As employers grapple with managing the quickly evolving changes brought on by Covid-19, we want to ensure employees have a helping hand to apply for Employment Insurance (EI).
One of the biggest barriers to applying immediately, is that it can be overwhelming as you don’t know what to expect.
We’ve taken snapshots of the process for you, so that you can see the type of questions you will be asked. And provided a general guide to help gather the documents you will need, and walk you through the process.
Disclaimer: This guide cannot be interpreted as Third Party Assistance in completing your application. It is provided as broad guidance and is not specific to your actual application. If you require additional assistance with your application, please contact Service Canada.
1. Request An ROE From Your Employer
The first step is to Ensure your employer has filed an Record of Employment (“ROE”). You can request a hard copy, however this is not strictly necessary. Generally it is sufficient that your employer files the ROE with Service Canada.
ACTION: Send Your Employer An Email Requesting Confirmation That An ROE Has Been Filed. If It Has Not Yet Been Filed, Ask When You Can Expect This To Be Completed.
2. Gather Personal Information
The following is information that will be required when you submit your application for Employment Insurance:
- Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) – if your SIN begins with a 9, you will need to provide proof of your immigration status and work permit;
- Your mother’s maiden name;
- Your mailing and residential addresses, including postal codes;
- Your complete banking information (branch/transit number, financial institution name and number, and your account number), to have your payments deposited directly into your bank account;
- If you are receiving or will receive a pension, you will need to provide the type of pension (e.g. CPP/QPP, insurance, retirement pension from an employer), the start date, amount, and who is paying the pension.
3. Gather Employment Information
- the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all employers you worked for in the last 52 weeks, as well as the dates of employment and the reasons for separation from these employers;
- your detailed version of the facts if you quit or were dismissed from any job in the last 52 weeks;
- if your earnings varied over the last year, you will need to provide the dates (Sunday to Saturday) and earnings for each of your highest paid weeks of insurable earnings in the last 52 weeks or since the start of your last EI claim, whichever is the shorter period. This information will be used, along with your Record(s) of Employment, to calculate your weekly EI benefit rate;
- Record(s) of Employment:
- If your employer(s) submits ROEs electronically to Service Canada, you do not need to request copies from your employer(s), and you do not have to provide copies to Service Canada.
- If your employer issues ROEs in paper format, you must request all ROEs issued during the last 52 weeks and provide them to Service Canada as soon as possible after you submit your EI application. You must mail us your paper ROEs or drop them off in person at a Service Canada Centre.
At this point you will receive a temporary password. Ensure that you save it exactly as indicated.
Include your banking details so that your EI can be deposited directly in your bank account.
You can search by the industry you work in, and do your best to select a position that reflects the work you performed.
If you’ve worked for more than one employer in the past 52 weeks, you will now need to input the same information again for each employer.
Be ready with this information if it applies to you.
If this applies to your claim, you will want to have this information available.
If you have or will be receiving your pension in the next 52 weeks you will need to input this information now.
You will need to answer a couple questions related to your relationship with the business. If you are a regular employee (meaning that you did not know your employer before working for the organization, you applied for a work posting and was hired), the answer will likely be “no” to all of these.
At this point, you will be given a confirmation number. It is very important that you write this number down and keep it.
