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Who is eligible? Who is eligible?Compassionate care benefits may be paid up to a maximum of 6 weeks to a person who has to be absent from work to provide care or support to a gravely ill family member at risk of dying within 26 weeks. Unemployed persons on EI can also ask for this type of benefits. To be eligible for compassionate care benefits you must apply and show that:
If you have been paid EI benefits in the past and you received a written notice, for example, a warning letter or a penalty letter, for making a false statement, the required number of hours worked to claim compassionate care benefits will be higher. To know more... The qualifying period is the shorter of:
Who is considered a family member?You can receive compassionate care benefits to care for one of the following family member:
Common-law partner means a person who has been living in a conjugal relationship with that person for at least a year. Definition of care or supportCare or support to a family member means:
Sharing compassionate care benefitsYou can share the 6 weeks compassionate care benefits with other members of your family who must also apply and are eligible for these benefits. The number of weeks that you will share with other members of your family should be decided and agreed between each family member requesting these benefits at the time you apply for compassionate care benefits. See example 1 Example 1
Shared compassionate care benefits between 3 family members:
Medical certificate signed January 5, 2005. As you are the 1st to claim compassionate care benefits, you serve the 2-week waiting period. Waiting period to be served and number of weeks payable for each family member:
Medical proofWhen requesting compassionate care benefits you must provide a medical certificate as proof that the ill family member needs care or support and is at risk of dying within 26 weeks. The medical certificate called "Medical certificate for Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits" must be completed and signed by a medical doctor or other medical practitioner authorized to treat the gravely ill family member. Please note that the fees requested by the doctor are entirely at your own expense. Another medical practitioner, such as a nurse practitioner, is accepted when:
Only one medical certificate is required per gravely ill family member within the 26-week period whether one person claims the total of 6 weeks of benefits or whether they are shared. In the eventuality that more than one medical certificate is submitted, it's the 1st one that determines the start and end of the 26-week period. How, where and when to applyTo receive compassionate care benefits you must submit an EI application on-line or in person at your Service Canada Centre. You should apply as soon as you stop working. You must request your Record of Employment (ROE) from your last employer. If you have your ROE from your last employer, apply immediately. If you did not receive your last ROE, submit your application along with proof of employment, for example, pay stubs. If one or more ROE covering periods prior to your last employment are missing, you must still submit your claim for benefits. If getting your ROE is a problem, your Service Canada Centre can help you. You will have to fill out a form "Request for Record of Employment" explaining what efforts you have made to obtain it. You will have to provide proof of your employment, such as: pay stubs, cancelled pay cheques, T4 slip, work schedules. If possible, we will use the proof to calculate your claim. Delaying in filing your claim for benefits beyond 4 weeks after your last day of work may cause loss of benefits. topWhat information/documents are needed?
When will you receive your first payment?If we have all the required information and if you qualify for benefits, your payment will usually be issued within 28 days from the date of filing your claim. If you do not qualify, we will notify you of the decision made on your claim. topA 2-week waiting period to serveYou must serve a 2-week unpaid waiting period before your EI benefits begin to be paid. Generally, this period is the first 2 weeks of your claim. This is like a deductible for any kind of insurance. On the other hand, if you reopen a claim for benefits in which you have already served a 2-week waiting period, you do not serve another 2-week waiting period. Earnings, for example,vacation pay, severance pay... made or allocated during the 2-week waiting period will be deducted in the first 3 weeks for which benefits are otherwise payable following the waiting period. In some instances, the 2-week waiting period may be waived or deferred, but only under certain circumstances, for examples:
In the situation where more than one family member claims compassionate care benefits at the same time, the family members are required to choose which individual serves the waiting period. topPeriod during which you can receive compassionate care benefits?A maximum of 6 weeks compassionate care benefits is payable within the 26-week period that starts with the earlier of:
The benefits end when:
In the eventuality that more than one medical certificate is submitted, it's the 1st one that determines the start and end of the 26-week period. Note: In case the gravely ill family member dies while you are collecting compassionate care benefits, you must let us know immediately to prevent EI overpayments. In that case, call our automated telephone information service at 1 800 206-7218 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and press "0" to speak to a representative. You can also write to us or go in person to your Service Canada Centre. See example 2 for the period during which compassionate care benefits can be paid. Example 2
Period during which compassionate care benefits can be paid. You have an EI claim that started before January 5, 2005 and you already served the 2-week waiting period. On December 19, 2004 your father becomes gravely ill and you ask for the total of 6 weeks as follows: Number of weeks requested:
Medical certificate signed December 21, 2004;
