1.1.1 Summary The EI program, which is insurance-based, is designed to protect individuals who have lost their job for reasons outside their control, while they look for new employment or upgrade their skills. It may also help unemployed individuals across the country find employment. The EI program also provides temporary financial assistance to workers who are sick, pregnant, caring for a newborn or newly adopted child, or caring for a family member who has a serious medical condition. The EI program marked its 75th year in 2015, having been implemented in 1940. The last major reform occurred in 1996. At that time, the program introduced changes to better reflect its primary objective of promoting employment, and to better emphasize that access to the program is linked to significant work attachment. 1.1.2 Roles and responsibilities Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is the department of the Government of Canada responsible for developing, managing and delivering programs and services. The Minister of Employment and Social Development is responsible for the EI act, except for PART IV - Insurable Earnings and Collection of Premiums, and PART VII - Benefit Repayment. The Canada Revenue Agency is responsible for resolving any questions pertaining to the insurability of employment or earnings (Part IV), and for the collection of EI premiums (Part VII). Service Canada is a federal institution that is part of ESDC. Service Canada oversees all legislative provisions of the act, including the determination of benefit eligibility and entitlement, and issues EI benefits (Part I) directly to EI claimants. Its role is to provide timely and accurate EI benefit payments and services, and to support EI claimants through each stage of the service delivery process. It strives to accurately and efficiently provide benefit information, respond to enquiries, assist employers, process claims and provide the means to request a formal reconsideration of a decision, or to appeal decisions. Provinces and territories deliver the majority of Employment Benefits and National Employment Services (Part II). These benefits and services are delivered through Labour Market Development Agreements (LMDA) funded by the Government of Canada. Through these agreements, Government of Canada funding enables provinces and territories to design, deliver and manage skills and employment programs for unemployed individuals, particularly for those who are eligible for EI benefits. The Canada Employment Insurance Commission (CEIC) is a departmental corporation of ESDC. It plays a key role in administering the EI program, including the making of regulations, with the approval of the Governor-in-Council, and reviewing, as well as approving, policies related to the EI program administration and delivery. In addition to its role in EI premium rate setting, the CEIC produces the annual EI Monitoring and Assessment Report. The Social Security Tribunal of Canada (SST) is an independent administrative body composed of a General Division and Appeal Division, that makes decisions on appeals related to the Act. 1.1.3 EI premiums & Insurable Employment All workers employed in insurable employment are required to pay EI premiums. The fact that a worker can or cannot qualify for EI benefits is not a criterion to determine whether EI premiums are payable, as it is the employment, and not the individual that is insured. The fundamental requirement for an employment to be insurable is that there is an employer-employee relationship; i.e. the person is not self-employed. CRA holds the responsibility for making decisions as to whether an employment is insurable or not, and whether EI premiums are payable with respect to that employment. 1.1.4 Purpose of Employment Insurance benefits As previously stated, Part I of the EI program provides temporary income support to workers who have lost their job for reasons outside their control, while they look for new employment or upgrade their skills. EI Part I also provides temporary financial assistance to workers who are sick, pregnant, caring for a newborn or newly adopted child, or caring for a family member who has a serious medical condition. The purpose of Part II of the EI Act is to provide employment assistance to eligible insured participants, through various programs and services. 1.1.5 Types of Employment Insurance benefits There are a number of types of EI benefits available: Regular benefits are available to individuals who lose their jobs for reasons outside their control and who are available for and actively seeking employment. Special benefits are available to insured workers and self-employed individuals who are too sick to work, are pregnant or have recently given birth, are providing care to a newborn or newly adopted child, or who must be away from work temporarily to provide care or support to a family member with a serious medical condition. Special benefits include: Maternity benefits: for biological mothers who are pregnant or have given birth. These benefits cover the period surrounding the child's birth (up to 15 weeks). Parental benefits: for any legal parent to care for their newborn or newly adopted child or children. One parent can receive these benefits, or they can share benefits between them (up to 40 weeks of standard parental benefits or 69 weeks of extended parental benefits when sharing). However, one parent cannot receive more than 35 weeks of standard parental benefits or 61 weeks of extended parental benefits. Sickness benefits: for people who cannot work due to injury, illness, or the need to be isolated in quarantine because they may be carrying a disease (up to 26Footnote1 weeks). Compassionate Care benefits: for people who must be away from work temporarily to provide care or support to a family member who is gravely ill with a significant risk of death within 26 weeks. One family member can receive these benefits, or they can be shared between several family members (up to 26 weeks). Family Caregiver benefits: for family members who must be away from work temporarily to care for or support a critically ill or injured family member. One family member can receive these benefits or they can be shared between several family members (up to 35 weeks for caring for a child; up to 15 weeks for caring for an adult). In certain circumstances various types of special benefits may be combined up to a maximum of 102 weeks of benefits within a maximum 104 week benefit period. Fishing benefits – are for eligible self-employed fishers who do not meet the eligibility requirements for EI regular benefits in their region. Job creation partnerships, work sharing, training benefits: for clients participating in developmental programs. [March 2019]