Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits

We all need an umbrella for rainy days. The “Umbrella for Rainy Days” series describes income support (financial assistance) programs. This article explores Employment Insurance (EI) Sickness Benefits, with a special focus on people with Sickle Cell Disease, Thalassemia, and other Red Blood Cell Disorders (RBCDs) .

What are EI Sickness Benefits?

EI Sickness benefits gives financial support if you cannot work for medical reasons and have no workplace disability or sick benefits.  

How much can I get from EI Sickness Benefits and for how long?

EI provides you up to 55% of your earnings, up to a maximum of $650 a week. You can get EI Sickness benefits for up to 26 weeks.

I have Sickle Cell Disease, Thalassemia, or another Red Blood Cell Disorder. I cannot sometimes work due to sickness. Can EI Sickness Benefits help me?

If you have Sickle Cell Disease, Thalassemia, or any other RBCD, EI Sickness benefits can help you when you are unable to work due to illness or recovery from surgeries and don’t have workplace benefits.

How do I qualify for EI Sickness Benefit?

1. You have worked the required number of insurable employment hours in the last year or since your last claim (whichever is shorter). This number is between 420 and 700 hours – it is determined by Service Canada based on unemployment rates.
   
   

2. You are sick and unable to work. Your doctor or nurse practitioner must complete a Medical Certificate for Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits.

How do I apply for the EI Sickness benefit?

1. Gather your personal information:

   1. Names and addresses of your employers in the past 52 weeks

   2. Dates you were employed with each employer

   3. Your full mailing address and your home address

   4. Your social insurance number (SIN)

   5. The last name at birth of 1 of your parents

   6. Your banking information to sign up for direct deposit, including:

   • the name of your financial institution

   • your branch (transit) number

   • your account number
     
     

2. Apply EI Benefits online or at a Service Canada Centre
   

3. Ask your Doctor or Nurse Practitioner for a sick note for the dates you are unable to work due to sickness. Send the sick note to your employer.
   

   TIP: If you are a UHN RBCD patient, you can request a sick note through myUHN!
   

4. Ask your employer to issue a Record of Employment. They can send it electronically to Service Canada.
   

5. Ask your Doctor or Nurse Practitioner to complete the Medical Certificate for Employment Insurance Sickness Benefits for the dates you were unable to work due to sickness. Keep this certificate for six years in case the EI program requests it.
   

   TIP: Again, UHN RBCD patients can request the Medical Certificate through myUHN! Make sure you sign the certificate to given consent when you send it to the clinic!
   

What can I do if I am refused from EI Sickness Benefits?

If you are refused from EI Sickness benefits, contact a Community Legal Clinic for help appealing the decision.

Learn More

• EI Sickness Benefits

• EI Benefits Questions on Steps to Justice
  

About the Author

Sinthu Srikanthan is a social worker in the Red Blood Cell Disorders Clinic at UHN. She is passionate about Anti-Racist/Anti-Oppressive practice.

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