Hours required to qualify for benefits remains at 600h in the past 12 months. Mothers will also be able to start maternity benefits up to 12 weeks before the birth of their child but the total weeks of maternity leave is still 15 weeks. Parental leave insurance benefit can be received by parents returning to work, up to a certain limit. Until August 11, 2018, a “Working While on Claim” pilot project is in place which changes the way the weekly EI parental benefits is treated for parents returning to (part-time) work. Under this pilot project, once the parent has served the waiting period, he/she is able to keep 50 percents of the EI benefits for every dollar earned, up to 90% of the weekly insurable earnings that is used to calculate the EI benefit amount. Any money earned above this threshold is then deducted dollar for dollar from the parental benefit.