Once your agreement is approved

On this page

• Data Gateway
• Utilization report
• Enrolment sheet
• Making changes to a Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement
• Extension to the agreement
• Adding, deleting and substituting Work-Sharing unit members
• Shutdown
• Training activities

Data Gateway

Data Gateway is a secure web-based file transfer tool that gives employers the ability to send information about their employees electronically to Service Canada.

Benefits of using the Data Gateway:

• employers are able to submit utilization reports
• it's fast, convenient and user-friendly, and
• encryption technology provides security of communication

To register for Data Gateway access you need to contact the Employer Contact Centre. Once you’re registered, you’ll receive a user ID and password by email. The email will also provide you with your utilization report and amended utilization report templates and links to:

• Data Gateway Frequently Asked Questions
• How to complete your utilization report

To protect your employees’ personal information, please don’t send any documentation including Social Insurance Numbers (SINs) by email.

Only the enrolment sheet and utilization reports are to be submitted via Data Gateway. Any documents submitted that aren’t in the appropriate format will be rejected by the processing centre.

Data Gateway

Utilization report

Employers who enter into a Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement must complete a utilization report every week, starting with the week of implementation of the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement, in order to:

• track the percentage of reduction in work hours each week (utilization)
• enable Employment Insurance to determine the benefits payable to the employees

Employers must:

• submit a utilization report for every week during the period of the agreement including weeks:
  • of shutdown
  • with statutory holidays
  • during which no hours are missed due to Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing
• submit utilization reports using the Data Gateway or by courier

To obtain a copy of the utilization report template, please contact the Employer Contact Centre.

If the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement includes more than 500 employees, please contact the Regional Work-Sharing unit that processed your Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement for this utilization report.

If you need to change information on a utilization report that has already submitted to Service Canada, you’ll need to complete and submit a utilization report amendment.

Employers must:

• complete all the same fields on the utilization report amendment that you'd on the usual utilization report template and make the necessary changes as outlined in the How to complete your utilization report
• complete and submit the utilization report amendment document through Data Gateway or by courier

You’ll find the utilization report amendment document in the email sent to your business when your Data Gateway account was set up. If you don’t have this email, contact the Employer Contact Centre to request the document.

Please refer to the How to complete your utilization report for step-by-step guidance.

Utilization Report

Enrolment sheet

Employers must complete the enrolment sheet and submit it via Data Gateway to Employment Insurance upon signing Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement. The enrolment sheet lists all employees participating in Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing, their Social Insurance Numbers (SINs) and their normal weekly hours.

Please note that the enrolment sheet details must exactly match the employees listed in the Work-Sharing unit Attachment A form EMP5101 at the time of signing the agreement. If you need to modify the list of participants (remove/add/substitute), you must make changes to the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement.

As the employer, you may submit the enrolment sheet through the Data Gateway or by courier.

Enrolment sheet

Making changes to a Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement

The following changes require prior approval from Service Canada:

• agreement extensions
• layoffs
• additions, deletions and substitutions to the Work-Sharing unit(s)
• shutdowns
• changes to work schedules on a continuing basis
• changes to employer representative, employee representative and/or union representative
  • any changes to an employee representative and/or union representative must be communicated to all participants in the Work-Sharing unit(s)

You can't implement changes until you receive approval from Service Canada.

Employers wishing to make changes to their Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement must:

• complete the Amendment for a Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement form EMP5103, don't forget to check the box corresponding to the type of amendment requested
• include an updated Work-Sharing unit Attachment A form EMP5101 if the change adds or removes participants or changes the employee representative/union representative in the Work-Sharing Unit
• ensure that the employer representative and the employee representative/union representative, authorized all changes and are copied when submitting the applicable forms
• submit the completed forms to the appropriate Regional Work-Sharing Unit for approval at least 10 business days in advance of the requested change
• ensure the change is reflected on your weekly utilization report once you receive approval
  • for guidance on how to update your utilization report to reflect the approved changes, refer to How to complete your utilization report or contact the Employer Contact Centre

Extension to the agreement

The length of a Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement is a minimum of 4 weeks and can last up to 26 weeks. An employer may request an extension up to 12 weeks to a maximum agreement duration of 38 weeks.

Extensions aren’t automatic. Employers must submit a request to extend their agreement at least 4 weeks prior to the end date of their initial agreement.

Extension requests must be submitted to Service Canada via the applicable Regional Work-Sharing Unit by completing the following:

• the Amendment for a Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement form EMP5103, and
• Work-Sharing Unit Attachment A EMP5101

Service Canada must assess and approve your application request for an extension. Upon approval of your extension, you must sign a new Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement document.

Adding, deleting and substituting Work-Sharing unit members

When adding or removing participants from the Work-Sharing unit, employers must complete the Amendment for a Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement form EMP5103 and must include an updated Work-Sharing Unit Attachment A EMP5101 form reflecting the changes.

Once both forms are completed and all representatives agree to the change(s), the employer must submit the forms by email to the appropriate Regional Work-Sharing Unit for approval. The employer representative must include the employee representative and/or union representative in their email amendment request.

You must notify the appropriate Regional Work-Sharing Unit in writing immediately should any Work-Sharing unit members leave the company. This includes the following reasons for employee departure:

• quit
• dismissed or suspended
• illness or injury
• maternity or parental leave
• compassionate care or family caregiving
• apprentice training
• leave of absence
• shortage of work (layoff)

In the email notification, you must include:

• the amended Amendment for a Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement form EMP5103
• the updated Work-Sharing Unit Attachment A EMP5101
• the name of the affected employee(s)
• the employee(s) last day of work, and
• the reason for departure

Shutdown

Employers may have planned shutdowns when they cease or suspend operations or activities. During a Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement, shutdowns require Service Canada approval in advance and should be included on the application for Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing. If not approved at the time of the application to the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing program, a shutdown request must be sent to the Regional Work-Sharing Unit for approval at least 10 business days in advance of the planned shutdown. Shutdown cannot occur without first getting Service Canada approval or it may result in the termination of the agreement.

Please note: Shutdowns don't result in an extension to the duration of the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement.

Training activities

Skills enhancement

Skills enhancement, whether on-the-job training or off-site courses, may take place during the period of a Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement. Training activities for members of the Work-Sharing unit may be included in the recovery measures.

Employee training may take place during the non-working days/hours of the Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing agreement. Employment Insurance doesn't compensate salary costs of employees taking part in training activities during normal scheduled working hours/days.

The employer can't intentionally reduce the scheduled working hours of employees in a Work-Sharing unit in order to allow employees to take part in training.

Employees attending training during non-working days/hours may receive Employment Insurance Workforce Retention and Retraining Program - Work-Sharing benefits. However, employee attendance is optional.

Apprenticeship training

Apprenticeship is a formal training program of skills acquisition in a trade, consisting of alternating periods of on-the-job and classroom training, and leading to certification as a journeyperson.

Each province and territory has its own government office that oversees apprenticeship training and certification for that province or territory.

Employees must be referred to apprenticeship training by a designated authority. When attending apprenticeship training, the employee must be removed from the Work-Sharing unit.