Zandee highlights new changes to EI
By Contributor
Today, Rob Zandee, Candidate of Record for the Conservative Party of Canada for the riding of British Columbia Southern Interior commented on changes to EI benefits for long-tenured workers.
“On Sept.14, the government gave notice that they intend to introduce legislation to help long-tenured workers who have lost their jobs because of the global economic downturn, by temporarily providing five to 20 additional weeks of Employment Insurance (EI) regular benefits to these workers, depending on how long they have been working and paying EI premiums” said Zandee.
“This new measure is designed to provide additional support to workers who have paid EI premiums for years and made limited use of the program, while they look for jobs in a recovering economy.
“It is a temporary measure, which builds on other measures introduced in Canada’s Economic Action Plan.”
Under the Career Transition Assistance initiative, the Economic Action Plan also provides assistance to long-tenured workers who need training to transition to a new industry or occupation.
“Through the Economic Action Plan, measures have also been implemented to support all unemployed Canadians. These measures include providing nationally five extra weeks of EI regular benefits, increasing the maximum duration of benefits from 45 to 50 weeks in regions of high unemployment, and protecting jobs through the Work-Sharing program—and we are freezing EI premiums for 2010 at the same rate as 2009.”
The focus of the Government is on helping people get back to work, and to that end, it is also providing an additional $1.5 billion towards skills training to be delivered by the provinces and territories.
“Extending EI benefits for long-tenured workers is the right thing to do and it is both fair and responsible” said Zandee.
“ It will help Canadians who have worked hard and paid EI premiums for many years and who now find themselves in need of a hand up. This measure should also go a long way towards bridging long-tenured workers to give them time to find alternative employment, particularly as the labour market improves here in the Southern Interior.
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