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Employment Insurance (EI) and small weeks
Why "small weeks"?
Who can take advantage?
How to tell us about your "small weeks"
Some helpful definitions
Excluding "small weeks" in the calculation of the benefit rate
Why "small weeks"?
To encourage people to take all available work, for example part-time or temporary, the exclusion of "small weeks" is a different method that can be used when calculating your weekly benefit rate. This method allows us to exclude weeks where workers earned less than $225. Otherwise, the counting of "small weeks" would lower the benefit rate of people who had varying work patterns.
Who can take advantage?
All EI claimants, except those applying for fishing benefits, are able to take advantage of the method of calculation of "small weeks", especially part-time and/or seasonal workers with weeks of low income.
All the following criteria must be met for us to apply the "small weeks" method of calculation :
- you have at least one "small week" and at least one regular week in the last 26 weeks of work;
- you are not applying for fishing benefits;
- you have a number of weeks with insured earnings in the last 26 weeks of work greater than the regional divisor; and
- you have a benefit rate lower than the maximum of $457.
It is important for you to know that if all these criteria are not met, the calculation of your weekly benefit payment will include all the earnings accumulated within the 26 weeks calculation period.
How to tell us about your "small weeks"
At the time you apply for either regular, maternity, parental or sickness benefits"regular, maternity, parental or sickness benefits the small weeks are identified through the"Small Weeks Questionnaire" which accompanies the application for EI.
You only need to complete this questionnaire if you have earned less than $225 a week, any time during the last 26 weeks of work. You need to indicate the dates and earnings of all the "small weeks" you have.
Your statement regarding "small weeks" is normally accepted as correct unless we have contradicting information on your EI file. In these circumstances, you may need to provide supporting proof.
Acceptable proof of a small week may be any of the following :
- a Record of Employment (ROE) with detailed calendar weekly pay period amounts only; or
- a personal work record of a worker, i.e., calendar;
- pay stubs;
- time sheets.
Some helpful definitions
To help you understand, here are some definitions :
- Regular week : is a calendar week — Sunday to Saturday — for which the earnings before deductions are $225 or more.
- "Small week" : is a calendar week — Sunday to Saturday — for which the earnings before deductions are less than $225.
- Rate calculation period: is the 26 weeks preceding the last paid employment day.
- Minimum divisor : the divisor is the actual number of weeks of work in the rate calculation period or the minimum divisor as determined by the unemployment rate in your region at the time you apply, whichever is higher.
Excluding small weeks in the calculation of the benefit rate
All regular weeks that fall within the rate calculation period will be used to determine the average earnings. If the number of regular weeks is less than the minimum divisor for your region, the earnings from the best of your "small weeks" will be added to the earnings of your regular weeks to meet the minimum divisor. See example A.
If the number of regular weeks is equal to or greater than the minimum divisor for your region, the earnings from your small weeks will be excluded in the calculation of your weekly benefit payment. See example B
However, all your "small weeks" will be used to determine your eligibility for benefits and how many weeks you can be paid benefits.
| Unemployment rate in your region | Minimum divisor |
|---|---|
0% to 6% |
22 |
6.1% to 7% |
21 |
7.1% to 8% |
20 |
8.1% to 9% |
19 |
9.1% to 10% |
18 |
10.1% to 11% |
17 |
11.1% to 12% |
16 |
12.1% to 13% |
15 |
13.1% and over |
14 |
In a region where the minimum divisor is 14, an individual has accumulated within the 26-week calculation period :
- 12 regular weeks at $400,
- 12 "small weeks" at $185,
- 1 "small week" at $220 and
- 1 "small week" at $200.
The average earnings will be calculated as follows:
- All regular weeks of earnings are used: 12 weeks x $400 = $4,800
- Plus the two best "small weeks" to equal the minimum divisor: $220 + $200 = $420
- Total of earnings that is used in the rate calculation period: $5,220
- The total is divided by the minimum divisor — 14 — and multiplied by 55% to get your weekly benefit payment: $5,220 ÷ 14 x 55% = $205
The weekly benefit is $205.00. The benefit rate without excluding "small weeks" would have been $157 because all the 26 weeks would have been considered :
- 12 weeks x $400 = $4,800
- 12 weeks x $185 = $2,220
- 1 week x $220 = $220
- 1 week x $200 = $200
- Total = $7,440
Weekly benefit rate = $7,440 ÷ 26 x 55% = $157
In a region where the minimum divisor is 16, an individual has accumulated within the 26-week calculation period :
- 16 regular weeks at $600,
- 9 "small weeks" at $185 and
- 1 "small week" at $220.
The average earnings will be calculated by using all regular weeks of earnings: 16 weeks x $600 = $9,600. Exclusion of all the small weeks because the regular weeks are equal to the minimum divisor.
Total of earnings that is used in the rate calculation period: $9,600. This total is divided by the minimum divisor — 16 — and multiplied by 55% to get your weekly benefit payment: $9,600 ÷ 16 x 55% = $330.
The weekly benefit is $330.00. The benefit rate without excluding "small weeks" would have been $243 because all the 26 weeks would have been considered :
- 16 weeks x $600 = $ 9,600
- 9 weeks x $185 = $ 1,665
- 1 week x $220 = $220
- Total = $11,485
Weekly benefit rate = $11,485 ÷ 26 x 55% = $243
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call our Telephone Information Service at 1 800 206-7218, Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm or contact your Service Canada Centre.
