Employment Insurance (EI) provides unemployed workers temporary income while they look for new employment. It also provides special benefits to workers on certain approved leaves.
The most common type of EI is regular benefits. To qualify, a worker must be out of work through no fault of their own such as being laid off, terminated without cause, or resigning with just cause. The worker must have paid EI premiums in the last year and worked an adequate number of insurable hours.
EI regular benefits will pay 55 per cent of the worker’s average insurable weekly earnings, up to a maximum amount which is currently $638 per week. While in receipt of regular benefits a worker is required to conduct a reasonable job search and be available for suitable employment. The benefits can last up to 45 weeks.
Sometimes an employer will falsely claim to terminate a worker for misconduct and code the Record of Employment accordingly. That usually results in the worker being denied benefits.
If a worker is unfairly denied benefits, they can submit a Request for Reconsideration. This will provide the worker an opportunity to tell their story to an independent government official who can reverse the decision and grant benefits. Employers do not decide who receives benefits.
If a worker has good reason to quit their employment they may still qualify for regular benefits. For example, if a worker is enduring serious workplace harassment they may have “just cause...
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