PSETL-Self Employment Benefits

This document is based on information from the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Web site as of February 2006.

The Self Employment Benefits (SEB) is a component of the  PSETL-Workforce Expansion . Self Employment Benefits can help you get back to work by creating work for yourself—by becoming an entrepreneur. Start the business you’ve always dreamed of—one that has a market demand, and one for which you have the skills and training to make it succeed.

We can help—by supporting you during the start-up period. Assistance can include technical advice, financial support, and coaching—like accounting and marketing. You can also develop a business plan with the help of a Self Employment Benefits Coordinator.

Receiving Employment Insurance benefits? You will continue to receive these benefits until your claim ends, after which you will receive financial support at a rate provincially determined for a duration of the time you are on SEB.

Eligibility Criteria

A participant must:

• be a resident of New Brunswick or a First Nation Community in New Brunswick
• be unemployed and eligible to work in Canada
• have an active Employment Insurance Benefits claim or a claim that has ended within the last three years, or have received maternity or parental benefits within the last five years
• have acceptable credit references
• have an idea for a successful business as demonstrated by a business plan
• attend an orientation session
• work full time (at least 35 hours per week) at the business

A participant must not:

• be enrolled as a full-time student
• be currently operating a similar business, or be closely associated to a similar business
• have received previous funding under this program or the Entrepreneurship Program during the last five years

The business must:

• begin operations within ten weeks of signing a Self Employment Benefits contract
• operate for at least ten months of the year
• provide the participant with a large degree of operational control

The business must not:

• create undue competition for an existing venture
• be unsuitable for public funding
• be a franchisee with a franchise fee of over $50,000 start prior to the approval of the program application

Summary

Guidelines
A Self Employment Benefits duration may be provided for a maximum of 45 weeks
Self Employment Benefits are available to an eligible participant as follows:

• Employment Insurance (EI) Benefits recipient:
• where a participant’s EI Benefits period is currently greater than or equal to 45 weeks—the participant will receive the EI Benefits for the 45-week program period
• where a participant’s EI Benefits period is currently less than 45 weeks—the participant will receive the EI Benefits for the remainder of the EI Benefits period, then receive provincial support at a rate of $250 per week for the remaining portion of the 45-week program period

Non Employment Insurance Benefits recipient:

• the participant will receive provincial support at a rate of $250 per week for the 45-week duration

For more information, contact a Self Employment Benefits Coordinator at 1-888- 303-2232 (or consult the list of addresses at the bottom of this document),  visit the Web site: http://www.gnb.ca/0311/2de.htm or visit the Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour office near you:

New Brunswick Contact(s):
CBDC Chaleur
Community Business Development Corporations
Suite 212-J
275 Main Street
Bathurst, New Brunswick  E2A 1A9
Telephone: (506) 548-5951
Fax: (506) 548-5008
Web site: http://www.chaleurcbdc.ca/net/main.aspx?session=200400002§ion;=200400015⟨=en