Employment insurance and severance pay

[Tom_p]

Hi, I just got laid off. Employer will pay my severance as salary continuation. They deduct from salary continuation EI premiums, but de fact I am not working. How this type of severance pay impacts EI benefits, does it count as working hours, or at the end of severance I will not be eligible for EI benefits, because I won’t have required hours of work in past 52 weeks? Thank you.

[Jankipatel]

Hello,
I am 21 weeks prégnant and got laid off from work with covid-19.
I ask my Dr. For sick leave but she Said i am not sick.
If i apply for EI first than can i get my meternity and parental leave the same way ??

[Lloyd]

Where do I go to sign up for E.I

[SettlementOrgMod]

@Tom_p__

Hi, I just got laid off. Employer will pay my severance as salary continuation. They deduct from salary continuation EI premiums, but de fact I am not working. How this type of severance pay impacts EI benefits, does it count as working hours, or at the end of severance I will not be eligible for EI benefits, because I won’t have required hours of work in past 52 weeks? Thank you.

Hello There,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

Severance pay may affect how your Employment Insurance (EI) is calculated. It is encouraged that you apply so that a processing agent determines if you are eligible and so that you may avoid gaps in payment. Due to the COVID outbreak, the wait period has also been waived for individuals in quarantine.You may find helpful information on how EI is calculated in this section of the EI Regular Benefits overview, How much could you receive? Here is an excerpt:

We cannot tell you exactly how much you will receive before we process your application. For most people, the basic rate for calculating EI benefits is 55% of your 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 you can receive a maximum amount of $573 per week.

In terms of eligibility, “The following information is a guideline. We encourage you to apply for benefits so our processing agents can determine if you are eligible.”

You may be entitled to Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits if you:

• were employed in insurable employment;
• lost your job through no fault of your own;
• have been without work and without pay for at least seven consecutive days in the last 52 weeks;
• have worked for the required number of insurable employment hours in the last 52 weeks or since the start of your last EI claim, whichever is shorter;
• are ready, willing and capable of working each day;
• are actively looking for work (you must keep a written record of employers you contact, including when you contacted them).

For case-specific inquiries, it is best to call Service Canada:
Toll-Free: 1-800-206-7218
TTY: 1-800-529-3742

Due to the current COVID-19 outbreak, the Employment Insurance call centre is experiencing high call volumes. It is encouraged that people use self-serve options to access our programs and services online if possible.

We hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here.

Settlement.Org Team

[SettlementOrgMod]

@Jankipatel

Hello,
I am 21 weeks prégnant and got laid off from work with covid-19.
I ask my Dr. For sick leave but she Said i am not sick.
If i apply for EI first than can i get my meternity and parental leave the same way ??

Hello There,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

Maternity and Parental Leave is a type of benefit under EI.

To be eligible for maternity or parental benefits you must show:

• You are losing 40% or more of your weekly income;
• You have worked 600 hours or more during the last 52 weeks or since your last claim; and
• When you expect your baby to be born, the date your baby was born, or when your adopted child was placed with you.

Only mothers can be eligible for maternity benefits. Both mothers and fathers can be eligible for parental benefits.

[…]You can get maternity benefits for a maximum of 15 weeks and start collecting benefits up to 12 weeks before your due date.

For information about regular EI and maternity benefits, it may be best that you contact Service Canada directly using their service request form. Here is an excerpt from Employment and Social Development Canada:

If you received Employment Insurance (EI) benefits in the past 52 weeks, you may not be eligible to receive the maximum number of weeks of maternity or parental benefits.

However, if you’ve worked 600 hours since your last claim, you could start a new claim. Contact us to find out what’s best for your situation.

Given the circumstances, you may also be eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. The eligibility criteria for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit is as follows:

The benefit will be available to workers:

• Residing in Canada, who are at least 15 years old;
• Who have stopped working because of reasons related to COVID-19 or are eligible for Employment Insurance regular or sickness benefits or have exhausted their Employment Insurance regular benefits or Employment Insurance fishing benefits between December 29, 2019 and October 3, 2020;
• Who had employment and/or self-employment income of at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the 12 months prior to the date of their application; and,
• Who have not quit their job voluntarily.

You may also find helpful information in the Steps to Justice articles, Who can get the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and how do I apply? and I am going to be a parent. Can I get EI?. We hope this information is helpful, and if you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org Team

[SettlementOrgMod]

@Lloyd

Where do I go to sign up for E.I

Hello There,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

You can apply for Employment Insurance online, here.

If you have specific questions regarding your eligibility, you may want to contact Service Canada directly.

In response to COVID-19, all in person Service Canada Centres are closed until further notice.
In the meantime, you can access our programs and services online.
For additional support, please fill out the service request form.

We hope this information is helpful. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here. You may also find useful information in Settlement.Org articles on Employment Insurance.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org Team