Update on Canadian benefits from the Canadian government
Date: March 25, 2020
New: Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
- $2,000 a month to workers who have lost their income and do not qualify for EI for up to four months (16
weeks).
- An application portal will launch in April.
- The CERB would be paid every four weeks and be
available from March 15, 2020 until October 3, 2020.
- CERB will be administered through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
- It was noted by the federal government that some of the systems to
administer these benefits still need to be created and that this is a new
program for CRA.
- People should start receiving money within 10
days of applying.
- The CERB
will replace the Emergency Care Benefit and the Emergency
Support Benefit previously announced last week.
CERB eligibility:
Canadians who have lost their job, are sick, quarantined, or taking care of someone who is sick with COVID-19.
Working parents who must stay home without pay to care for children who are sick or at home because of school and daycare closures.
The CERB will apply to wage earners, contract workers and self-employed individuals who would not otherwise be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI).
Workers who are still employed but are not receiving income because of disruptions to their work situation due to COVID-19.
The CERB will be available to Canadians who earned $5,000 or more in the past 12 months but are no longer receiving pay due to COVID-19.
Employment Insurance Update (EI)
·
Approximately one million people have applied for
EI, with 143,000 claims processed to date. The federal
government has boosted the team to address these claims by 13,000.
·
Canadians who are already receiving EI regular
and sickness benefits as of March 25th, 2020 will continue to
receive their benefits and should not apply to the CERB. If their EI benefits
end before October 3, 2020, they could apply for the CERB once their EI
benefits cease, if they are unable to return to work due to COVID-19.
·
Canadians who have already applied for EI and
whose application has not yet been processed would not need to reapply.
·
Canadians who are eligible for EI regular and
sickness benefits would still be able to access their normal EI benefits, if
still unemployed, after the 16-week period covered by the CERB.
How Do I Qualify for EI
Benefits for COVID-19-related work disruptions?
When to Apply
To
receive EI, you:
Must have
lost your job through no fault of your own, which includes being unable to work
because of illness or quarantine.
Waiting
Period
The
one-week waiting period for sickness benefits will be removed for those who
have been told to self-isolate or quarantine, meaning applicants can be paid
for the first week of their claim.
Maximum
Amount
If
approved, the maximum amount paid out for EI is $573 a week.
What
Do I Need to Apply
Note:
The new rules allow quarantined workers to apply without the medical certificate.
Applicants can apply for EI Sickness benefits and have the claim backdated.
These benefits cover 15 weeks of EI benefits.
Apply for EI Sickness benefits
- Telephone:
1-833-381-2725 (toll-free)
- Teletypewriter
(TTY): 1-800-529-3742
Apply in person at a Service Canada office:
Note: Those who
are experiencing symptoms, or are in self-isolation or quarantine are
instructed not to visit.
Important: If you are directly affected by the COVID-19 because you
are sick or quarantined and you have not yet applied for EI benefits, please
submit your application before contacting us.
This will allow us to better serve you and prevent delays in establishing your
claim.
Note: We will take action only for sick or quarantined clients
affected by the COVID-19 for which the application for sickness benefits has
been filed.
Additional Financial Supports
$55 billion in deferred tax payments for business and individuals.
Top-ups for child benefits and GST cheques in May 2020
Websites
Coronavirus
Disease (COVID-19) – Employment and Social Development Canada
