Employment Insurance (EI) Working While on Claim Pilot Project to increase allowable earnings
Working while on EI
What you should know
How to take advantage of the pilot project
Workers and/or Residents outside Canada
What you should know
Under current Employment Insurance (EI) rules, you can work a certain amount while you are on claim without a deduction from your benefits. If you work part-time while receiving regular, parental, compassionate care or fishing benefits, you can earn $50 per week or 25% of your weekly benefits, whichever is higher.
Special temporary measures have been put in place to ensure workers can accept all available employment while on claim. This pilot project increases the amount you can earn while working part-time and receiving EI benefits by allowing you to earn the greater of $75 or 40% of weekly benefits.
This pilot project, originally aimed at workers living in specific economic regions between December 11, 2005 and December 6, 2008, was extended to all regions effective December 7, 2008 through to August 4, 2012. Through this pilot project, the Government will evaluate the effects on pilot project participants and on the labour market.
How to take advantage of the pilot project
You can benefit from the pilot project if you meet the following conditions:
- you are filing a claim and are eligible to receive regular, fishing, parental or compassionate care benefits;
- between December 7, 2008 and August 4, 2012 you are claiming benefits for any week starting between December 7, 2008 and August 4, 2012 regardless of where you live in Canada. See example on allowable earnings under the pilot project and before.
Important reminder: There is no change concerning the treatment of earnings while claiming sickness and maternity benefits. They will continue to be deducted from benefits dollar for dollar.
Example: Allowable earnings under the pilot project and before.
You claim and are eligible to receive regular benefits. Your claim for benefits starts between December 7, 2008 and August 4, 2012.
- Your benefit rate is $200
- You work part-time and earn $150 per week
- Your waiting period is served
Under the pilot project, your payable EI benefit is $130 and is calculated as follows: $200 benefit rate + $80 allowable earnings (which is 40% of $ 200) = $280 - $150 what you earned = $130 is the amount of your EI payment.
Before the project pilot, your payable EI payment would have been $100 and would have been calculated as follows: $200 benefit rate + $50 allowable earnings (which is 25% of $200) = $250 - $150 what you earned = $100 would have been the amount of your EI payment.
Workers and/or Residents outside Canada
If you are residing in the United States and worked in Canada or if you crossed the Canada/United States border between your residence and workplace and you meet all the conditions, you could participate in the pilot project that allows you to earn $75 or 40% of your weekly benefits, whicherver is higher. Any monies earned above that amount will be deducted dollar for dollar from your benefits.
For more information on Employment Insurance and Workers and/or Residents outside Canada.