P.E.I. couple frustrated with EI program after benefits denied following relocation

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A Charlottetown couple says Canada’s Employment Insurance coverage program ought to present simpler entry and higher helps after they have been left with out revenue for a number of months.

Nicole Tracey and her household relocated from Windsor, Ont., to P.E.I. earlier this 12 months after Tracey’s well being started to say no. Tracey, who was recognized with a number of sclerosis, has points strolling and shifting, signs that are made worse by warmth.

Because the summer season warmth in Windsor would generally depart Tracey incapacitated, she and her husband, Jason, felt the cooler local weather of P.E.I. would assist together with her sickness and determined to maneuver.

After arriving in Could, Jason utilized for Employment Insurance coverage advantages to assist with the prices of settling into their new house and province, in addition to to pay payments whereas he seemed for work.

Nevertheless, Jason was declined, leaving him scrambling to seek out work and forcing the household to borrow cash to get by.

The rationale for his refusal? He had stop his job to maneuver to a different province along with his household.

“First, (Service Canada) instructed him he shouldn’t have left his job that he had in Windsor to deliver me to P.E.I., which I discover asinine, as a result of we’re married,” stated Tracey.

After being declined, Jason requested a reconsideration of the choice, one thing anybody who’s denied EI can do inside 30 days of the choice.

In his letter, Jason defined why he had stop, citing the relocation to P.E.I. for the advantage of his spouse’s well being, and the way staying behind in Windsor would imply he wouldn’t have the ability to see his three children or care for his spouse, successfully tearing his household aside.

As well as, he defined his 72-year-old mom was relocating to the Island on the time and would require day by day help. In his letter, Jason stated he was keen and capable of work, however he was searching for ample work that might pay for his household’s bills and hadn’t discovered something instantly.

Tracey stated Jason was once more denied for EI and was instructed he ought to have discovered a job earlier than shifting. She stated she takes subject with that response.

“I don’t know any employer who’s going to provide you a job if you find yourself not residing within the province,” she stated. “I don’t know any employer who would wait for 3 months so that you can arrive to start out the job, except it was a extra knowledge-based, intricate occupation.”

With out EI, Tracey stated the household fell again on her long-term incapacity funds to pay for family payments however was left with no extra cash for groceries and fuel till Jason finally discovered work months later.

Tracey stated Jason’s software appeared prefer it didn’t obtain any form of particular person recognition, and as a substitute was given the identical reply anybody who voluntarily left their job would get – no.

“It bothers me as a result of it is virtually like a blanket reply for everybody (who quits their job),” she stated. “Everybody will get a no. They should take it on a case-by-case foundation. Some folks would actually profit from a 12 months’s price of help to allow them to get on their ft.”

SaltWire Community contacted the Division of Employment and Social Improvement Canada for touch upon why Jason’s declare was denied. Whereas nobody was obtainable for an interview, a spokesperson for the division stated in an emailed assertion that underneath the Employment Insurance coverage Act, these making use of for advantages will need to have misplaced their job via no fault of their very own or have been delay work for well being causes.

“The Employment Insurance coverage Act states {that a} claimant is disqualified (or disentitled) from receiving advantages if they’ve been suspended or dismissed on account of their very own misconduct or if they’ve voluntarily left their employment with out simply trigger,” stated the spokesperson.

“I don’t know any employer who would wait for 3 months so that you can arrive to start out the job, except it was a extra knowledge-based, intricate occupation.” – Nicole Tracey

Nevertheless, within the assertion, the spokesperson stated an applicant could possibly be permitted with a voluntary stop if it falls underneath one in all 40 exemptions, as listed on Employment Insurance coverage web site.

“A claimant will be justified in voluntarily leaving their job if, contemplating all of the circumstances, quitting their job was the one cheap different of their case,” stated the spokesperson.

Jason’s declare may have presumably fallen underneath that listing, particularly underneath purpose 36 – working away from household with a critical sickness within the household. Nevertheless, the spokesperson stated the division wasn’t given proof of an obligation to take care of a direct member of the family.

Tracey stated whereas Jason will not be formally listed as her medical caretaker, she is determined by him for help with strolling, getting round city and finishing different day by day duties, one thing she stated the EI fee was made conscious of.

Whereas Jason has since discovered a job, Tracey stated being left virtually penniless just because he needed to be along with his household appears like a slap within the face after paying into this system for 3 many years.

“It’s simply too arbitrary for them to simply say nope, your purpose for leaving a job will not be adequate,” she stated. “In my eyes, it simply boils right down to taking our cash and paying nothing again in return.”

Issues to know

Below the Employment Insurance coverage Act, there are a number of methods for folks to qualify.

• To qualify for normal Employment Insurance coverage advantages, candidates who’ve misplaced their jobs via no fault of their very own or for causes past their management should show that they’re unemployed, obtainable and keen to work and unable to acquire appropriate employment.
• Candidates who’ve voluntarily left their employment should present simply trigger for leaving their administrative center to acquire common advantages. Usually, these candidates should show that they’d no cheap different however to go away their employment.
• A listing of exceptions for many who voluntarily stop their jobs to qualify for normal advantages will be discovered on the Employment Insurance website.

Supply: Government of Canada’s Employment Insurance eligibility website

Cody McEachern is a enterprise reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. He will be reached by electronic mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @CodyInHiFi.