Posted: Thursday, 27 September 2012

Re: Opposition lambastes Tories over fine print in EI changes (Sept 21)



Unemployed Canadians are right to be angry about the impact of the new rules regarding working while on claim.



Workers collecting EI benefits are often able to find short-term and temporary jobs. The Canadian Labour Congress thinks that such workers should be able to accept the available work, and certainly should not be punished for doing so.



Under the old rules, workers were allowed to keep the first $75 of earnings without a reduction to their unemployment benefit. Under the new rules, a 50% clawback on benefits is imposed from the first dollar of additional income.



As I myself pointed out to Minister Finley when the Budget bill was being debated, this change will punish mainly women working in low wage jobs, and will certainly make them worse off than under the current rules.



Surely it makes no sense to claw back 50% of earnings from workers who accept a few hours of low-paid work.



Ken Georgetti

President

Canadian Labour Congress