Step by Step: EI and You
by Susan Biagi, MA
Career Link Program Coordinator
“Don’t assume!”
These are words to keep in mind when deciding whether or not to apply for Employment Insurance [EI] benefits.
According to Service Canada, people are eligible to receive regular EI benefits if they lose their job through no fault of their own, due to shortage of work or because of seasonal or mass layoffs. In general, those who voluntarily quit their job, or who are fired for misconduct, are not eligible.
Knowing this, people who quit or were fired often choose not to apply for benefits at all. This is a grave mistake. Sometimes, people who quit their job are considered to have “just cause” for doing so. The Service Canada website lists 40 instances of “just cause,” including: sexual harassment, discrimination, unsafe working conditions, moving with a spouse or dependent child, change in salary or job conditions, major changes in work duties, or an employer who breaks the law.
Even people who are fired may be eligible to receive EI benefits or qualify for Service Canada programs. The onus is on the employer to prove to Service Canada that the employee was fired for “just cause.”
Assuming you don’t have enough insurable hours to apply for EI is another common mistake. Most people need between 420 and 700 hours in a given period, with the number of required hours varying according to region. Powell River, for example, lies within the region of Southern Coastal British Columbia. For the period from July 12 to August 08, 2009, most workers in Powell River needed only 595 insured hours. (Some exceptions apply: workers in the workforce for the first time currently require 910 insured hours to qualify, as do those reentering the workforce after a two-year absence.) As the recession continues, the number of hours may drop even lower than it is now.
Applying for EI benefits can be done at your local Service Canada office, or on the website at http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca. Once on the home page, choose “Apply for Employment Insurance Benefits” from the menu on the right-hand side of the page. You must have the following at hand: your Social Insurance Number (SIN); your Record of Employment (ROE); driver’s licence, birth certificate or passport; complete bank information as shown on your cheque or bank statement; and details of your total salary before deductions from Sunday to your last day of work, plus vacation pay and other additions. People who quit or were fired must also supply a detailed version of the facts.
Applications will not be processed until Service Canada receives the ROE from the employer. The ROE must be submitted in its original form. (It’s a good idea to make copies for your own records.) When applying for benefits online, you must mail or drop off your ROE to your local Service Canada centre.
If your employer submits your ROE electronically, you do not have to submit a paper copy. To make sure your employer has done so, access your My Service Canada Account (established when you apply online) to view and print copies. By law, employers must make your ROE available to you within five calendar days of the end of employment. If you’re having difficulty obtaining your ROE, call Service Canada at 1-800-206-7218 for information on how to proceed.
At Career Link, we advise everyone to apply for EI for benefits as soon as possible after leaving their job. Doing so is the only way to discover if you’re eligible for programs operated by Service Canada. In Powell River, there are three programs of this type:
- Wage Subsidy Program (WSP): This program pays a subsidy to employers who hire and provide on-the-job training to an eligible job seeker. An average of 50% of the worker’s wage may be covered over a given period. For more information, contact Mark at Career Link.
- Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) Program: Administered in Powell River by Community Futures, this program provides selected entrepreneurs with the financial support necessary for business start-up.
- Skills Training: Administered in Powell River by the North Island Education Foundations Society (NIEFS), this program offers negotiated financial support for training programs for unemployed people who need to acquire new skills to re-enter the job market.
Again, none of these programs can be accessed unless you have applied for EI. For more information about the WSP and Skills Training programs, contact a Career Link employment counselor at 604-485-7958. Try it. It’s easy and it’s free!
