Sickness Benefits and Income Tax

To be eligible to receive any benefits from Employment Insurance you need to work a certain amount of hours and to have paid to Employment Insurance

Who can receive sickness benefits? A person who is unable to work because of sickness, injury or quarantine may receive sickness benefits up to 15 weeks if the person:

• have accumulated 600 insured hours in the last 52 weeks or since your last claim
• his/her regular weekly earnings have been decreased by more than 40%
• have paid to Employment Insurance
• have provided a medical certificate stating how long the illness is expected to last.
• A person who makes a claim for sickness benefits is not only required to prove to be unable to work but also that he or she would be otherwise available for work.

Sickness benefits when you receive regular benefits: If you are already receiving regular benefits and you become ill while you are on that claim, you may receive the sickness benefits you are entitled to.

Sickness benefits while you receive maternity or parental benefits: If you are receiving sickness benefits and you ask for maternity and parental benefits, you should know that a combination of maternity, parental and sickness benefits can be received up to a combined maximum of 50 weeks.

[Top]