Why "small weeks"?
Who can take advantage?
How to tell us about your "small weeks"
Some helpful definitions
Excluding "small weeks" in the calculation of the benefit rate
To encourage people to take all available work, for example part-time or temporary, the exclusion of "small weeks" is a different method that can be used when calculating your weekly benefit rate. This method allows us to exclude weeks where workers earned less than $225. Otherwise, the counting of "small weeks" would lower the benefit rate of people who had varying work patterns.
All EI claimants, except those applying for fishing benefits, are able to take advantage of the method of calculation of "small weeks", especially part-time and/or seasonal workers with weeks of low income.
All the following criteria must be met for us to apply the "small weeks" method of calculation :
It is important for you to know that if all these criteria are not met, the calculation of your weekly benefit payment will include all the earnings accumulated within the 26 weeks calculation period.
At the time you apply for either regular, maternity, parental or sickness benefits the small weeks are identified through the"Small Weeks Questionnaire" which accompanies the application for EI.
You only need to complete this questionnaire if you have earned less than $225 a week, any time during the last 26 weeks of work. You need to indicate the dates and earnings of all the "small weeks" you have as well as provide supporting proof of them.
Acceptable proof of a small week may be any of the following :
Your statement regarding "small weeks" is normally accepted as correct unless we have contradicting information on your EI file.
topTo help you understand, here are some definitions :
All regular weeks that fall within the rate calculation period will be used to determine the average earnings. If the number of regular weeks is less than the minimum divisor for your region, the earnings from the best of your "small weeks" will be added to the earnings of your regular weeks to meet the minimum divisor. See example A.
If the number of regular weeks is equal to or greater than the minimum divisor for your region, the earnings from your small weeks will be excluded in the calculation of your weekly benefit payment. See example B
However, all your "small weeks" will be used to determine your eligibility for benefits and how many weeks you can be paid benefits.
Unemployment rate in your region | Minimum divisor |
---|---|
0% to 6% |
22 |
6.1% to 7% |
21 |
7.1% to 8% |
20 |
8.1% to 9% |
19 |
9.1% to 10% |
18 |
10.1% to 11% |
17 |
11.1% to 12% |
16 |
12.1% to 13% |
15 |
13.1% and over |
14 |
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call our Telephone Information Service at 1 800 206-7218, Monday to Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm or contact your Service Canada Centre.