Workers who resist vaccine mandates may not be eligible for EI, according to feds
Workers who lose their job over a refusal to vaccinate against COVID-19 may not be eligible for employment insurance benefits, according to updated guidelines from the federal government.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has issued a notice to employers enforcing vaccine mandates to help them fill out records of employment, a document needed to apply for EI benefits.
The department said if an employee doesn't report to work or is suspended or terminated for refusing to comply with a vaccine mandate, the employer should indicate that they quit, took a leave of absence or were dismissed -- potentially disqualifying them from EI.
The notice also laid out multiple factors that could be considered, including whether the vaccine policy was clearly communicated, if it was reasonable within the workplace context and potential exemptions.
"A fundamental principle of the EI program is that claimants must lose their employment through no fault of their own to be eligible for EI regular benefits," Marie-Eve Sigouin-Campeau, a spokesperson for ESDC, said in an emailed statement.
"The Employment Insurance Act states that a claimant is disqualified (or disentitled) from receiving benefits if they have been suspended or dismissed as a result of their own misconduct, or if they have voluntarily left their employment without just cause."
She added that while all claims for benefits would be adjudicated based on individual circumstances, employees not complying with a mandatory vaccination policy would typically not be eligible to receive EI regular benefits -- unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as a valid medical exemption that the employer is unable to accommodate.
Whether workers who refuse to comply with mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations would have access to benefits depends on several factors, but the onus would be on the claimant to demonstrate just cause for leaving, Sigouin-Campeau said.
If a workplace vaccine policy does not provide exemptions to accommodate employees who have valid reasons, like a medical condition or religious beliefs that prohibit vaccination, these workers could be eligible for benefits, she said.
Employment lawyer Adam Savaglio said employment insurance claims will likely be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
"The key question is are you entitled to benefit from employment insurance if you refuse to vaccinate," said Savaglio, a partner with Scarfone Hawkins LLP in Hamilton, Ont.
"I think they're going to take a contextual approach, looking at all the factors of that individual's employment, including whether it was a necessary condition of their employment contract that they be vaccinated," he said.
"There will certainly be circumstances where employees will not be entitled to employment insurance."
Employment lawyer Chris Justice said typically the only time an individual's employment insurance claim is denied is when there was "just cause" for their termination. Generally, this refers to conduct of a serious nature that breaks the employment contract.
"The question would be whether or not somebody's refusal to be vaccinated or adhere to a company's vaccination policy would amount to just cause," said Justice, an associate at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.
"Unless there is government legislation in place -- whether provincial or federal -- that specifically requires an employer to have its employees vaccinated, then somebody's refusal to be vaccinated may not amount to a just cause dismissal and therefore they would be entitled to severance and EI benefits."
Many provincial governments across Canada have introduced mandatory vaccine policies in health care and school settings.
Ottawa also said it will require federal employees and workers in federally regulated industries to be vaccinated.
Some companies have also brought in vaccination policies, saying they have a duty to keep their workplaces safe.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2021.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Donald Trump picks former U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has nominated former diplomat and U.S. congressman Pete Hoekstra to be the American ambassador to Canada.
Genetic evidence backs up COVID-19 origin theory that pandemic started in seafood market
A group of researchers say they have more evidence to suggest the COVID-19 pandemic started in a Chinese seafood market where it spread from infected animals to humans. The evidence is laid out in a recent study published in Cell, a scientific journal, nearly five years after the first known COVID-19 outbreak.
Border agency detained dozens of 'forced labour' cargo shipments. Now it's being sued
Canada's border agency says it has detained about 50 shipments of cargo over suspicions they were products of forced labour under rules introduced in 2020 — but only one was eventually determined to be in breach of the ban.
This is how much money you need to make to buy a house in Canada's largest cities
The average salary needed to buy a home keeps inching down in cities across Canada, according to the latest data.
REVIEW 'Gladiator II' review: Come see a man fight a monkey; stay for Denzel's devious villain
CTV film critic Richard Crouse says the follow-up to Best Picture Oscar winner 'Gladiator' is long on spectacle, but short on soul.
Police report reveals assault allegations against Hegseth
A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Pete Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave, according to a detailed investigative report made public late Wednesday.
Canada's space agency invites you to choose the name of its first lunar rover
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) is inviting Canadians to choose the name of the first Canadian Lunar Rover.
Hong Kong activist Jimmy Lai denies he asked a newspaper colleague to draft list of sanction targets
Former publisher Jimmy Lai denied that he asked a colleague to draft a list of potential sanction targets in his second day of testimony Thursday at his landmark national security trial in Hong Kong.
Australia's parliament considers legislation banning social media for under 16s
Australia’s communications minister introduced a world-first law into Parliament on Thursday that would ban children younger than 16 from social media, saying online safety was one of parents’ toughest challenges.
Local Spotlight
B.C. man reunites with Nova Scotia stranger, 56 years after being saved from drowning
After driving near the water that winter day, Brian Lavery thought he saw a dog splashing in the waves – then realized it was way too cold for that.
'It's nice to just talk to people': Toronto podcaster prank calling Nova Scotians
Toronto radio and podcast host Jax Irwin has recently gone viral for videos of her cute -- and at times confusing -- phone conversations.
'I'm just tickled pink': Childhood friends from New Brunswick named Rhodes Scholars
Two young women from New Brunswick have won one of the most prestigious and sought-after academic honours in the world.
B.C. man to cycle length of New Zealand to raise funds for Movember
Stretching 3,000 kilometres from the tip of New Zealand to its southernmost point, with just a bicycle for transport and a tent to call home, bikepacking event Tour Aotearoa is not for the faint of heart.
'She's a people person': Urban chicken inspires positivity in B.C. neighbourhood
When he first moved to his urban neighbourhood, Barry Devonald was surprised to be welcomed by a whole flock of new neighbours.
'A little piece of history': Winnipeg homeowner finds 80-year-old letters hidden in walls
When George Arcioni began renovating his kitchen last summer, he didn’t expect to find a stack of letters hidden in the wall behind his oven.
Love story: Nova Scotia couple gets engaged at Taylor Swift’s Toronto show
A Nova Scotia couple fulfilled their wildest dreams Thursday night when they got engaged at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Toronto.
WATCH 'Fireball' meteor lights up Calgary's sky
Some Calgary residents caught what appeared to be a meteor streaking across the sky early on Wednesday morning.
'I get in this workshop and everything disappears': N.B. man creates whimsical birdhouses in spare time
Four years ago, Phill Hebb started up 'Phil’s Unique Birdhouses' and since then, they’ve made their way all across Canada and into the United States.