What are the EI pilot projects that have been extended?
The 3 pilot projects in certain participating EI regions will test the labour market impact of: • calculating EI benefits based on the “best 14 weeks” of earnings over the 52 weeks preceding a claim for benefits.This will mean that for individuals with sporadic work patterns, EI benefit rates will be more reflective of their full-time work patterns; • enabling individuals new to the labour market or returning after an extended absence to access EI benefits after 840 hours of work – rather than 910 – when linked with EI employment programs; • increasing the working-while-on-claim threshold to allow individuals to earn the greater of $75 or 40 % of weekly benefits in an effort to encourage people to accept all available work while receiving benefits.
