Compassionate care benefits
Employment Insurance (EI) frequently asked questions by employers
- Does the Canada Labour Code provide job protection for a compassionate care leave?
- Do Provincial Labour Codes provide protection for a compassionate care leave?
- If there are more than one family member working at my business, can they all request compassionate care leave at the same time?
- Our business currently has/will have a plan that provides a top-up to maternity and parental benefits for our employees. Can our business also provice the same type of top-up for compassionate care leave?
- Our company has/will have a a registered wage loss indemnity plan that qualifies for the EI premium rate reduction. Do we need to modify our plan to extend benefits to employees applying for compassionate care leave in order to continue qualifying for the EI premium rate reduction?
- What is the "reason for separation" code on the Record of Employment (ROE) for this type of leave?
Does the Canada Labour Code provide job protection for a compassionate care leave?
Yes. Part III of the Canada Labour Code provides job protection to ensure that an EI eligible worker can take up to 8 weeks of compassionate care leave, with 6 weeks EI compassionate care benefits plus 2 weeks waiting period, to provide care and support to a family member if a medical certificate is issued.- Do Provincial Labour Codes provide job protection for a compassionate care leave?
To obtain information regarding Provincial Labour Codes, you must contact the respective Provincial authorities.
- If there are more than one family member working at my business, can they all request compassionate care leave at the same time?
Yes. The compassionate care leave may be shared by two or more employees of the same family working under federal jurisdiction, but the total amount of leave which may be taken by two or more employees in regard to the same family member is 8 weeks, for instance 6 weeks EI compassionate care benefits plus 2 weeks waiting period.
Our business currently has/will have a plan that provides a top-up to maternity and parental benefits for our employees. Can our business also provide the same type of top-up for compassionate care leave ?
Yes. Your employees can receive a top-up at the same time as they receive EI benefits for compassionate care.- Our company has/will have a registered wage loss indemnity plan that qualifies for the EI premium rate reduction. Do we need to modify our plan to extend benefits to employees applying for compassionate care leave in order to continue qualifying for the EI premium rate reduction?
No. You are not required to extend compassionate care benefits to your employees. Therefore you do not need to modify your plan to continue to qualify for a premium reduction. However, if you wish to extend compassionate care benefits to your employees, you may do so without affecting your premium reduction.
What is the "reason for separation" code on the Record of Employment (ROE) for this type of leave?
Code "Z" should be used for compassionate care leave.
