As the ranks of self employed Canadians increases, there is a growing problem of employment insurance coverage. What is the problem? Self employed business owners previously were not eligible for employment insurance coverage. As it’s especially applicable to the female entrepreneurs, business income could dry up quickly while on maternity leave. With no business income or employment insurance benefit, the financial situation could get ugly unless there is substantial savings.
This has recently changed however with a new bill introduced for employment insurance for the self employed. This bill extends to maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care leave for the self employed. Read More…
How can the government single out one group of individuals when there are so many other hard working people looking for work but are in a different career category. It seems that Fishermen get the best benefit of all as they claim EI and only have to show that they have made little money fishing during the duration. Some of these Fishermen now take work under the table and claim everything, get EI and get paid cash with no tax. I see that this is very unfair as there are so many individuals that work in Technology fields like Graphic Designers/Web Designer, Art fields such as painters and many more that would really benefit themselves for receiving EI just like fishermen.
This is my rant for the day but if you do not believe me please check out http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/types/fishing.shtml. It may change your career path to having a year-round vacation, kicking up your feet and grabbing a cold case of beer.
Being a woman who is planning on starting a business the first thing that came to mind was the concerns of maternity leave. If EI benefits for someone like me can be made possible while i am pregnant it will help a lot.
It’s about time!
The bill as it currently is has some good and bad in it. Its benefits dont extend as long as normal EI and their are strict conditions. The bill will go through several changes and so i will hold my tongue on final judgment until then.
This new bill is a welcome change since i am a self-employed individual and prior to this i had to rely heavily on my family to support me in tough times.