SunriseChampion
Senior Member
What do you reckon a decent rate would be?
I think it should be 70-80%......and regionally take into account the cost of housing as a ratio of the average income.
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- Thread starter King of Kensington
- Start date
I think it should be 70-80%......and regionally take into account the cost of housing as a ratio of the average income.
Northern Light
Superstar
I would like to see EI done a few different ways.
First, I would like to remove Parental Leave from the program and have it free-standing.
That is to say, I'm in favour of parental leave, but planned unemployment is different from being laid off.
We want to differentiate between socially desirable outcomes, and a real insurance scheme to cover bad luck/bad economy etc.
In respect of parental leave, I think the minimum leave would be the amount of time that is minimally recommended for breast-feeding (whether a couple chooses to go that route or not)......
Which is six months.
That portion of the leave should be 100% income replacement to ensure that it is taken.
Leave beyond that should drop; but remain at a level where its cheaper {to the state) for a parent to stay home, than to provide affordable childcare.
I haven't done the exact math on that, but I like the idea of 100% for the first 6 months, 75% for the next six months, 50% for the final six months.
Giving people a gentle nudge to consider returning to work; but leaving them an option.
*****
I would likewise hive off short-term disability coverage. If someone is in hospital or otherwise incapacitated temporarily, then I think income replacement should be on the high side.
The standard in most private, collective agreements or insurance is 75%; that strikes me as fair.
This is not perpetual insurance, but something for the 2-6 month range; and that requires a doctor's note.
*****
In respect of conventional unemployment, I think we need to first move from hours worked, to weeks worked, using the hours to calculate the amount of compensation, but not to determine eligibility.
That is to say, if you've worked 20 hours a week for six months and get laid off, I have no problem with giving you a temporary helping hand, proportionate to your income.
I don't want to reimburse someone laid off after 4 weeks.
But I don't want to deny a part-timer who hasn't worked for a full year.
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I think temporary unemployment benefits; those intended generally to last for no more than six months, ought to start relatively high, say 75% income replacement, but drop after 3 months to 65%.
The idea being that in the short-term you're made closer to whole; while in the medium term you're being nudged back to work.
****
Finally, I would really like to see an education/training based EI benefit.
You would need to work for longer to qualify.
But you would be eligible for up to 2-years for retraining/upgrading, if your skills are deemed obsolete.
In that case, I would be ok w/75% income replacement for the entire 2-year term (if that's what the education program required)
SunriseChampion
Senior Member
There's short-term disability insurance through EI?!?!?!
afransen
Senior Member
I would be open to a scheme where the initial income replacement rate was higher, but gradually decreased over time. Maybe have the delta be subject to clawback as well. The idea of EI is to help with cashflow and not be a paid vacation.
My parents used to own a business and had some full-time staff that could be laid off for seasonally slow periods during the summer. They became quite accustomed to these periods that they became upset when my parents tweaked their business model to have useful work to do during the summer and refused to lay off the staff--these people felt entitled to their paid summers off!
My parents used to own a business and had some full-time staff that could be laid off for seasonally slow periods during the summer. They became quite accustomed to these periods that they became upset when my parents tweaked their business model to have useful work to do during the summer and refused to lay off the staff--these people felt entitled to their paid summers off!
afransen
Senior Member
So we should be replacing 6 months salary for a $300k/year Vice President? Seems regressive to me!
Northern Light
Superstar
Caps are part of the existing system; and would remain.
We can debate where the cap should be.
I think 1.5x median income would be a good ceiling; but there's no magic in that.
Needless to say, no, I would not support replacing 75% of 300k.
Northern Light
Superstar
I oppose perpetual EI, where it becomes part of the funding model of a job.
There is a challenge in how to write the rules to be fair to those who need it; but cut off those who are using the system as something other than 'insurance'.
Northern Light
Superstar
One way to address that might be a cap on benefits within a 10-year period.
I use that lengthy a time so as not penalize someone during a bad economy or whose having a run of bad luck.
For instance, assuming the maximum benefit were six months (just to pick a number); what if we capped you at 3 full benefit periods over 10 years.
So you can't get more than 18 months over any 10-year period.
That's imperfect; and would be unfair to some; but its one way of addressing the issue you note above.
I use that lengthy a time so as not penalize someone during a bad economy or whose having a run of bad luck.
For instance, assuming the maximum benefit were six months (just to pick a number); what if we capped you at 3 full benefit periods over 10 years.
So you can't get more than 18 months over any 10-year period.
That's imperfect; and would be unfair to some; but its one way of addressing the issue you note above.
afransen
Senior Member
Yeah, EI for many became part of the business model in some seasonal resource economies. Work during the fishing season and take the rest of the year off. Rinse and repeat year after year. It was a not-so-well-veiled vote buying/transfer program.
SunriseChampion
Senior Member
What you mean like the entirety of the EI Ski Team?
I am friends with too many of these bums, I don't mind telling you.
I agree with a limit on benefits within a set number of years.
This is my third time on EI in 22 years of the same job.
The first was due to a lack of work, back in February-April 2016.
The second was our company shutting down at the outset of the pandemic for two weeks last spring to prepare pandemic mitigation and to gauge the nature of the beast.
The third is now....due to a lack of work/lack of building permits because of municipal office closures last spring.
I'm hoping I'm fully back at work by the end of March.
So, I will have used about 20 weeks of benefits over the course of 22 years on three different occasions.
As opposed to my ski bum mates who are on EI every winter for 4-6 months so that they can ski every day out in BC. I'm not jealous or anything.
Towered
Senior Member
What you mean like the entirety of the EI Ski Team?
I am friends with too many of these bums, I don't mind telling you.
I agree with a limit on benefits within a set number of years.
This is my third time on EI in 22 years of the same job.
The first was due to a lack of work, back in February-April 2016.
The second was our company shutting down at the outset of the pandemic for two weeks last spring to prepare pandemic mitigation and to gauge the nature of the beast.
The third is now....due to a lack of work/lack of building permits because of municipal office closures last spring.
I'm hoping I'm fully back at work by the end of March.
So, I will have used about 20 weeks of benefits over the course of 22 years on three different occasions.
As opposed to my ski bum mates who are on EI every winter for 4-6 months so that they can ski every day out in BC. I'm not jealous or anything.
So how does one join the EI Ski Team?
Northern Light
Superstar
Yup, 15 weeks, at the normal rate of 55% replacement income.
Pre-pandemic..............you needed a doctor's note; to establish you didn't have any plan for paid sick leave/disability through work and have the qualifying hours.
EI sickness benefits: What these benefits offer - Canada.ca
Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits for medical reasons such as illness, injury, quarantine or any medical condition that prevents you from working.
SunriseChampion
Senior Member
Work a seasonal or contract job from spring to fall. Apply for EI. Move to ski town. Ski most days.
Congratulations, you're a part of the team!
Mind you, you most likely have to live in cramped quarters with other ski bums, but it's a great lifestyle!
SunriseChampion
Senior Member
Yup, 15 weeks, at the normal rate of 55% replacement income.
Pre-pandemic..............you needed a doctor's note; to establish you didn't have any plan for paid sick leave/disability through work and have the qualifying hours.
EI sickness benefits: What these benefits offer - Canada.ca
Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits for medical reasons such as illness, injury, quarantine or any medical condition that prevents you from working.www.canada.ca
And here I was talking to RBC and Manulife about disability insurance! Foolish!
I already pay for disability insurance.
Besides, Manulife and RBC ask way too many questions about drug use and "extreme" sports. As if rock climbing and skiing are extreme and doing acid causes disabilities.
