Bill C-378

2nd Session, 40th Parliament,

57-58 Elizabeth II, 2009

house of commons of canada

BILL C-378

An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (increase of maximum number of weeks: combined weeks of benefits)

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

1. Subsection 8(2) of the Employment Insurance Act is amended by striking out “or” at the end of paragraph (c), by adding “or” at the end of paragraph (d) and by adding the following after paragraph (d):

2. (1) Subsection 10(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:

(2) The length of a benefit period is 52 weeks, except as otherwise provided in subsections (10) to (13) and section 24.

(2) Subsections 10(13) to (15) of the Act are replaced by the following:

(13) If, during a claimant’s benefit period, benefits were paid because of any of the reasons mentioned in paragraph 12(3)(a), (b), (c) or (d) and the claimant becomes eligible for regular benefits during that period, the benefit period referred to in subsection (2) is extended by the number of weeks of benefits to which the claimant is entitled because of that reason.

(14) No extension under any of subsections (10) to (13) may result in a benefit period of more than 121 weeks.

3. Subsections 12(5) and (6) of the Act are replaced by the following:

(5) In a claimant’s benefit period, the claim- ant may, subject to the applicable maximums, combine weeks of benefits to which the claimant is entitled because of a reason mentioned in subsections (2) and (3).

4. Subsections 23(3.2) to (3.23) of the Act are replaced by the following:

(3.2) If, during a claimant’s benefit period, benefits were paid for any of the reasons mentioned in paragraph 12(3)(a), (b), (c) or (d), the period referred to in subsection (2) is extended by the number of weeks of benefits to which the claimant is entitled because of that reason.