Service Canada
People serving people
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Employment Insurance (EI) responsibilities
At Service Canada, we are responsible for:
- giving you prompt and courteous service;
- advising you of the programs and services that are available to you;
- serving you in the official language of your choice;
- determining if you are eligible to receive benefits - that is, whether or not you meet the qualifying conditions specified in the Employment Insurance Act and Regulations - and determining how many weeks of benefits you can receive;
- processing your claim within the same timeframe, regardless of whether you apply online, in person, or by mail;
- issuing your first payment no later than 28 days after the date we receive your application, if you have provided us with all the required information and if you are eligible for benefits;
- giving you accurate information about your claim, including how you can share parental benefits with your EI-eligible spouse or partner and compassionate care benefits with other EI-eligible family members, and whether or not you will need to serve a two-week waiting period; and
- informing you about decisions we have made about your claim, and explaining the process you should follow if you decide to appeal our decision.
