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Wednesday, March 18, 2020
How to apply for EI and COVID-19 emergency benefits
Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau announces the government's $82 billion
emergency response package at a news conference outside Rideau Cottage
in Ottawa on Wednesday. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)
Workers and businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible for part of the $82 billion aid package
announced Wednesday by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which includes
$27 billion in direct support for those struggling to find work or care
for family members.
The package, now before Parliament, stands
to adjust the rules on who qualifies for employment insurance (EI), and
includes two emergency benefits for those who don't.
The
emergency benefits aren't yet available, but the government has released
guidelines on who can apply, and how much relief Canadians can
expect. Here's how they'll work.
Who qualifies for EI?
Whether
you qualify for EI will still depend on your specific situation, such
as regional rate of employment, and the number of hours worked in the last 52 weeks.
The government recommends people apply as soon as possible to find out
if they qualify; waiting more than four weeks after your last day of
work means you could lose access to those benefits.
To receive
EI, you must have lost your job through no fault of your own, which
includes being unable to work because of illness or quarantine. Under
Wednesday's changes, the one-week waiting period for sickness benefits
will be removed for those who have been told to self-isolate or
quarantine, meaning applicants can be paid for the first week of their
claim.
If approved, the maximum amount paid out for EI is $573 a week.
How do I apply?
Applicants
usually need a medical certificate along with records of employment,
though the new rules allow quarantined workers to apply without the
former. If you can't apply because you are quarantined, you can also
file for EI sickness benefits later and have the claim backdated.
To apply for EI benefits, you can visit the website.
Afterwards, you can apply to have the one-week waiting period waived by
calling the government's toll-free number at 1-833-381-2725, or
teletypewriter at 1-800-529-3742.
It is also possible to apply
in person at a Service Canada office, though those who are experiencing
symptoms, or are in self-isolation or quarantine are instructed not to
visit.
What if I don't qualify for EI?
The federal aid package also includes the Emergency Care Benefit and the Emergency Support Benefit.
The
Emergency Care Benefit provides up to $900 every two weeks for up to 15
weeks, to those affected by COVID-19. It's intended for those who don't
qualify for EI, can't go to work and don't have paid sick leave.
Workers
— including the self-employed — who are quarantined or sick with
COVID-19 can apply, as can those staying home to take care of a family
member with COVID-19 who doesn't qualify. Parents staying home to care
for children because of school closures are also covered, and can apply
whether or not they qualify for EI.
The Emergency Support
Benefit will give up to $5 billion to workers ineligible for EI who face
unemployment. It is intended to be a long-term income support, but the
government hasn't yet said how much it will provide, or how long funds
will be given out.
Both benefit plans will be available to apply for in April, through the CRA and My Service Canada websites, and a toll-free number that has not yet been shared.
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