Bill C-215 aims to amend the Employment Insurance Act to provide increased support for individuals who are unable to work due to illness, injury, or quarantine. The key change proposed by this bill is to increase the maximum number of weeks that Employment Insurance (EI) benefits can be paid for these reasons, raising it from the current 15 weeks to 52 weeks. This change would apply to paragraph 12(3)(c) and paragraph 152.14(1)(c) of the Employment Insurance Act.
Additionally, the bill includes a coordinating amendment to address potential conflicts or overlaps with the Budget Implementation Act, 2021, No. 1. Specifically, it outlines scenarios and corresponding actions to ensure the proper sequencing and application of amendments related to EI benefits, particularly concerning the timing of when certain sections of the Budget Implementation Act come into force relative to the proposed changes in Bill C-215. This coordinating amendment is designed to prevent unintended consequences or inconsistencies in the implementation of these legislative changes. It ensures that the intended increase in EI benefits for illness, injury, or quarantine is implemented smoothly, regardless of the order in which the related provisions of the Budget Implementation Act take effect.
In summary, Bill C-215 seeks to provide longer-term support for individuals facing health-related challenges or quarantine by significantly extending the duration of EI benefits available to them. It also makes sure these changes work smoothly with existing laws.
Jobs
This bill aims to provide longer Employment Insurance benefits for people who cannot work because of illness, injury or quarantine. By increasing the benefit duration from 15 weeks to 52 weeks, it gives workers more time to recover without losing all their income.
Spending
This bill would likely increase government spending on Employment Insurance benefits, as people would be able to claim benefits for a longer period of time when ill, injured, or quarantined.