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Employment insurance benefits for caregivers

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Tips for claiming employment insurance (EI) benefits as a caregiver.

Employment insurance caregiving benefits provide financial assistance when you take time off work to provide care or support to someone who is critically ill or injured, or someone who needs end-of-life care.

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What are EI caregiving benefits?

Federal Employment Insurance (EI) caregiving benefits are available to eligible caregivers who provide care or support to a patient who is critically ill, injured or in need of end-of-life care.

On a day-to-day basis, you balance work and caring for someone close to you. This is where you exercise your employment insurance rights as a caregiver.

Specifics of employment insurance benefits

EI caregiving benefits provide financial assistance while you’re away from work to care for or support a critically ill or injured person or someone needing end-of-life care. You could receive 55% of your earnings.

As a caregiver, you don’t have to be related to or live with the person you care for or support, but they must consider you to be like a family member.

There are 3 types of caregiving benefits:

  • Benefits for caregivers of children who provide care or support to a critically ill or injured person under 18. Up to 35 weeks of benefits;
  • Benefits for caregivers of adults who provide care or support to a critically ill or injured person 18 or over. Up to 15 weeks of benefits;
  • Compassionate care benefit to provide care or support to a person of any age who requires end-of-life care. Up to 26 weeks of benefits.

EI caregiving benefits mini glossary

  • Different caregivers: benefits may be shared between different eligible caregivers;
  • Family member: includes immediate family as well as any other family member or individual considered a family member, whether or not that person is related by marriage or common-law, or any other legal parent-child relationship;
  • Benefits: this is the Government of Canada’s term for employment insurance payments. Tax benefits (federal and provincial) exist for caregivers;
  • Care: care provided to someone who is critically ill or injured, or in need of end-of-life care;
  • End-of-life care: care or support provided to a critically ill person who is likely to die within the next 26 weeks (6 months);
  • Support: psychological or emotional support provided to a critically ill or injured person, or one who requires end-of-life care.

Process

  • See if you qualify;
  • Apply. In all cases, it is strongly suggested that you apply for benefits and let a Service Canada representative assess your eligibility;
  • EI Contact information. A toll-free number is available: 1-800-808-6352.
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Need to talk?

Contact our Caregiver Support Helpline for counselling, information and referrals.

Every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Free of charge.

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call  Caregiver info :  1 855 852-7784