FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2006
GATINEAU, QUEBEC — The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, has announced that Canada's new Government has implemented regulatory changes that will immediately increase the number of people who can access the Employment Insurance (EI) Compassionate Care Benefit.
"Reducing stress for those who are seriously ill, and making it easier for their loved ones to comfort and care for them is the basis for compassionate care," said Minister Finley. "These improvements to the program better reflect the realities of caregiving in Canada, and build on our new Government's commitment to strengthen and support our families and our communities."
As a result of the regulatory changes, those who provide care to a brother, sister, grandparent, grandchild, in-law, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, foster parent, ward, guardian, or a gravely ill person who considers the claimant to be like a family member, are able to claim the benefit. The benefit remains available to those caring for a parent, child or spouse.
"This is an important change that allows virtually everyone who is taking time off work to care for a loved one to be eligible for the Benefit," added Lynne Yelich, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development.
Details in attached backgrounder
For further information (media only):
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Social Development Canada
819 994-5559
BACKGROUNDER
EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR THE
EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE COMPASSIONATE CARE BENEFIT
The Compassionate Care Benefit ensures that Employment Insurance (EI) eligible workers can take a temporary absence from work to provide care or support to a loved one who is at significant risk of death within 26 weeks, without suffering sudden income or job loss.
The expanded definition means that EI-eligible workers can claim the Benefit while they are absent from work to provide care to a sibling, grandparent, grandchild, in-law, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, foster parent, ward, guardian, or a gravely ill person who considers the claimant to be like a family member.
The Benefit remains available to those caring for parents, children and spouses. Common-law partners are also eligible to receive the Benefit. This refers to people who have been living in a conjugal relationship for at least a year, and includes same-sex couples.
Input from the public, provinces and territories, the medical community and stakeholders was sought during pre-publication of the regulatory changes in the Canada Gazette (December 3, 2005 to January 2, 2006).
Claimants eligible for the EI Compassionate Care Benefit can receive up to six weeks of benefits. These can be taken by one person or shared among eligible claimants concurrently or consecutively.
Eligibility requirements for the Compassionate Care Benefit are the same as for EI sickness, maternity and parental benefits. The claimant must have:
six hundred hours of insurable employment in the qualifying period, the 52 weeks prior to the start of the claim or, if a self-employed fisher, $3,760 in fishing income; and
an interruption of earnings or a reduction of more than 40 percent in normal weekly earnings.
A Compassionate Care medical certificate is required. As with other EI benefits, there is a two-week waiting period for the Compassionate Care Benefit; however, when these benefits are shared by eligible claimants, only one waiting period needs to be served.