In order to get paid...Normally, a payment cannot be issued without a completed report. However, when applying for compassionate care benefits you do not have to complete reports to receive your EI benefits. To do this, you must sign a declaration of exemption at the time of applying. This declaration states that you must notify Human Resources and Skills Development Canada if you work, receive money or find yourself in a situation that may affect your EI payments. Your payments are made directly to your bank account with Direct Deposit. Shortly after applying for compassionate care benefits, you will receive a statement in the mail indicating your Access code. Your Access code is a 4 digit number printed on your statement. It's needed, along with your Social Insurance Number (SIN), when you make telephone enquiries about your claim. Keep in mind that this does not mean that a decision has been made yet on your claim. Working while on compassionate care benefitsIf you work while on compassionate care benefits you can earn $50 per week or 25% of your weekly benefits, whichever is higher. Any monies earned above that amount will be deducted dollar for dollar from your benefits. However, effective December 11, 2005, if you are living in one of the 23 participating economic regions, the amount you can earn while working part-time and receiving EI benefits is the greater of $75 or 40 % of weekly benefits. To know more... You must report all gross earnings — earnings before taxes and deductions — in the week(s) in which they are earned, as well as any other monies you may receive while collecting compassionate care benefits. Simply call our automated telephone information service at 1 800 206-7218 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and press "0" to speak to a representative. You can also write to us or go in person to your Service Canada Centre to report your earnings. Tip: Use the reporting calendar — PDF 11 kb — to keep track of your earnings and hours worked. About PDF Files. topVarious types of earningsEarnings paid or payable by your employer at the end of your employment or while you are receiving benefits, generally affect payment of your benefits. To know more... How much will you receive?The basic benefit rate is 55% of your average insured earnings. The maximum EI benefits is $413 per week.Your EI payment is a taxable income, meaning federal and provincial or territorial — if it applies — taxes will be deducted. You could receive a higher benefit rate if you are in a low-income family — an income of less than $25,921— with children and you or your spouse receive the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) , you are entitled to the Family Supplement. Find out how we calculate the amount you will receive... topCompassionate care benefits combined with regular benefitsYou may receive up to 50 weeks of benefits when compassionate care benefits are combined with regular benefits. topCompassionate care benefits combined with maternity, parental and sickness benefitsWhen compassionate care benefits are combined with maternity, parental and sickness benefits, you can received up to a combined maximum of 71 weeks. Certains conditions apply. If you are in that situation and want to know more, call our automated telephone service at 1 800 206-7218 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and press "0" to speak to a representative. You can also write to us or go in person to your Service Canada Centre. Earnings paid or payable by your employer at the end of your employment or while you are receiving benefits, generally affect payment of your benefits. To know more... Find out more about : maternity, parental and sickness benefits... topQuitting your job for compassionate care reasonsIt is hoped that compassionate care benefits will help you provide care or support to a gravely ill family member at risk of dying without having to quit your job. If you do quit, you may still be paid compassionate care benefits, but there is a possibility that you will not be paid regular benefits. You may be able to receive regular benefits if voluntarily leaving your employment was the only reasonable alternative in your case, considering all the circumstances. In other words, you took all the necessary steps to avoid quitting your employment. topLabour disputesIf your absence from work to claim compassionate care benefits was already approved by your employer before the work stoppage for strike, lockout or other form of labour dispute, you may be eligible for EI benefits. Find out more about the consequences of labour disputes on EI benefits... topCompassionate care benefits outside CanadaCompassionate care benefits to care for or support a family member who is gravely ill and at risk of dying can be paid regardless of where that family member — patient — lives. You have to apply for benefits and submit the same information/documents as required for a person taking care of a gravely ill family member residing in Canada. If you go outside Canada, you must advise Human Resources and Skills Development Canada by calling our automated telephone information service at 1 800 206-7218 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and press "0" to speak to a representative. You can also write to us or go in person to your Service Canada Centre. topOther benefits from Canada's public pensionsThe Canada Pension Plan pays disability and survivor benefits for those who qualify. It could provide a monthly income to the gravely ill family member that becomes severely disabled during the working years. It could also provide a monthly income to the surviving spouse or common-law partner and dependent children. If you work in Quebec, you contribute to the Québec Pension Plan , which is similar to the Canada Pension Plan. The gravely ill family member may be eligible to EI sickness benefits and disability benefits from the Canada or Quebec Pension Plan. That person may apply for both benefits at the same time. The Canada Canada Pension Plan and the Québec Pension also offer other types of benefits. Take the time to look at them. topRepayment of benefits at income tax timeWhen you file your income tax return, you will not be required to repay any of the compassionate care benefits you received. But, if you received compassionate care and regular benefits within the same taxation year, you may be required to repay some or all of the regular benefits. Further detailed information and examples on repayment of benefits... topYour rights and responsibilitiesIt is very important for you to know about your rights and responsibilities... topAppealing a decisionIf you disagree with an EI related decision you have the right to appeal. Information on how to file and prepare for an appeal can be found at Serving Employment Insurance Appellants... |
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