Employment Insurance information in the time of COVID-19

 

At this time, the Canadian government has made some significant changes to the Employment insurance program.  As of this morning, all individuals are eligible for a waiver of the one week waiting period.

Employment Insurance (EI) provides regular benefits to individuals who lose their jobs through no fault of their own (for example, due to shortage of work, seasonal or mass lay-offs) and are available for and able to work, but can't find a job.

Employees are encouraged to apply for EI benefits as soon as they stop working. They can apply for benefits even if they have not yet received a Record of Employment (ROE). A delay filing a claim for benefits for more than four weeks after the last day of work, may cause a loss of benefits.

The emergency aid plan includes:

  • Temporarily boosting Canada Child Benefit payments, delivering about $2 billion in extra support.

  • New Emergency Care Benefit of up to $900 biweekly, up to 15 weeks, to provide income support to workers who have to stay home and don't have access to paid sick leave. The measure could disburse up to $10 billion.

  • A six-month, interest-free reprieve on student loan payments. 

  • Doubling the homeless care program. 

  • Extending the tax filing deadline to June 1.

  • Allowing taxpayers to defer tax payments until after Aug. 31 amounts that are due after today and before September.

Emergency Sickness Benefits

Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits provide up to 15 weeks of income replacement and is available to eligible claimants who are unable to work because of illness, injury or quarantine, to allow them time to restore their health and return to work. Canadians quarantined can apply for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits.

If you are eligible, visit the EI sickness benefits page to apply.

Service Canada is ready to support Canadians affected by COVID-19 and placed in quarantine, with the following support actions:

  • The one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits will be waived for new claimants who are quarantined so they can be paid for the first week of their claim

  • Establishing a new dedicated toll-free phone number to support enquiries related to waiving the EI sickness benefits waiting period

  • People claiming EI sickness benefits due to quarantine will not have to provide a medical certificate

  • People who cannot complete their claim for EI sickness benefits due to quarantine may apply later and have their EI claim backdated to cover the period of delay

Eligibility

  • Eligibility has changed. Many more people can find themselves in a position to qualify for EI as stimulus programs are unveiled. However, the traditional eligibility requirements are as follows.

The following information is a guideline only. Processing agents will determine eligibility.

People entitled to EI benefits are people who

were employed in insurable employment, This includes people working for wages in food service or liquor service or in liquor manufacturing. To be able to claim, an employee must have

  • lost their job through no fault of their own;

  • been without work and without pay for at least seven consecutive days in the last 52 weeks;

  • worked for the required number of insurable employment hours in the last 52 weeks or since the start of their last EI claim, whichever is shorter;

  • Willingness and capability of working each day;

  • actively looking for work and maintaining a written record of employers contacted including when contacted.

Important note: to prove eligibility and to receive any payment recipients may be entitled to, they are required to complete bi-weekly reports by internet or telephone . Failure to do so can mean a loss of benefits.

Number of hours of insurable employment required to qualify for EI

The number of hours of insurable employment employees need to qualify for EI depends on the hours of insurable employment. These are used to calculate the benefit. The hours must have been  accumulated during the qualifying period.

The qualifying period is the shorter of:

  • the 52-week period immediately before the start date of the claim; or

  • the period from the start of a previous benefit period to the start of a new benefit period, if benefits were applied for earlier and were approved in the last 52 weeks.

How much could employees receive

This depends on the employee’s earnings. For most people, the basic rate for calculating EI benefits is 55% of average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum amount. As of January 1, 2020, the maximum yearly insurable earnings amount is $54,200. This means that the maximum an employee can receive is $573 per week.

How long do benefits last

People can receive EI from 14 weeks up to a maximum of 45 weeks, depending on the unemployment rate where they live. 

What employees need to apply

To complete the online EI application for EI regular benefits, employees will need the following personal information:

  • Social Insurance Number (SIN). If the SIN begins with a 9, the applicant will need to supply proof of immigration status and work permit.

  • mother’s maiden name.

  • mailing and residential addresses, including the postal codes.

  • complete banking information to sign up for direct deposit, including the financial institution name, bank branch number, and account number

  • names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation 

  • detailed version of the facts.  This will not need to be too complex for employees laid off due the closure or slow down of business.

  • earnings for each the highest paid weeks of insurable earnings in the last 52 weeks or since the start of their last EI claim, whichever is the shorter period. 

This information will be used, along with Record(s) of Employment, to calculate benefit rate.

Employees may also have to provide the additional details if they are reactivating an existing claim:

Applying for benefits

People are encouraged to apply on line. The EI website takes the applicant step by step through the application process, and provides detailed instructions on how to complete the form.

Applicants will be asked for an email address. If Service Canada needs more information, they will communicate with the applicant by e mail. 

If an applicant started a new claim within the last 52 weeks and there are still weeks payable on that claim, the old claim may automatically activated. 

Important Additional Information

EI for individuals who are sick or quarantined as a result of exposure to the Coronavirus 

Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits provide up to 15 weeks of income replacement and is available to eligible claimants who are unable to work because of illness, injury or quarantine, to allow them time to restore their health and return to work. 

Service Canada is ready to support Canadians affected by COVID-19 and placed in quarantine, with the following support actions:

  • The one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits will be waived for new claimants who are quarantined so they can be paid for the first week of their claim

  • Establishing a new dedicated toll-free phone number to support enquiries related to waiving the EI sickness benefits waiting period

  • Priority EI application processing for EI sickness claims for clients under quarantine

  • People claiming EI sickness benefits due to quarantine will not have to provide a medical certificate

  • People who cannot complete their claim for EI sickness benefits due to quarantine may apply later and have their EI claim backdated to cover the period of delay

The new dedicated toll-free phone number for workers who are in quarantine and seeking to waive the one-week EI sickness benefits waiting period is:Telephone: 1-833-381-2725 (toll-free)

Foreign workers, regardless of the type of permit that they are in Canada under, pay into EI and are entitled to collect EI in the same manner as permanent residents and citizens. If they meet the eligibility requirements, they are entitled to receive benefits.

 
Aleah Chaytor