Self-employed Canadians are able to register for the Employment Insurance (EI) program, which will extend to them maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, collectively called special benefits.
Rob Moore, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), on behalf of Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, made the announcement at the office of the Canadian Real Estate Association in Ottawa recently.
“Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, our government expanded the Employment Insurance program to give self-employed Canadians access to special benefits because it was the fair and right thing to do,” said Minister of State Moore. “Families are the foundation of our great country. Our government believes that self-employed Canadians should not have to choose between their family and their business responsibilities.”
With these changes, self-employed Canadians will be able to voluntarily opt into the EI program and receive special benefits. Overall, the special benefits for self-employed individuals mirror those currently available to salaried employees under the EI program.
Self-employed Canadians will be able to register in person at a Service Canada Centre. Those who choose to take advantage of EI special benefits will be required to register at least one year prior to claiming benefits. However, as a transitional measure in this first year, those who register on or before April 1, 2010, will be able to make a claim for benefits as early as January 1, 2011.
For more information, visit www.servicecanada.gc.ca/self_employed_workers.
