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Employment Insurance - Can you apply even if recieving severance?

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  • Dec 4th, 2012 12:04 pm
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Deal Addict
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Feb 20, 2004
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Calgary

Employment Insurance - Can you apply even if recieving severance?

Alright, my dad was laid off back in April. I assumed he was smart and applied for EI but today I found out that he is being extremely stubborn and refuses to even try applying or call the employment office to see if he can apply because he believes he'll be turned down for application since he's getting severance until October.

From what I see online, you can apply and in many cases still recieve EI if you are on severance pay. Is this correct? Has he wasted 3 months of EI with his stubborness? Our family really needs the money but I have to convince him to just try.

Is it possible to recieve EI benefits if you are still recieving severance pay? And if not, it's still quite possible to apply and apply early right?
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Deal Addict
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Sep 29, 2003
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your dad is correct... and he has a waiting period after the severance has completed also. No harm in applying now, but he should really be looking for a job if you guys need money.
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Jul 15, 2003
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I only know how the simple solution works. If the severance pay is more than what he would recieve for EI, then the EI payments will not start until the severance pay is over. Ideally they wanted you to apply back when he got laid off. They would just say that EI will start when severance runs out. If he applies now, and gets a sympathetic person, EI will start now and he'll get the full allotment. The worst case scenario should be that EI will start now and it'll just end 3 months early since he didn't apply back in april.
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Feb 26, 2005
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Kevinck wrote:I only know how the simple solution works. If the severance pay is more than what he would recieve for EI, then the EI payments will not start until the severance pay is over. Ideally they wanted you to apply back when he got laid off. They would just say that EI will start when severance runs out. If he applies now, and gets a sympathetic person, EI will start now and he'll get the full allotment. The worst case scenario should be that EI will start now and it'll just end 3 months early since he didn't apply back in april.
He won't get EI until his severance runs out. But it is wise to register .. you never know if he will be working or not by then. You can even register online.
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Jan 22, 2003
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dbl check he should be eligible.
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Mar 21, 2003
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You might get lucky and get some money from EI.. only to have them come back for the money at a later date (mispayment)..

I have an uncle who that happened to.. he was receiving EI, then I think 6-8months later after their wrong payment, they came back wanting it repaid.

Sucked for him.
Member
Aug 12, 2004
449 posts
Spare-Flair wrote:Alright, my dad was laid off back in April. I assumed he was smart and applied for EI but today I found out that he is being extremely stubborn and refuses to even try applying or call the employment office to see if he can apply because he believes he'll be turned down for application since he's getting severance until October.

From what I see online, you can apply and in many cases still recieve EI if you are on severance pay. Is this correct? Has he wasted 3 months of EI with his stubborness? Our family really needs the money but I have to convince him to just try.

Is it possible to recieve EI benefits if you are still recieving severance pay? And if not, it's still quite possible to apply and apply early right?
Tell him to apply and report the severence they will then send a letter stating when he can start collecting EI. you can do it online.
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Sep 6, 2003
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read his copy of his Record of Employment that he should have rec'd from his former employer. somewhere on that form it should state the deadline to apply for EI after termination of employment. even though he has severance money, he should still apply for EI by following the deadline set out.

hopefully, he didn't miss the deadline. if he did, get him to apply right away and he will have to heavily plead ignorance and say he thought he couldn't apply until after his severance runs out. they could deny him if he missed the deadline.

EI payments don't start until after the severance runs out. but he still needs to apply based on the deadlines.

these are the rules that i remember from a few yrs ago so check out for any changes to the rules.

good luck.
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May 20, 2005
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sammy wrote:read his copy of his Record of Employment that he should have rec'd from his former employer. somewhere on that form it should state the deadline to apply for EI after termination of employment. even though he has severance money, he should still apply for EI by following the deadline set out.

hopefully, he didn't miss the deadline. if he did, get him to apply right away and he will have to heavily plead ignorance and say he thought he couldn't apply until after his severance runs out. they could deny him if he missed the deadline.

EI payments don't start until after the severance runs out. but he still needs to apply based on the deadlines.

these are the rules that i remember from a few yrs ago so check out for any changes to the rules.

good luck.

Sammy is completely right.. My company was bought by another company back in September 2004 and around 35% of the employees were laid off (80% of those were managers)... they hire someone from HRSDC to explain to us the EI application process.. and stuff.. One thing they made very clear is that you have to apply for EI as soon as you are laid off. Regardless of severance.. etc. There is a deadline, and chances are that if your Dad miss three months, he could actually lose three months of benefits (maybe two months). Tell him to apply immediately.


C.
Newbie
Dec 3, 2012
1 posts
NORTH YORK
For what "Reasons for Issuing ROE" is possible to receive EI? http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/e ... l#block-16
They say that Code A = layoff is always eligible but it is hard to receive it for e.g. Code M = dismissal.

However one of your links shows various cases. http://www.ae-ei.gc.ca/eng/board/favour ... _toc.shtml
Could you please clarify if with other Codes than A EI is paid?

Thank you!
Deal Addict
Jan 30, 2012
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TORONTO
Spare-Flair wrote: Alright, my dad was laid off back in April. I assumed he was smart and applied for EI but today I found out that he is being extremely stubborn and refuses to even try applying or call the employment office to see if he can apply because he believes he'll be turned down for application since he's getting severance until October.
The most important thing is:

File your EI claim immediately.

Even if you don't have your RoE (record of employement), file your EI claim immediately. Every day you wait runs the risk of losing benefits that you are entitled to. You can add the RoE later. Even the EI people say so (http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/ei/a ... ance.shtml):

[INDENT]Always apply for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits as soon as you stop working. You can apply for benefits even if you have not yet received your Record of Employment (ROE). [/INDENT]

And lastly, file your EI claim immediately.

Do not wait. File your EI claim immediately.

P.S. File your EI claim immediately. It is free money from the government. You have been forced to pay in to the EI system while you were working, even if you would rather optout of EI entirely. You should file and receive the benefits that you are entitled to.

The EI people will calculate how your severance affects your EI payments. You don't have to do anything. Just apply.

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