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• HBHC Evaluation

Human Resources Development Canada

Canadian experience with policies to assist families with new-born or adopted children began with maternity leave benefits under the Unemployment Insurance Act of 1971. The Employment Insurance Act currently provides both maternity and parental benefits, allowing parents to spend more time with their infant children. Research on impacts on children implies that this may generate important long-term benefits. An extended Parental Benefit took effect for births and adoptions on and after December 31, 2000. Among other changes, weeks of benefit increased from 10 to 35 and the hours of insurable employment required to be eligible for the benefit dropped from 700 to 600.

Developing the methodology for the evaluation included reference to many relevant published sources. We also used an expert panel to advise and assist in developing the analysis plan and to ensure adequate coverage of the policy impacts of programs affecting children and families. The panel contributed to the preparation of the Methodology Report and to the development of the questionnaires.

Preliminary evidence from the administrative files suggested that the most informative approach to the evaluation would be to compare the experiences of participants before and after the recent program changes. A survey of employers obtained information concerning their views and experiences regarding parental benefits. Surveys of participants provided the principal evidence, with sample frames based on administrative files at HRDC. However this approach is based on data from workers who formally separate from their jobs at the time of the birth or adoption. Some parents might, even if eligible for Parental Benefits, take another form of leave. We used data from the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID) at Statistics Canada to assess the magnitude of this omission and to adjust for potential bias arising from it.

The results of the evaluation presented the effects of the extension of the benefits on duration of leave, conditions of returning to work, and several indicators of well-being for both parents and children.