Lamin

I am employed in various capacities mainly casual but one role does employ me for 75% of my working time. Its a little unusual in that I am classed as full time / hourly however due to the nature of the work I get very few hours in the winter months, particularly Jan / Feb. This is both due to the weather and due to clients getting back to a slow start over the holidays. My HR are all above board in that deductions are made for CPP, tax, EI etc.

Slow months in Jan / Feb suit me as my other lines of work also suffer at this time due to demand so I normally escape and go traveling. With no work forthcoming and the onslaught of winter its an ideal situation as long as I budget accordingly throughout the year and by traveling I'm talking shoestring backpacking etc.

I've been employed here for 3 years and have not applied for any EI nor even CERB, as I managed to ride through the Covid situation. However it has got me thinking about next Jan / Feb, if I could apply for EI but I have no idea how it works. Is it a case of the more years you pay into it then it is available to take back as an emergency? The longer you have paid in the longer the access (pot) you have available. Or if you work 10 months per year is it feasible to claim it yearly for the two shoulder months where it is quiet?

I hope that makes sense and I am grateful for any constructive comments.

Almost Canadian

Not quite.

If you qualify for EI, you qualify for it. You don't get increased amounts because you have paid into it for years and haven't made a claim (most people pay into it for all of their working lives and never make a claim). To qualify, you need to have worked a certain number of hours in the qualifying period and you then need to be laid off by your employer. You then need to be able to state that you are ready, willing and able to take other work.

Siouxie

Employment insurance is only payable if you lose your job.. (unless you are a seasonal worker, such as a fisherman / crop picker etc.,); it's not a scheme where you can get paid money for a month or two when your hours are lower. You would be expected to adjust your savings to adapt to those kinds of working conditions - or seek secondary employment.

If you have been laid off or had your hours reduced due to COVID you should apply for CERB - https://www.canada.ca/en/services/be...plication.html

bats

My husband claims EI every year. He gets laid off around March as there isn't enough work and then goes back to work in September.

Atlantic Xpat

My B-i-L is a Heavy Equipment operator and does a similar thing.

bats

it's pretty common. I think the form,? ROE? Says "laid off due to lack of work"

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Siouxie

Yes because they are LAID OFF - i.e. let go (temporarily) and thus can qualify. But it has to be done correctly.. i.e. the employer has to notify you in writing that you are laid off and submit an ROE https://stlawyers.ca/blog-news/need-...orary-layoffs/

The OP didn't mention that they receiive a temporary lay off notice from all of their employers each year, only that they choose not to work at that time as hours were low....

bats

I see what you're saying. The employer would probably fill out the ROE as a lay off.. that said you can't go travelling, you have to be available. Husband doesn't claim for the time we go away.

abner

My cousins in Nova Scotia used to call it "Lotto 10/42", i.e. work for 10 weeks a year then claim UI for the rest.

I expect it's been tightened up a bit since, but probably not by enough.