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Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB)

Calculate your income decrease

Status: Closed

The CWLB closed to retroactive applications on May 19, 2022. You can no longer apply for this benefit.

Use the steps below to calculate your average weekly income from the previous year and compare it to your weekly income during the CWLB period you applied for.

A 50% income reduction is required to be eligible for this benefit. Your income reduction must have been due to a COVID-19 lockdown in your region.

Steps to calculate your income reduction

  1. Step 1: Determine your income from the previous year

    Use your annual employment and net self-employment income from either 2020, 2021, or the previous 12 months.

    Periods in 2021 (periods 1 to 9)

    You may use income from either:

    • the 2020 calendar year
    • the past 12 months
    Periods in 2022 (periods 10 to 28)

    You may use income from any of the following:

    • the 2020 calendar year
    • the 2021 calendar year
    • the past 12 months

    Previous year income you should include

  2. Step 2: Determine your weekly income from the previous year

    Take your annual earnings and divide by 52 to get your average weekly income.

    Example:

    For 2020, 2021, or the previous 12 months

    $26, 000 (employment and self-employment income in 2020, 2021, or the previous 12 months)

    ÷ 52

    = $500 (average weekly income in 2020, 2021, or the previous 12 months)

  3. Step 3: Determine your income from the CWLB period

    Add up any employment and net self-employment income you earned during the 1-week period that you applied for.

    Current weekly income you should include

  4. Step 4: Compare the difference in your income

    Divide your average weekly income by 2 to get 50% of your average weekly income.

    To qualify as a 50% reduction, your income from the 1-week CWLB period cannot be more than half of your average weekly income.

    Example:

    $500 (average weekly income in 2020, 2021, or the previous 12 months)

    ÷   2

    = $250 (50% of the average weekly income in 2020, 2021, or the previous 12 months)

    Result: To qualify for the 50% reduction, you must have earned $250 or less in the CWLB period.

Current weekly income you should include

For this calculation, net self-employment income is your revenue minus any expenses incurred to earn the self-employment revenue.

Include the following in the calculation:

  • All employment and net self-employment income, including:
    • tips
    • non-eligible dividends
    • honoraria (nominal amounts paid to volunteers)
    • royalties (payments to artists)

Do not include the following in the calculation:

  • disability benefits
  • student loans, bursaries or scholarships
  • social assistance or family support payments
  • Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Québec Pension Plan (QPP), or other pension income
  • Old Age Security (OAS) payments

Previous year income you should include

For this calculation, net self-employment income is your revenue minus any expenses incurred to earn the self-employment revenue.

Include the following in the calculation:

  • All employment and net self-employment income, including:
    • tips
    • non-eligible dividends
    • honoraria (nominal amounts paid to volunteers)
    • royalties (payments to artists)

Do not include the following in the calculation:

  • any COVID-19 emergency or recovery benefits
  • regular, special, or fishing benefits from EI
  • maternity and parental benefits from EI or similar QPIP benefits
  • disability benefits
  • student loans, bursaries or scholarships
  • social assistance or family support payments
  • Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Québec Pension Plan (QPP), or other pension income
  • Old Age Security (OAS) payments

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