A recent deal inked between
Ottawa and Quebec turns parental insurance over to the
province with some very progressive additions. The new
agreement allows mothers to choose a shorter leave (40
weeks) with higher pay or a longer leave (50 weeks) with
lower pay; it also provides for self-employed parents,
and includes five weeks' paid leave for dads. Maximum
insurable earnings rise from $39,000 to $57,000. The plan
will be effective January 2006.
So what does this 'self-employed'
clause mean for doctors? The Fédération
des médecins spécialistes du Québec
(FMSQ), which is currently negotiating its own parental
leave program for the province's deal-less specialists,
isn't quite sure. "Our program would provide better
benefits, although during a shorter period," explains
FMSQ negotiator Sylvain Bellavance. "We have not yet
reviewed how the two programs could work together."
EENIE
MEANIE...
The FMSQ's own proposed deal has specialists like Montreal
pathologist Dr Marie-Laure Brisson allowing themselves
to feel optimistic. Dr Brisson, who's been involved
in the negotiations, says they're going for 17 weeks
at $1,500 per week plus $750 for office expenses.
But she notes, "If a woman wanted
to take a year off, she'd probably choose the government
package." Mr Bellavance points out that Quebec's new
government deal wasn't designed with doctors in mind.
"The government plan was done with the idea of self-employed
people with a maximum income of around $65,000," he
says. "It sure wouldn't be enough for doctors."
GPs in the province already have
a parental leave program in place, similar to the deal
being tabled for specialists. Their association, the
Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens
du Québec (FMOQ), isn't sure yet how the new
plan will affect its members. Dr Jean Rodrigue of the
FMOQ says the complication lies in the fact that many
GPs don't pay employment insurance (EI). Under the new
government scheme everyone pays into the plan and is
thus eligible. Dr Rodrigue says the FMOQ already tops
up salaried doctors' EI maternity payments, and he speculates
that they could do the same for fee for service MDs
under the new deal.
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