EI Emergency Response Benefit Extended to 24 Weeks

Summary#

Interim Order No. 5 Amending the Employment Insurance Act (Employment Insurance Emergency Response Benefit) (SOR/2020-141) is an emergency change made during the COVID‑19 pandemic. It raises the maximum weeks of the Employment Insurance Emergency Response Benefit from 16 to 24, applies retroactively to March 15, 2020, and includes a built‑in end date of December 31, 2020.

What it does#

• Replaces the previous limit so a claimant can receive the Employment Insurance Emergency Response Benefit for up to 24 weeks instead of 16.
• Adds a clause saying any provisions added by this interim order or the four earlier related interim orders stop applying on the earlier of December 31, 2020 or the day the specific interim order is repealed.
• Says the interim order applies even if other parts of the Employment Insurance Act or its regulations would say otherwise.
• Declares the order effective retroactively at 00:00:04 a.m. on March 15, 2020.

Who's affected#

• Workers who qualify for the Employment Insurance Emergency Response Benefit — typically people who stopped working for reasons related to COVID‑19 or who would otherwise have qualified for regular or sickness Employment Insurance.
• People who already received the benefit may see their total eligible weeks increase because the change is retroactive.
• It may also affect those who administer or manage benefits under the Employment Insurance Act, since the order temporarily overrides other provisions.

Why it matters#

• More weeks of paid support: eligible workers can get benefit payments for 24 weeks instead of 16, which can meaningfully extend income support during the pandemic.
• Time‑limited measure: the change is temporary and will end by December 31, 2020, unless repealed earlier.
• Retroactive effect to March 15, 2020 means payments and eligibility for the early pandemic period may be adjusted.