COVID-19: Emergency Care Benefits and Support

IMPORTANT: ON MARCH 25, 2020 THE PROGRAMS ON THIS PAGE WERE INCORPORATED INTO THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACT. THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND »» HERE COVID-19 Emergency Response Act

See these other posts for more COVID-19 Employment Law information:
»» Webinar & Slide presentation: COVID-19 Ontario Workplace Issues: March 16
»» Temporary Layoffs: March 17
»» EI Sickness Benefits and Work Sharing: March 17
»» Amendment to Ontario Employment Standards: March 21
»» Supplementary Unemployment Benefit Plan (SUB Plan): March 21
»» Mobilizing Canadian Industry to Fight COVID-19: March 23
»» List of Ontario essential workplaces: March 24
»» COVID-19 Emergency Response Act March 26
»» Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy March 30

The Government of Canada today announced care and support benefits to workers who are eligible for Employment Insurance (EI), non EI-eligible workers – including workers who are self-employed – and incentives and reliefs to businesses that employ Canadian workers. These are in addition to the changes in EI Sickness Benefits and the Federal Work Sharing program that I outlined in my email yesterday, namely:

  • waiving the mandatory one-week waiting period for EI sickness benefits for workers in imposed quarantine or who have been directed to self-isolate
  • waiving the requirement for a medical certificate to access EI sickness benefits
  • waiving the mandatory waiting period in the Work-Sharing Program so that employers with a recently expired agreement may immediately apply for a new agreement, without waiting between applications.
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Below is a summary of the announcements today that are specifically designed to have a positive impact on worker benefits and employers.

In total Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outlined measures in the COVID-19 Economic Response Plan that will provide up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses, plus $55 billion to meet liquidity needs of Canadian businesses and households through tax deferrals to help stabilize the economy.

Please click on this link for »» information about all of the announcements made by the Prime Minister this morning.

Emergency Care Benefits

This measure could provide up to $10 billion to Canadians, and includes up to $900 bi-weekly for up to 15 weeks for:

  • EI-eligible and non EI-eligible working parents including those that are self-employed who must stay home without pay because of children who are sick or who need additional care because of school closures.
  • Non EI-eligible workers including the self employed who do not have access to paid sick leave and are
    • Sick, quarantined, or who have been directed to self-isolate
    • Taking care of a family member who is sick with COVID-19, such as an elderly parent or other dependents who are sick

Emergency Support Benefits

These will be delivered through the Canada Revenue Agency to support small businesses, help employers keep people on their payroll and help workers who are facing unemployment and are not eligible for EI.

It will provide eligible small businesses a 

  • 10 per cent wage subsidy for the next 90 days, up to a maximum of $1,375 per employee and $25,000 per employer. 

Employers benefiting from this measure include 

  • corporations eligible for the small business deduction
  • not-for-profit organizations and charities.

Support for Businesses

To support Canadian businesses and help them retain their workers during an uncertain economy and tightening credit conditions, the Government has announced it will allow all businesses to defer, until after August 31, 2020, the payment of any income tax amounts that become owing on or after March 18 and before September 2020. 

This relief will apply to tax balances due, as well as instalments, under Part I of the Income Tax Act. 

No interest or penalties will accumulate on these amounts during this period.

I hope you find this guidance and information helpful and as always, I am available to answer any questions you may have about any employment matter.

I remind and encourage you to observe the recommendations outlined by our public health authorities and hope that you, your employees, families and loved ones stay safe and healthy.

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