I can help you with some of this -- not all, but a couple of things. I just had a baby in July and I'm on mata/pata leave now.
Your pension is not paid while you're on parental, but it will have to be paid off when you get back, so you can have them take double pension payments for a year, or they'll take a lump sum. Don't know anything about field pay or PLD though, sorry... I'm pulling in a little bit more money than I was before I was on leave -- not paying the pension is great, but I'm putting the extra money away, so when it comes time for them to double up pension payments, I'm not taken short.
The transition is not awesome if you're paycheque to paycheque. There's a 2 week waiting period with EI where you're not paid at all, then it takes another 2(ish) weeks to get your first payment. During this time the military gives you a set amount, but it's not much, as they don't want to overpay you. I think they gave me about $400 a pay for that month. Once you get your first EI stub, you bring it in and they'll give you any money you're owed, but you're still out that 2 weeks of EI.
Your Canex bill -- You'd go speak to the people at NPF (non-public funds)and bring a void cheque, and they'll give you a form to fill out, and the payments will come out of your bank account instead of your paycheque. (They'll come out only once a month though, instead of each payday.) Your PMQ won't change -- when you go to see the mata/pata clerk, they set up your pay taking into account any prior allotments you have. You can have allotments on there, the caveat being that your military 'top-up' pay has to be enough to cover them all.
For reference on EI, you'll be receiving $822 every two weeks. That's the current max EI rate as of last week. It's not the same pay periods as the military pay, necessarily, as you get it every two weeks, which sometimes works out to three times a month, and the military pay still comes on the 15th and last day of the month.
Hopefully that helps... Oh, one other thing. EI doesn't tax you enough for your EI payments, so the orderly room should ask you if you want to pay extra taxes each month. I recommend that you do it, unless you're okay with having to pay a lump sum at tax time. I think I have them taking an extra $200 a month, and that should cover it. I know a friend of mine didn't get the extra taxes taken off, and she had to pay a couple thousand bucks come tax season.
Anyway, any other questions, feel free to ask. I'm a spec1 Cpl, so our pay scales aren't the same, and I don't get field pay, but the EI stuff is the same. PM me if you like. Good luck, and congrats on the little one!
Stevenpfo said:
Hello all. My wife recently had a baby and we've been looking at myself taking parental leave. I know the time frame and length I can take it it in but had a few other questions.
I receive 93% of my "Weekly" pay. What does this include though? I've read that my pension is not taken off and I repay that after I return to work. I've also heard I loose my field pay as well. Do I keep my PLD?
What is the transition from CF pay to EI like? Is there/can there be a space in between the two where I don't get paid?
I know I will have to set something up with the Canex for my bill from them. What about my PMQ?
I'm a MCpl who lives in Edmonton who's getting the second level of field pay if that helps at all.
Thanks in advance. I could not find the answers on CF websites or while searching on this site.