Overview

Jasper and Bunibonibee 2024: Special measures

Special measures for the Work-Sharing Program in response to the Jasper and Bunibonibee wildfires 2024 are in effect from December 1, 2024 until August 3, 2025. Further details regarding the special measures are posted on the Overview page under ‘Special measures'. Please check the website regularly for updates.

The Work-Sharing Program helps employers and employees avoid layoffs when:

• there is a temporary decrease in the normal level of business activity, and
• the decrease is beyond the control of the employer

The agreement provides income support to employees eligible for Employment Insurance benefits who work a temporarily reduced work week while their employer recovers. All employees participating in the agreement must experience a minimum 10% reduction to their normal weekly earnings to comply with the terms of the agreement.

A Work-Sharing agreement is a three-party agreement involving employers, employees and Service Canada.

Employees on a Work-Sharing agreement must agree to:

• a reduced schedule of work, and
• share the available work equally over the term of the agreement

The employer and the employees involved (and the union, if applicable) must agree to participate in a Work-Sharing agreement. Then, the employer/employer representative, employee representative and, if applicable, the union representative apply to participate in a Work-Sharing agreement.

Agreement duration and extension

Work-Sharing agreements starting after September 25, 2022 must have a minimum duration of 6 weeks and can last up to 26 weeks. If needed, an extension may be requested of up to 12 weeks bringing the initial agreement to a maximum total of 38 weeks. Work-Sharing agreements are not extended automatically. To request an extension of a Work-Sharing agreement, an application must be submitted a minimum of 4 weeks prior to the end date of the Work-Sharing agreement.

A mandatory cooling-off period must be served once the agreement has ended or has been terminated. The duration of the cooling-off period will be equal to the number of weeks utilized in the previous agreement (up to a maximum of 38 weeks).

Please note that Work-Sharing agreements can only start on a Sunday to align with the Employment Insurance payment cycle. Please consider this when planning the desired start date of your agreement in your Work-Sharing application.

Special measures

The Work-Sharing Program may introduce temporary special measures at any time to provide additional support for affected businesses during a period of economic downturn, natural disaster or if a national emergency is declared. The special measures provide targeted support for businesses impacted to recover and avoid layoffs for a specific period of time.

Jasper, Alberta and Bunibonibee, Manitoba

Work-Sharing Special Measures to support businesses affected by the 2024 Jasper, Alberta and Bunibonibee, Manitoba wildfires are effective December 1, 2024 to August 3, 2025.

Employers experiencing a decline in business activity attributable to either the Jasper, Alberta or Bunibonibee, Manitoba wildfires may be eligible for Work-Sharing Special Measures if they:

• are located in the affected areas, and/or
• located outside the zone of the evacuation order but still directly impacted

Affected businesses may benefit from the Work-Sharing Special Measures if they are:

• new to the Work-Sharing program
• have an existing Work-Sharing agreement
• had a Work-Sharing agreement terminated in the past 26 weeks

Work-Sharing agreements approved under Special Measures:

• must have a minimum duration of 6 weeks
• must have a maximum duration of 26 weeks, and
• may have an extension, to a maximum total of 38 weeks, if required

Work-Sharing Special Measures flexibilities include:

• allowing the decrease in business activity to be attributable to the 2024 wildfires in Jasper, Alberta or Bunibonibee, Manitoba
• waiving the mandatory cooling-off period between Work-Sharing agreements
• not requiring employers to demonstrate a recent decrease in business activity of at least 10%
• allowing a reduction of work and business activities greater than 60%
• focusing recovery measures on supporting the business' ability to maintain its viability in the face of impacts related to the 2024 wildfires in Jasper, Alberta or Bunibonibee, Manitoba
• allowing cyclical or seasonal employers to apply and seasonal employees to participate.

If you have any questions regarding the Work-Sharing Jasper, Alberta and Bunibonibee, Manitoba 2024 Special Measures, please contact our Work-Sharing Employer Inquiry Unit at edsc.dgop.tp.rep-res.ws.pob.esdc@servicecanada.gc.ca.

Wildfire (2023)

Work-Sharing Special Measures to support businesses affected by the 2023 Wildfires occurring in multiple regions across Canada are effective June 25, 2023 to November 4, 2023.

If you have any questions regarding the Work-Sharing 2023 Wildfire Special Measures, please contact our Work-Sharing Employer Inquiry Unit at edsc.dgop.tp.rep-res.ws.pob.esdc@servicecanada.gc.ca.

COVID-19

To support businesses affected by the economic downturn related to the COVID-19 pandemic, special measures were in effect from March 15, 2020 to September 24, 2022.

At the end of a special measures agreement, a mandatory 26-week cooling-off period must be served before being eligible to enter a new agreement under the regular program.

If you need support with your active COVID-19 special measures agreement, please contact your regional Work-Sharing unit

Steel and aluminum sector

To support businesses affected by the downturn in the steel and aluminum sector, special measures were effective from August 19, 2018 to March 27, 2021.

Forestry sector

To support businesses affected by the downturn in the forestry sector, special measures were in effect from July 30, 2017 to March 28, 2020.

To support businesses affected by the wildfires in Fort McMurray, special measures were in effect between May 4, 2016 and May 4, 2017.

Commodities sector

To support employers affected by the downturn in the commodities sector, special measures were effective between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017.