pregnancy alone cannot be the cause of dismissal where an employee is eligible for leave. An expectant mother is required to give two weeks' notice in writing of the day she intends to leave. She is entitled to begin her leave any time within 11 weeks before the baby's birth but she must take at least six weeks of her leave afterwards. If the em- ployer wishes the employee to begin her leave before she wants to do so, the em- ployer must prove that she is unable to perform her normal duties adequately. The employee is eligible for Unemploy- ment Insurance benefits during her preg- nancy leave (even if she does not intend to resume work when her leave expires) if she had at least 20 weeks of ensured employ- ment during the year before the birth. At least ten of the 20 weeks should have fallen between the 30th and the 50th weeks before the birth. If you would like more information about pregnancy leave or other labour legislation of interest to working women, write to: Ontario 20, Queen's Park, Toronto, Ontario. and we will send you a brochure. Ministry of Labour Bette Stephenson, M.D., Minister Province of Ontario William Davis, Premier