The Canadian government recently passed Bill C-56, the Fairness for the Self-Employed Act, which allows self-employed individuals to opt into an Employment Insurance (EI) program.
The change will make them eligible to receive the same benefits currently available to salaried employees.
Scott Armstrong, Member of Parliament for Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley, commented on the new legislation in Truro on Dec. 21.
“This government is pleased to be providing these Canadians with greater peace of mind with respect to their future financial security,” said Armstrong. “The self-employed have previously had little or no income protection to cope with major life events, such as giving birth, caring for a newborn or newly adopted child, being sick or injured, or caring for a gravely ill family member.”
The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, said extending access to EI benefits to the approximate 2.6-million self-employed Canadians practises good family policy and is the fair thing to do.
“Thanks to this new initiative, self-employed Canadians will no longer have to choose between their family and their business responsibilities,” said Finley. “It is good family policy, and it represents one of the most significant enhancements to the EI program in the last decade.”
Benefits available under the new EI program include 15 weeks of maternity leave, 35 weeks of parental leave for new biological or adoptive parents, 15 weeks of sickness benefits available to a person who is unable to work because of illness or injury, and 6 weeks of compassionate care benefits that may be paid to individuals who take time off work to care for a family member who is gravely ill with a significant risk of death.
Self-employed individuals who choose to take advantage of the EI benefits will be required to opt into the program at least one year prior to claiming benefits. Interested parties will be able to enter into an agreement with the Canada Employment Insurance Commission through Service Canada starting on Jan. 31, 2010.
Subject to final approvals of regulations, individuals will be able to collect benefits as early as Jan. 1, 2011, if they have registered on or before April 1, 2010.