Feds waiving EI requirements for British Columbians affected by floods, mudslides

The federal government is waiving some of the requirements needed to apply for EI benefits, specifically for British Columbians who have lost their jobs due to the destructive flooding and mudslides.

The message was shared on Sunday by Federal Minister of Employment Carla Qualtrough, who encouraged affected individuals to apply for EI as soon as possible.

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“Many people have been displaced or could have lost their job due to the flooding and will need to apply for EI benefit,” she said during a federal update. “If you are in this situation, you can and should apply for EI online, as soon as possible, even without a record of employment.”

Anyone applying will need a mailing address and a residential address, however. And if they opt to receive paper mail, they should account for possible weather-related delays.

One of the biggest changes that Qualtrough announced includes waiving the record of employment needed to apply for EI benefits.

“Service Canada is working directly with individuals who have had their job impacted,” she says. “We are waiving the requirement for record of employment, obviously, it could be very difficult in these times to get that piece of a particular document.”

Qualtrough also said that the federal government was taking a dynamic approach and looking at how the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected EI benefits as well.

“We’re looking at how the reality of pandemic benefits and people having exhausted their EI has impacted their entitlement to their availability of ongoing EI support so it’s a very live question,” she said. “We can ensure Canadians and workers that we’re going to be there for them.”

The number one message for impacted British Columbians, she says, is to reach out to Service Canada and apply for EI.

“We will figure this out for you.”