Photo: The Canadian Press
The employment section of the Government of Canada website was shown on a laptop in Toronto on April 4, 2020. CANADA PRESS / Jesse Johnston
Domestic government documents show that the Liberals’ promise to prevent unvaccinated people from receiving unemployment benefits does not eliminate all opportunities for them to enter the employment system.
Information notes prepared for Employment Minister Carla Qualtrow say that unvaccinated workers can qualify for EI benefits, even if they have COVID-19.
The laws governing the social safety net program do not have explicit rules on the eligibility of EI for anyone who has refused to be vaccinated.
While Qualtrow was told that the government could introduce rules around regular unemployment benefits, officials suggested the same could not be said about sickness benefits.
Documents prepared by Qualtrough’s department last fall suggest that employees have been advised not to block access to sickness benefits and to remove the incentive for sick workers to stay home with symptoms.
Documents show that officials oppose blocking access to sickness benefits, saying it is “probably even more important” for unvaccinated people to receive support so they can isolate themselves after a positive test and have no incentive to go to work.
Details are contained in documents obtained from The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act, which outline some of the moves in the government, while employees are preparing for a wave of layoffs of workers who refuse to be vaccinated.
A document developed by Canada for employment and social development in the autumn notes that workers who leave their jobs are laid off or suspended without pay if they choose not to be vaccinated may “call into question the eligibility of income support” such as EI and a set of reimbursement benefits.
The government ultimately decided to prevent unvaccinated workers from receiving EI, although it set some parameters for employers to follow, including having a clear vaccination policy and steps to take before termination.
Officials have obscured large parts of the documents because they contain policies and legal advice.
As repeatedly noted in the records, Service Canada ultimately relies on employers to accurately fill out forms to determine if someone may have access to regular EI benefits.
The Qualtrough division has not yet answered questions asked earlier this week about the policy, including how many workers have been blocked from accessing EI’s regular benefits.
The law governing the EI system says that a worker can receive benefits if he loses his job through no fault of his own, but not if he decides to leave or is burdened by misconduct.
Even in cases of misconduct, the EI law explicitly states that the employee will still be entitled to so-called special benefits under the system, including sick leave, maternity leave and parental leave.
Officials noted that non-compliance with the employer’s vaccination policy – and documents suggest that this would be the case for federal workers subject to government mandate – would not deprive anyone of sickness benefits.
“The EI Act does not deny access to sickness benefits in circumstances where individuals are deliberately at risk, so that those who choose not to be vaccinated will still be able to receive EI benefits if they become ill with COVID “19” reads part of an information note to Qualtrough.
The information note said the same concept applied to Canada’s recent sickness benefit benefit, which pays $ 450 after taxes to anyone who needs to be isolated. This benefit expires on May 7.
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