Posted: Thursday, 6 March 2008

Regarding Bill C-265: An Act to Amend the Employment Insurance Act.

Thank-you for the opportunity to appear.

The key reforms to the EI program which have been advocated by labour and anti-poverty groups are a reduction in the number of qualifying hours to 360 in all regions, a longer duration of up to 50 weeks of regular benefits, and an increase to at least 60% in the percentage of insured earnings replaced by EI benefits based on the best 12 weeks of earnings.

We support Bill C-265 which would reduce the number of qualifying hours to 360 and base benefits on the best 12 weeks.

Today – two days before International Womens' Day - I wish to speak to the importance of the EI program to working women, and to the need for fundamental changes of the kind made by this Bill. The Canadian Labour Congress will be organizing teach-ins on womens economic equality across the country, and the need for EI reform is very much on our agenda.

EI income support during periods of unemployment, maternity/parental leave and periods of sickness is obviously important in terms of stabilizing and supporting family incomes. EI also supports the economic independence of women since benefits are not based on family income (with the exception of a small supplement for low income families), but rather on insured individual earnings.

However, key EI program rules exclude or unfairly penalize women because they fail to take into proper account the different working patterns of women compared to men. While the great majority of adult women now engage in paid work, the hours they work exclude many from EI benefits, as do periods of time spent away from work caring for children or others.

Read more - Download the PDF.