Several temporary changes to the federal Employment Insurance (“EI”) program ended on September 25, 2021, meaning that they will no longer be applicable to new claims for benefits made on or after September 26, 2021. These new changes were introduced in August 2020 as part of efforts to “simplify” the EI program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s labour market impacts (for more information, please see our previous post).
End of Insurable Hours Credits
EI claimants who filed an initial claim between September 27, 2020 and September 25, 2021 were eligible to receive a one-time credit of 300 insurable hours for EI regular or work-sharing benefits, or 480 insurable hours for EI special benefits. These credits are no longer available for claims made on or after September 26, 2021.
In the aftermath, in order for regular benefits claims made between September 26, 2021 to September 24, 2022 to be eligible, a claimant must accumulate a minimum of 420 hours of insurable employment during their qualifying period.
After September 24, 2022, the number of hours of insurable employment a claimant must accumulate during their qualifying period will return to its pre-pandemic range of 420 to 700 hours, depending on the unemployment rate in the region in which a claimant resides at the time they file their claim.
End of Uniform Unemployment Rate to Determine Duration and Value of Benefits
The unemployment rate in the region in which a claimant resides at the time they file their claim determines the number of weeks of EI regular benefits a claimant may be entitled to and the number of best weeks of earnings that will be used to establish their weekly benefit rate.
For claims made until September 25, 2021, a minimum unemployment rate of 13.1% was used for all regions. This minimum rate is no longer applicable, and the duration and value of EI regular benefits claimed on or after September 26, 2021 will once again be calculated using regional unemployment rates.
Reduced Minimum Benefit Rate
For claims made between September 26, 2021 and November 20, 2021, the minimum weekly benefit rate payable to claimants will be set at $300 per week, down from the previously established minimum rate of $500 per week.
Return of Waiting Period
The one-week waiting period was waived for certain EI claimants, including all EI claims established between January 31, 2021 and September 25, 2021. This waiting period has now returned, and any eligible claims made on or after September 26, 2021 will be freshly subject to a one-week wait before benefits flow.
Canada Recovery Benefit Extended to October 23, 2021
Individuals who are ineligible for EI benefits or have exhausted their EI benefits and still require income support may be eligible to receive the Canada Recovery Benefit (“CRB”). The maximum number of weeks available for the CRB has been extended by an additional four weeks, to a total of 54 weeks, at a rate of $300 per week.
No changes have been made to the availability periods of the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit or the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit.
As always, we will continue tracking COVID-19 related developments affecting employers and will post further updates as they become available.
This blog is provided as an information service and summary of workplace legal issues.
This information is not intended as legal advice.