On March 5th, 2026, the government of Manitoba introduced Bill 10, The Employment Standards Code Amendment Act (Attachment Leave for Adoption and Surrogacy), which, if passed, will add a new type of unpaid leave to the Employment Standards Code.
Key details of the proposed leave include the below.
- Eligibility: Employees with seven consecutive months of employment with their current employer would qualify for the leave.
- Leave Duration: Up to 16 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave.
- Employer Requirements: Employers would be permitted to request evidence to support the leave application, but any such request must be "reasonable in the circumstances."
Once this legislation is effective, employers in Manitoba should:
- Update their employee handbooks and leave of absence policies to include the new Adoption and Surrogacy Leave;
- Ensure HR staff and people managers are trained on the new leave provisions and employee eligibility;
- Adjust payroll and leave tracking systems; and
- Communicate the new entitlement clearly to their workforce.