https://edmontonjournal.com/news/national/workers-unvaccinated-against-covid-19-who-lose-jobs-ineligible-for-ei-benefits-federal-employment-minister-says Skip to Content Holiday Sale! Most wonderful time of the year! Holiday print and online access subscription savings. Get holiday deals on print and online subscriptions! Subscribe now.> Manage Print Subscription Sections Search Search edmontonjournal.com [ ] Perform search Share Close Share this Story: Workers unvaccinated against COVID-19 who lose jobs ineligible for EI benefits, federal employment minister says * Copy Link * Email Email * Facebook Facebook * Twitter Twitter * Reddit Reddit * Pinterest Pinterest * LinkedIn LinkedIn * Tumblr Tumblr Subscribe Main Menu Search edmontonjournal.com [ ] Perform search * News + Local News o COVID-19 o Groundwork + Politics + Crime + National o COVID-19 + PostPandemic + World + Insight + Videos + Weather + Archives + Contact the Newsroom o Send a Letter to the Editor * Sports + Hockey o Edmonton Oilers o Cult of Hockey o NHL o Edmonton Oil Kings o Junior Hockey + Football o Edmonton Elks o CFL o NFL + Golf o Golf Videos + Baseball + Basketball o NBA o NCAA + Soccer o MLS o International Soccer + Local Sports + Tennis + Curling * Opinion + Editorials + Columnists + Letters + Malcolm Mayes editorial cartoons * Business + Local Business o Open during COVID o Featured Businesses + Real Estate + Commercial Real Estate + Mortgages + Energy + Technology o Gaming o Internet o Personal Tech o Science o Space o Tech-Biz + FP Markets + Small Business + Alberta's Top Employers + MoneyWise Canada o Borrowing Money o Future Money o Growing Money * Arts + Local Arts + Movies o Movie Listings + Television o TV Listings + Theatre + Music + Books + Celebrity + Festivals * Life + Shopping Essentials o Home Living o Style & Beauty o Kitchen & Dining o Personal Care o Entertainment & Hobbies o Gift Guide + Fashion & Beauty + Homes o Buying and Selling o Condos o Decorating o Gardening o Renovating o Vacation Homes + Health o Healthing o Diet & Fitness o Family & Child o Men o Seniors o Sexual Health o Women + Parenting + Relationships + Royals + Food o Local food reviews o Recipes o Taste Alberta + Travel o Ski & Snowboard o Eat Play Stay Alberta + Puzzles + New York Times Crossword + Comics + Advice + Horoscopes + Contests o National Contests + Readers' Choice * Obituaries + Browse Notices + Place an Obituary + Place an In Memoriam * Classifieds + Place an Ad + Business Card Directory + Celebrations + Real Estate Marketplace + Working + Shopping + This Week's Flyers + Auction + Special Sections o Build & Design YEG * Driving * Healthing * The GrowthOp * Podcasts * Newsletters * ePaper * Subscribe + Our Offers + My Account + FAQ * News * Sports * Opinion * Business * Arts * Life * Driving * Healthing * The GrowthOp * Podcasts * Newsletters * ePaper Advertisement This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. * Share via email * Facebook * Twitter * Open more share options Close Share this Story: Workers unvaccinated against COVID-19 who lose jobs ineligible for EI benefits, federal employment minister says + Copy Link + Email Email + Facebook Facebook + Twitter Twitter + Reddit Reddit + Pinterest Pinterest + LinkedIn LinkedIn + Tumblr Tumblr Breadcrumb Trail Links 1. National Workers unvaccinated against COVID-19 who lose jobs ineligible for EI benefits, federal employment minister says The policy is intended to protect workplaces from outbreaks and encourage vaccine uptake, says Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough Author of the article: Postmedia News Publishing date: Dec 31, 2021 * 20 hours ago * 2 minute read * 48 Comments Canada's Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough. Canada's Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough. Photo by BLAIR GABLE /REUTERS Article content Jobless Canadians who refuse to get vaccinated for COVID-19 could be shut out of unemployment benefits, warns Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Speaking to Canadian Press, Qualtrough said as long as there's a public health emergency, unvaccinated workers who lose hours or their job may not be eligible for employment insurance benefits. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team. Workers unvaccinated against COVID-19 who lose jobs ineligible for EI benefits, federal employment minister says Back to video Close sticky video Liberals tacked on the condition to a number of benefit payments, the news outlet reports, although those with a medical exemption are excluded. The policy is intended to keep workplaces open and free of COVID outbreaks, and encourage vaccine uptake, Qualtrough said. "As long as the collective public health of Canadians is jeopardized, and our economy is thereby threatened, we're going to have to keep public health policy top of mind in our employment and labor and economic decision making," she noted. "And I don't know how long that will be." Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Employment and Social Development Canada has issued a notice to employers enforcing vaccine mandates to help them fill out records of employment, a document needed to apply for EI benefits. The department said if an employee doesn't report to work or is suspended or terminated for refusing to comply with a vaccine mandate, the employer should indicate that they quit, took a leave of absence or were dismissed - potentially disqualifying them from collecting EI. The notice also lays out multiple factors that could be considered, including whether the vaccine policy was clearly communicated, if it was reasonable within the workplace context and any potential exemptions from the vaccine policy. In November, the federal government expanded the Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit to provide temporary support to workers if their workplace has been affected by capacity-limiting restriction of 50 per cent or more during the pandemic. Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content Eligible workers may receive $270 after taxes for each one-week period leading up to Feb. 12 if they have lost 50 per cent or more of their income as a result of the capacity limits. More On This Topic 1. A pedestrian walks in downtown Edmonton during a snowfall on Wednesday December 22, 2021. Snow flurries in the Edmonton region are forecast Wednesday and Thursday with temperatures plunging to a low of -30C degrees by Christmas day. On top of that more COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have been imposed due to the rapid rise of infection from the Omicron variant. (PHOTO BY LARRY WONG/ POSTMEDIA) COVID-19: Alberta cuts isolation period for vaccinated people without symptoms from 10 to 5 days, overhauls testing system 2. Connor McDavid (97) and Leon Draisaitl (29) of the Edmonton Oilers talk during a video review in the third period against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on December 31, 2021 in Newark, New Jersey. Oilers' games postponed due to crowd restrictions The Trudeau Liberals made stipulations in the federal pandemic aid policy in the fall to encourage participation in the labour force, explained Qualtrough. "We knew we had to make sure that if something like Omicron happened, that we still needed a tool to help Canadians who either would lose their jobs or would face reduced hours," she said. "But we knew the economy in September of 2021 looked very different than it did in September of 2020. So we couldn't just continue with broad measures that maybe would disincentivize work or wouldn't encourage maximum labor force participation." Canada's unemployment rate fell to 6.0% in November, 0.3 percentage points shy of data from February 2020, just before the pandemic hit, Statistics Canada estimates. The report found that 19.3 million people in the country were employed, the highest ever recorded and 183,000 more than pre-pandemic levels. Additional reporting from Canadian Press Share this article in your social network * Share via email * Facebook * Twitter * Open more share options Close Share this Story: Workers unvaccinated against COVID-19 who lose jobs ineligible for EI benefits, federal employment minister says + Copy Link + Email Email + Facebook Facebook + Twitter Twitter + Reddit Reddit + Pinterest Pinterest + LinkedIn LinkedIn + Tumblr Tumblr Latest National Stories Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Edmonton Journal Headline News logo Edmonton Journal Headline News Sign up to receive daily headline news from the Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address [ ] * There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sign Up By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Edmonton Journal Headline News will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again Trending 1. Russian, Czech World Junior hockey teams kicked off Calgary flight 2. City of Edmonton bans outside food and drink from rec centres, indoor facilities in effort to combat rapid spread of Omicron variant 3. 11-year-old Edmonton girl found safe and unharmed Friday after going missing for three days 4. Man shot dead in confrontation with Edmonton police on New Year's Eve following car chase, Alberta's police watchdog investigating 5. Chateau Lake Louise COVID-19 outbreak not being tracked, says Alberta Health source This Week in Flyers Comments Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications--you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings. Categories * News * Sports * Opinion * Business * Arts * Life * Driving * E-Paper * Subscribe --------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow the Edmonton Journal * Visit our Facebook page (Leaving Edmonton Journal) * Visit our Twitter page (Leaving Edmonton Journal) * Visit our YouTube page (Leaving Edmonton Journal) * Visit our Instagram page (Leaving Edmonton Journal) --------------------------------------------------------------------- Secondary Links * Advertise With Us * Digital Ad Registry * Site Map * Contact * Privacy - Updated * Terms of Use * Copyright 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 (c) 2022 Edmonton Journal, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication strictly prohibited. Notice for the Postmedia Network This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. OK