OTTAWA, ONTARIO, June 29, 2010-The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, is pleased that Bill C-13, the legislation that facilitates access to Employment Insurance (EI) parental benefits for military families, has received Royal Assent. The issue was first raised by Mr. Pierre Poilievre, Member of Parliament for Nepean-Carleton, after a meeting that he had with one of his constituents who serves in the Canadian Forces.
"Thanks to this new initiative, Canadian Forces members will be able to access EI parental benefits when they return from a military requirement," said Minister Finley. "These men and women put their lives on the line for our country, and our government is proud to stand behind them and support them. Extending the eligibility window for these benefits is the fair and right thing to do."
"It is rewarding to have worked with the Duquette family to bring fairness for military families. It shows that when we work together, we can get results," said Mr. Poilievre.
The new measure extends the EI parental eligibility window for Canadian Forces members who are ordered to return to duty while on parental leave, or whose parental leave is deferred as a result of a military requirement. The measure will extend the period in which they are eligible by up to 52 weeks, for a total of up to 104 weeks, to allow these individuals to access part or all of the 35 weeks of EI parental benefits that are available to them.
"Our government wants to ensure that members of the Canadian Forces have the opportunity to bond with their children by taking advantage of EI parental benefits," said Minister Finley. "This government is now pleased to be providing these Canadians with access to the programs and services they need."
This new measure is the latest in a series of improvements the Government has already made to ensure fairness in the EI program, and to ensure that EI continues to help people better adjust to labour market changes and to balance work and family responsibilities.
Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the federal government is helping those hardest hit by the economic downturn by providing extended EI benefits, more efficient service and support for training, while protecting jobs through Work-Sharing agreements. The Government has also frozen EI premiums for 2010 at the same rate as 2009.
Most recently, the Government extended EI maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, collectively referred to as special benefits, to self employed Canadians on a voluntary basis.
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Improving access to Employment Insurance parental benefits for military families
Income replacement for life-transition events, such as the birth of a child, adoption, illness, or the care of a gravely ill family member, is a key contributor to the financial security of all Canadian workers. The Government of Canada is delivering on its Jobs and Growth Budget commitment to extend the Employment Insurance (EI) parental benefit window for Canadian Forces members who are ordered to return to duty while on parental leave, or whose parental leave is deferred as a result of a military requirement.
Canadian Forces members, including reservists, are eligible for benefits under the EI Act, as long as they meet the eligibility criteria. Their eligibility for benefits is the same as for any worker in Canada.
The new measure enables Canadian Forces members, including reservists, who had their parental leave deferred or were ordered to return to duty while on leave due to a military requirement, to access their EI parental benefits. The measure will extend the EI parental eligibility window by the number of weeks that the parental leave of a Canadian Forces member is deferred or interrupted because of a military requirement during that window.
The window will be extended by up to 52 weeks, for a total of up to 104 weeks, to allow these individuals to access part or all of the 35 weeks of EI parental benefits that are available to them.
In addition, the measure will also apply to all eligible Canadian Forces members who had a newborn or adopted a child less than 104 weeks prior to this legislation coming into force, and who had their parental leave deferred or interrupted because of a military requirement.
Parental benefits provide income replacement for up to 35 weeks to biological or adoptive parents while they are caring for a newborn or newly adopted child. Benefits may be taken by either parent or shared between them. If parents opt to share these benefits, only one two-week waiting period must be served.
In our Jobs and Growth Budget, we are also taking steps to facilitate access to EI sickness benefits for immediate family of military personnel who have died as a result of a service-related injury. This would provide recognition of the impact on family members of losing a loved one in service.
Through the Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada has also implemented measures to support all unemployed Canadians. These measures include providing nationally five extra weeks of EI regular benefits, protecting jobs through the Work-Sharing program, and freezing EI premiums for 2010 at the same rate as 2009 to provide economic stimulus. For more information on these measures, please visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
The Government has also temporarily extended EI regular benefits for unemployed long-tenured workers who have contributed to the EI program (paid at least 30 per cent of the annual maximum EI premiums) in 7 of the last 10 years, and who have made limited use of the EI program.
Most recently, the Government extended EI maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, collectively referred to as special benefits, to self employed Canadians on a voluntary basis. Further information on this measure is available at www.servicecanada.gc.ca.
