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This report considers EI benefit eligibility by examining the relationship between the receipt of EI and the reason for job separation. Using the most recent period of COEP data, the analysis provides an overview of the reasons for job separation and a more detailed analysis of the six main reasons.

The overview analysis indicated that a layoff was the reason for job separation for more than half (58.6 percent) of all COEP survey respondents in the recent period who received EI. The next largest category was pregnancy or parental reasons (10.5 percent).

Comparing EI receipt rates by reason for job separation indicated that individuals who were listed as returning to school, taking a leave of absence, quitting or retiring were less likely to collect EI than those who were laid off. Workers leaving a job for pregnancy or parental reasons were more likely to collect EI than laid-off workers.

The detailed analysis for the six main reasons for job separation indicated that:

• Youths were less likely to collect EI than the prime age group when the reason for job separation was a layoff or returning to school. Also, they were less likely to collect EI than the prime age male group when the reason for job separation was either quitting or dismissal.
• Seasonal workers were less likely than non-seasonal workers to collect EI if the reason for job separation was a layoff or a return to school.
• The longer the consecutive weeks of unemployment, the more likely a person was to collect EI when the reason for job separation was a layoff.
• A higher unemployment rate led to a lower EI receipt rate when the reason for job separation was pregnancy or parental reasons.
• For the most recent period, EI receipt rates were lower for those who were laid off, returned to school or quitting, compared with the EI receipt rate for these categories during the post-EI reform period.
• Comparison of the responses given in the COEP survey with the ROE reveal that in some cases, such as maternity and returns to school, the reason for job separation can be assumed to be reasonably accurate. However, in other cases such as dismissals, the link between what is contained on the ROE and the response on the COEP is weak.
• A noticeable portion of quits and an even greater portion of dismissals are allowed to receive EI benefits. There is some evidence to suggest that Human Resource Centre (HRC) managers in different parts of Canada varied in how they approved EI claims for individuals quitting their jobs, but in the case of dismissals, EI receipt rates vary more widely. The implications of this are unclear at this time.