The amendments contained in Bill C-30, Budget Implementation Act, 2021, No. 1, which permanently extend the maximum number of weeks available under employment insurance (EI) sickness benefits, have been proclaimed into force effective December 18, 2022. In this FTR Now we consider this development and its implications for employers. Extension from 15 to 26 Weeks…
Tag: Employment Insurance
Employment and Social Development Canada Extends Consultation on Modernizing Employment Insurance Program
In August 2021, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) initiated a consultation survey on how to modernize the nation’s Employment Insurance (EI) program. The need for the consultation survey was driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and the gaps it highlighted in the EI program. On November 9, 2021, ESDC extended the closing date of the…
Updated Guidance on ROE Codes to be Used for Non-Compliance with Workplace Vaccination Policies
On October 15, 2021, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) updated its website page EI information for employers – COVID-19 with respect to Block 16 – Reasons for issuing this ROE (record of employment). Block 16 is used to indicate the reason for the employee’s leave or separation from employment, or why the ROE is…
Key Highlights of Federal Budget 2021
On April 19, 2021, the federal government tabled its 2021 Budget “A Recovery Plan For Jobs, Growth, And Resilience” (Budget). The Budget sets out a broad range of proposals stemming from the pandemic, such as an extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) and an increase to the length of Employment Insurance (EI) sickness…
Stephanie Kalinowski Quoted in Benefits Canada on How Insurers are Using Block-Level Contract Amendments to Control Drug Costs
Benefits Canada quoted Hicks Morley’s Stephanie Kalinowski in a September 28, 2020 article titled “How are insurers using block-level contract amendments to control drug costs?”
Stephanie Kalinowski Quoted in Benefits Canada on Employers Using SUB Plans to Top Up During Pandemic
Benefits Canada quoted Hicks Morley’s Stephanie Kalinowski in a May 27, 2020 article titled “Employers Can’t Use SUB Plans to Top up Employees Laid off Due to Pandemic.” The article discusses how employers with registered supplemental unemployment benefit plans aren’t able to use them to top up laid-off employees who are receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.
Special COVID-19 Webinar: Compliance, Immigration & Employment
Hicks Morley and Green and Spiegel LLP have teamed up to bring you a special COVID-19 webinar focusing on Compliance, Immigration & Employment. The panel will asses the impact of COVID-19 on employer compliance from an immigration standpoint as well as employment-law related issues due to the pandemic.
Further Measures Announced in Relation to COVID-19
Late last week, the Ontario government amended a number of measures already introduced in light of COVID-19. It updated the “COVID-19 Self-Assessment Tool” to include an expanded list of symptoms for which self-isolation is required. It made further orders under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act regarding health care, an expanded list of essential workers eligible for child care and seasonal campgrounds. The federal government provided more information on initiatives already underway, including with respect to the eligibility requirements for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).
Stephanie Kalinowski Interviewed by CBC Kitchener-Waterloo on Eligibility for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
Applications are now open for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). In an interview with CBC Kitchener-Waterloo on April 8, 2020, Hicks Morley’s Stephanie Kalinowski responded to frequently asked questions of eligibility for the federal government’s CERB program.
Additional Details of Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy and Enhanced Summer Jobs Program Released
After making its initial announcement about the significantly expanded Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) program, the federal government announced on April 8, 2020, that it is introducing additional flexibility to the CEWS, and provided additional details about how the program will operate.