Changes to employment insurance required

The Interprovincial Employment Insurance Alliance, which brings together around twenty organizations and unions, is maintaining pressure on Ottawa so that the employment insurance program is completely reformed.

The last complete reform dates back to 1996. In the meantime of a complete reform, the members of this Alliance propose to make changes immediately to employment insurance, mainly to help seasonal workers.

They also met two senior officials from Service Canada on Tuesday in Rimouski. It was an important step for usargues the spokesperson for the Interprovincial Employment Insurance Alliance, Guillaume Tremblay.

The Alliance suggests that the minimum number of hours to qualify for employment insurance be lowered to 420 hours, while in certain regions, such as Bas-Saint-Laurent and Côte-Nord, 700 hours worked are necessary .

Year after year, employment insurance becomes less and less accessibleassures Mr. Tremblay, who notes an exodus of seasonal workers who work in forestry, tourism and fishing, towards sectors where they find greater stability.

This industry [saisonnière]it is slowly disappearing even though it is part of our economic structure in resource regions.

Reaching the number of insurable hours required to be entitled to regular benefits is increasingly laborious, according to the director of Action-chômage Côte-Nord. When you do 20 or 25 hours [par semaine]it’s very difficult – when you are seasonal and more– to manage to reach these famous 700 hoursexplains Line Sirois.

It really discourages people from finding a job in a seasonal industry.she adds.

Alliance members also suggest that the duration of benefits be at least 26 weeks. The current minimum floor is instead set at 14 weeks.

The Interprovincial Employment Insurance Alliance wants the federal government to recognize the specificities of the seasonal industry, closely linked to the economic structure of the regions. [Cette industrie] is important for the rest of the economyconcludes Line Sirois.