Wage Earner Protection Program for an employee: What you need before you apply

4. What you need before you apply

Please follow these instructions:

  1. Submit a Proof of Claim to the trustee/receiver. This is required to receive a WEPP payment
    • A Proof of Claim is a written statement or form filed during bankruptcy, receivership, or other WEPP qualifying insolvency proceeding to confirm that your former employer owes you eligible wages
    • If you have not already filed a Proof of Claim, the trustee/receiver appointed in your former employer's bankruptcy, receivership, or other WEPP qualifying insolvency proceeding may assist you in filing a Proof of Claim
    • You can still apply if you have not received your Proof of Claim, but there may be a delay if Service Canada has not received this information
    • If you disagree with the amounts indicated on the Trustee/Receiver Information Form, please discuss with the trustee/receiver before applying
  2. Apply within 56 days of the latest of the following dates:
    • the date of bankruptcy/receivership/or date the court determined the former employer terminated all of its employees in Canada other than any retained to wind down its business operations
    • the date that your employment ended due to termination, resignation, retirement or expiry of term
    • the date on which the receiver terminated your employment

If you apply past the 56-day prescribed time frame, an explanation for the delay must be provided in the application.

WEPP payments and Employment Insurance (EI)

WEPP can have an impact on the calculation of employment insurance benefits because WEPP is considered an income.

If you have any questions about how a WEPP payment could affect your EI claim, please contact the Employment Insurance Information Service:

Toll-Free: 1-800-206-7218 (TTY: 1-800-529-3742)

The hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm local time.

To access information about your claim, you will need your SIN and access code, which you will find on the EI benefit statement that is mailed to you after you apply for benefits.

A WEPP recipient who is or has been in receipt of EI benefits is required to report any payment that they receive from WEPP, as it is considered earnings under the Employment Insurance Regulations.

You must report your WEPP payment to EI by using the EI Telephone Reporting Service or Internet Reporting Service. EI agents will contact you should they require more information.

In some instances, receipt of a WEPP payment can result in an EI overpayment. Should you receive notice of an overpayment, it is important to pay back any amounts owed immediately in order to prevent interest from accruing.

WEPP payments and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)

WEPP is considered income for the calculation of income-tested benefits under the Old Age Security Program, and can have an impact on your:

  • GIS Allowance (ALW), or
  • Allowance for the Survivor (ALWS)

In some instances, WEPP payments may result in an overpayment of your benefits. If your GIS ALW or ALWS payment has been calculated based on an estimate of your current year employment and pension income, it is important that you notify Service Canada of the receipt of your WEPP payment immediately to prevent any overpayment situations.

For more information on how a WEPP payment may affect your GIS, please visit your local Service Canada Center, or call 1-800-277-9914.

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