EI Sickness Benefits and COVID-19
Given the financial uncertainty facing Canadians as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, on March 18, 2020, the government of Canada announced additional measures to help stabilize the economy as the fiscal impact of the Pandemic intensifies. For information on the new flexibility afforded to Canadian taxpayers please see our blog post form March 20th 2020. For more information on the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, please see our previous blog post found here.
The government of Canada has revised their EI Sickness Benefit rules and a detailed discussion is found below.
EI Sickness Benefits and COVID-19
One of the most significant components of the March 18 announcement was the waiving of the one week waiting period for EI Sickness Benefits. These benefits are being changed to provide enhanced eligibility for:
- Those who fall ill with COVID-19;
- Are forced to isolate as a result of the illness; or
- Those who must care for a loved one or dependant who becomes ill.
The removal of the waiting period is designed to provide immediate aid to those who would otherwise have to wait too long for these benefits to kick in. Without the ability to earn income, these people would be waiting for their EI benefits for too long during the current crisis. The measure has been deemed in effect from the 15th of March 2020, onwards.
In addition to waiving the delay period to access the EI Sickness benefits, for those impacted by the COVID 19 crisis, the federal government is also waiving the need for a medical certificate to demonstrate eligibility for EI Sickness benefits. Normally one would need the medical certificate, but because of COVID-19, it is nearly impossible to retrieve one.
How to Access the EI Sickness Benefits
The EI Sickness benefits will become available to Canadians in April of 2020. We will post the link as soon as it becomes available.
Canadians will need to demonstrate their eligibility for relief and successful applicants will be required to re-demonstrate their continuing need for relief every two weeks. Once the application process is opened, Canadians will have access to the system through a toll-free phone call, their CRA MyAccount, or their My Service Canada Account. Those who presently lack access to these online accounts, who feel they may qualify for EI Sickness benefits or the Emergency Canada Benefit, should proactively sign up for these services. This will reduce any unexpected delay.
If you have any questions about how these taxable benefits above may affect you as a taxpayer, or questions about applying contact our firm for a free consultation. We are here to help during these trying times! In the meantime, we will continue to keep you informed and hope you and your families remain safe and healthy!
**Disclaimer
This article provides information of a general nature only. It does not provide legal advice nor can it or should it be relied upon. All tax situations are specific to their facts and will differ from the situations in this article. If you have specific legal questions you should consult a lawyer.
Ryan Robertson
