Employment Insurance | Sickness benefits extended to 26 weeks

Actuarial and Insurance Solutions December 2, 2022

The Government of Canada wants to improve the Employment Insurance (EI) system for all workers, including those who are seasonal and self-employed. On December 18, 2022, EI sickness benefits will be extended from 15 weeks to a maximum of 26 weeks for injuries, sickness or quarantine.

To learn more, see the news release: Government of Canada improves sickness benefits under the Employment Insurance system.

No changes have been made to our disability insurance for the time being. We will conduct an analysis in 2023 to evaluate the possibility of adding a 26-week, or 180-day, waiting period to our SOLO product lineup.

Impact for clients

The only clients impacted by this news are those who are eligible for EI and have disability insurance to replace their employment income with integration or coordination of benefits.

Payment typeCoverage type
 To replace employment incomeTo pay off financial commitments
With integration or coordination of benefitsImpact*No impact
Sans intégration ni coordinationNo impactNo impact

* Some SOLO products, like SOLO Disability income, aren't integrated with EI. Be sure to read the contract clauses.

Changes to your tools

The documents and the resources will be updated at a later date.

FAQ

Questions?

Contact your Desjardins Insurance regional sales director.