A new report released today by the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) in partnership with a number of other health organizations outlines 10 key recommendations to improve the Employment Insurance (EI) Sickness Benefit, including an extension of the benefit from 15 to at least 26 weeks. The report is a guiding light for government policy-making and provides a consensus of what experts feel is needed to improve the benefit for Canadians who rely on it when they become seriously ill or injured.
The Canadian Cancer Society has long advocated for an extensive of the EI Sickness Benefit from 15 to at least 26 weeks. During the 2019 election, the Liberal Party of Canada committed to an extension of the EI Sickness Benefit. This commitment was reaffirmed in the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion’s Mandate Letter, handed out in December 2019. The report serves as a reminder of why it is so important that this commitment be followed through.
The report was created after organizations with a cross-section of experiences, perspectives and expertise were brought together for a roundtable discussion in the fall of 2019. Organizations involved included health charities, labour organizations, public servants developing and administering Employment Insurance policy, specialized policy consultants in the disability space, the medical community and small business.
For more information, you can access the full report here