Current EI Benefits
There are several types of employment insurance benefits
available to individuals during this difficult time.
Employment Insurance Regular benefits are available to employees
who are on temporary lay-off. Employment Insurance Sickness
benefits provide up to 15 weeks of income replacement. The
government has waived the one-week waiting period for those
individuals in imposed quarantine that claim EI sickness benefits
as of March 15, 2020. As well, the federal government is giving
priority application for processing for EI sickness claims for
applicants under quarantine. In the normal course, an employee
would have to provide a medical certificate to claim EI sickness
benefits; however, those under quarantine will not have to provide
a medical certificate. In order to qualify for EI sickness
benefits, applicants need to demonstrate that they have accumulated
600 insured hours of work in the 52 weeks before the start of their
claim.
