Human Resources Legislative Update
New EI Benefit Rate Calculation to Come Into Force April 7, 2013
Date: April 3, 2013
On April 7, 2013, certain amendments to the Employment Insurance Act (“EI Act”) made by the federal government’s Budget 2012 legislation, Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, will come into force and create a new benefit rate calculation for employment insurance benefits.
As of April 7, 2013, the calculation of the benefit rate of most claimants will be based on the highest weeks of insurable earnings out of the qualifying period. The number of weeks used in that calculation will vary and will depend on the monthly unemployment rates in the applicable region (“Variable Best Weeks”).
As previously reported, Pilot Project No. 14, Pilot Project for Calculating Benefit Rate Based on Claimant’s 14 Highest Weeks of Insurance Earnings (Best 14 Weeks) was extended to April 6, 2013, pending the enactment of the new permanent approach to calculating employment insurance benefits.
On March 8, 2013, the federal government registered Regulations Amending the Employment Insurance Regulations (“Regulations”) which make technical amendments to align the Employment Insurance Regulations with the amendments to the EI Act. The Regulations will come into force on April 7, 2013.
