Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits Extended to 50 Weeks

Summary#

This bill changes the Employment Insurance Act to extend the maximum length of Employment Insurance (EI) benefits paid for illness, injury, or quarantine from 15 weeks to 50 weeks. It updates two provisions so the longer limit applies to both regular EI contributors and self‑employed people who opted into EI special benefits (para. 12(3)(c); para. 152.14(1)(c)).

• Increases the EI sickness-type benefit cap from 15 to 50 weeks (Bill Summary; para. 12(3)(c); para. 152.14(1)(c)).
• Applies to periods of illness, injury, or quarantine that are prescribed under EI rules (para. 12(3)(c)).
• Does not change eligibility rules or the benefit rate; it only changes the maximum number of payable weeks (bill text confines amendments to week limits).
• Extends the same longer limit to self‑employed claimants who have opted into EI special benefits (para. 152.14(1)(c)).

What it means for you#

• Households

  • If you qualify for EI sickness benefits, you could receive up to 50 weeks of payments instead of up to 15 weeks, when your claim is due to illness, injury, or quarantine (para. 12(3)(c)).
  • The bill does not change how you qualify or how your weekly amount is calculated. It only extends the maximum duration (bill text confines changes to week limits).
  • Effective date not specified in the provided text. Timing depends on when, and if, the bill receives Royal Assent and any coming‑into‑force clause. Data unavailable.

• Workers

  • Employees covered by EI who face longer recoveries would have more weeks of income support before benefits run out (para. 12(3)(c)).
  • Self‑employed workers who have registered for EI special benefits would also have up to 50 weeks for illness, injury, or quarantine claims (para. 152.14(1)(c)).

• Businesses

  • Employer obligations under this bill do not change directly. It does not alter employer-paid sick leave policies or set new mandates on businesses (bill text contains no employer mandates).
  • EI premium rates are not set in this bill. Any future rate changes, if any, would be decided through the normal EI rate‑setting process. Data unavailable.

• Local and provincial/territorial governments

  • No new administrative duties are created by this bill for provincial, territorial, or municipal governments (bill text contains only federal EI amendments).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• Fiscal note or official costing: No publicly available information.
• Appropriations in the bill: None. The bill amends benefit duration but does not appropriate funds (bill text).
• Program impact: By extending maximum payable weeks from 15 to 50, EI benefit outlays for illness, injury, or quarantine would likely increase. The bill does not address how EI premium rates or the EI Operating Account would adjust. Data unavailable.

Proponents' View#

• Extending to 50 weeks better matches recovery times for serious illnesses and long treatments, reducing the risk that claimants run out of support while still unable to work (para. 12(3)(c); para. 152.14(1)(c)). Assumes many claimants currently exhaust 15 weeks; specific figures not provided in the bill.
• The change is simple to implement because it only adjusts the maximum weeks and leaves existing EI eligibility and administration in place (targeted amendments to para. 12(3)(c) and 152.14(1)(c)).
• Including self‑employed EI special benefit participants ensures consistent treatment across insured workers and self‑employed opt‑ins (para. 152.14(1)(c)).
• May reduce pressure on provincial social assistance if people can stay on EI longer during medical recovery. Evidence on the size of this effect is not provided. Data unavailable.

Opponents' View#

• Longer maximum duration would increase EI program costs and could put upward pressure on EI premiums paid by workers and employers. The bill does not present a funding plan or premium impact analysis. Data unavailable.
• Without clearer transition rules or an effective date, implementation timing and how existing claims would be treated are uncertain based on the provided text. Data unavailable.
• Extending to 50 weeks may overlap with other income‑support or disability programs, creating coordination and administrative complexity not addressed in the bill. Magnitude of overlap not quantified. Data unavailable.
• Risk that longer benefit availability could lengthen average claim duration, increasing the EI Operating Account’s liabilities. The bill provides no safeguards or monitoring requirements. Data unavailable.