12. The qualification period provided for in section 10 begins on the first day on which the employee holds employment referred to in the first paragraph of section 7.
During the qualification period, the only days in respect of which the employee paid or was exempt from contributions and, in the case of an employee, the days during which the employee was on maternity leave or personal leave in connection with pregnancy or delivery, are to be taken into account.
However, during the qualification period, if the total of the periods of absence without pay exceeds a limit of 30 consecutive days, the qualification period shall be extended by the number of days in excess. In the case where the total of the periods during which the employee is not covered by the plan does not exceed that limit and the sum of that total and the total of the periods during which the employee is absent without pay exceeds that limit, the qualification period shall be extended by the number of days in excess.
The qualification period shall be interrupted if the total of the periods during which the employee ceases to be covered by the plan exceeds the 30-day limit.
For the purposes of this section and in the cases where the days of absence without pay and the days during which the employee is not covered by the plan are not consecutive, the 30-day limit must be applied as if the days consisted in one period of 30 consecutive days.
2001, c. 31, s. 12; 2002, c. 30, s. 115; 2022, c. 22, ss. 287 and 288.