The Extended Employment Insurance (EI) Pilot Project
What is the extended EI benefits pilot project
Who is affected
The purpose of the pilot project
Duration
The regions included in the pilot project
How to take advantage of the pilot project
How long can regular benefits be paid during the pilot project
What is the extended EI benefits pilot project
The Extended EI Benefits pilot project increases EI income support by providing access to 5 additional weeks of benefits to EI claimants, up to a maximum of 45 weeks of benefits.
It replaces a previous pilot project which also provided 5 additional weeks of benefits to EI claimants.
Who is affected
The pilot project applies to you if your claim for regular benefits starts between June 11, 2006 and December 9, 2007 and you live in one of the 21 participating EI economic regions.
The purpose of the pilot project
The pilot will test whether providing additional weeks would:
- help address the annual income gap faced by seasonal workers whose weeks of work and EI benefits are not sufficient to provide income throughout the year, and;
- have any adverse labour market effects on other EI claimants.
The Extended EI Benefits pilot project will provide up to 5 additional weeks of EI benefits in 21 EI economic regions.
Duration
The Extended EI Benefits pilot will run for 18 months, from June 11, 2006 to December 9, 2007. New claims starting after December 9, 2007 will not be eligible for the additional weeks of benefits.
The regions included in the pilot project
The 21 EI economic regions included in the Extended EI Benefits pilot project are the following. Select the region where you live to see if your municipality is included.
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 benefits;
-
you live in one of the 21 participating EI economic regions; and
- your claim for benefits must start between June 11, 2006 and December 9, 2007.
Note: The additional 5 weeks of EI benefits does not apply to fishing benefits nor to maternity, parental, sickness or compassionate care benefits.
How long can regular benefits be paid during the pilot project?
Regular benefits can be paid from 14 to a maximum of 45 weeks. The number of weeks of benefits which may be paid is determined at the time your claim for benefits starts, based on the unemployment rate in your region and the number of insurable hours you have accumulated in the qualifying period.
Example
You live in Eastern Nova Scotia region with an unemployment rate set at 16.8%. You have accumulated 560 hours of work and your claim starts on July 18, 2006. As you live in a participating EI economic region for the pilot project, you can take advantage of the additional 5 weeks of benefits payable.
-
Maximum number of weeks of EI benefits payable before the pilot rules: 34 weeks
-
Maximum number of weeks of EI benefits payable under the pilot rules: 39 weeks
Regional unemployment rate | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hours |
6% |
Over |
Over |
Over |
Over |
Over |
Over |
Over |
Over |
Over |
Over |
Over |
420-454 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
455-489 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
490-524 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
525-559 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
560-594 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
25 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
595-629 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
23 |
25 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
630-664 |
0 |
0 |
22 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
665-699 |
0 |
20 |
22 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
700-734 |
19 |
21 |
23 |
25 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
735-769 |
19 |
21 |
23 |
25 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
770-804 |
20 |
22 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
805-839 |
20 |
22 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
840-874 |
21 |
23 |
25 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
875-909 |
21 |
23 |
25 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
910-944 |
22 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
945-979 |
22 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
980-1014 |
23 |
25 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
1015-1049 |
23 |
25 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
1050-1084 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
1085-1119 |
24 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
1120-1154 |
25 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
1155-1189 |
25 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
1190-1224 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
45 |
1225-1259 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
45 |
1260-1294 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1295-1329 |
27 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1330-1364 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1365-1399 |
28 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1400-1434 |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1435-1469 |
30 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1470-1504 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1505-1539 |
32 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1540-1574 |
33 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1575-1609 |
34 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1610-1644 |
35 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1645-1679 |
36 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1680-1714 |
37 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1715-1749 |
38 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1750-1784 |
39 |
41 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1785-1819 |
40 |
42 |
44 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
1820- |
41 |
43 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |
45 |