Difference between revisions of "Benefit Period of Employment Insurance (8:V)"

== D. Income That Is Not Treated as Earnings ==

Section 35(7) of the ''EI Regulations'' exempts certain sources of income from being regarded as earnings. These include:

* disability pension or a lump sum or pension paid in full and final settlement of a claim made for workers’ compensation payments;

* payments under a sickness or disability wage-loss indemnity plan that is not a group plan;

* relief grants in cash or in kind;

* retroactive increases in wages or salary;

For more details, see section 35(7) of the ''EI Regulations''.

Cases suggest that in certain circumstances some earnings may not delay the start of an EI claim. In [https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/fca/doc/2005/2005fca363/2005fca363.html?autocompleteStr=Attorney%20General%20of%20Canada%20v%20Bielich%2C%202005%20FCA%20363&autocompletePos=1 ''Attorney General of Canada v Bielich'', 2005 FCA 363], the court allowed a $24,000 payment to be exempted from the claimant’s allocation of earnings because the purpose of the payment was to compensate the claimant for giving up his right to seek reinstatement, not to compensate for lost pay.

:'''Note''': Retirement pensions are generally considered income and are deducted from EI benefits. However, if the claimant accumulates all the hours needed to qualify for EI after the date their pension starts, then their pension money will not be deducted from their EI benefits (see ''EI Regulations'', s. 35(7)(e)).

== E. The Waiting Period ==

Before receiving any EI benefits, a claimant must serve a one week “waiting period” during which they are unemployed and otherwise eligible for benefits (''EI Act'', s. 13).

This waiting period also applies to maternity, parental, caregiver, and sickness claims. For caregiver benefits, it can be deferred for the second family member if benefits are split, but the first person must serve it. If a claimant works during the waiting period, 100 percent of their earnings will be deducted from the first three (and no more than three) weekly benefit cheques.

== F. Length of Benefit Period ==

The benefit period for regular EI benefits is 52 weeks (''EI Act'', s. 10(2)). However, this period can sometimes be extended to more than 52 weeks. The criteria for this is set out in s. 10(10) of the ''EI Act''. The benefit period can be extended when a claimant proves that, for any week during that benefit period, the claimant was not entitled to benefit by reason of:

   

* being confined in a jail, penitentiary, or other similar institution and they were not found guilty of the offence for which they were being held or any other offence arising out of the same transaction;

* receiving earnings paid because of the complete severance of their relationship with their former employer (i.e., “using up” severance pay, vacation pay, etc.);

* receiving workers’ compensation payments for an illness or injury; or

* receiving payments under a provincial law on the basis of having ceased to work because continuing to work would have entailed danger to the claimant, their unborn child, or a child they are breast-feeding. '''BC residents are not entitled to these payments, this does not apply'''.

The length of any benefit period extended for these reasons cannot exceed 104 weeks (''EI Act'', s. 10(14)).

== G. Payment of Regular Benefits ==

Where a benefit period for '''regular benefits''' has been established for a claimant, benefits may be paid to the claimant for each week of unemployment that falls in the benefit period, subject to the maximum benefit periods established in the ''EI Act'', section 12.

The maximum number of weeks for which benefits may be paid in a benefit period (other than special benefits) are determined in accordance with the table in Schedule I of the ''EI Act'' by reference to the regional rate of unemployment that applies to the claimant and the number of hours of insurable employment of the claimant in their qualifying period.  

Refer to Canada’s [http://srv129.services.gc.ca/eiregions/eng/canada.aspx EI Economic Region map] to determine whether the claimant was living in one of the economic regions.

== H. Termination of Benefit Period ==

Once a benefit period is established, it continues to run, regardless of whether the claimant has resumed employment (although full benefits will not be paid in this case), unless the benefit period is terminated.

Section 10(8) of the ''EI Act'' states that a benefit period terminates when:

:a) no further benefits are payable to the claimant in their benefit period;

:b) the benefit period would otherwise end under this section; or

:c) the claimant

:* requests that their benefit period end,

:* makes a new initial claim for benefits, and

:* qualifies as an insured person to receive benefits, or qualifies as a self-employed person to receive benefits, under the ''Act''.

:'''Note''': The calculation of benefit rates under the ''EI Act'' makes the timing of the decision to conclude one claim and initiate a new one crucial.