Bill C-535

3rd Session, 40th Parliament,

59 Elizabeth II, 2010

house of commons of canada

BILL C-535

An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (sickness benefits)

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

1. The definitions “major attachment claimant” and “minor attachment claimant” in subsection 6(1) of the Employment Insurance Act are replaced by the following:

“major attachment claimant” means a claimant who qualifies to receive benefits and

(b) in the case of a claimant who is unable to work because of any reason in subsection 12(3) other than those referred to in paragraph (c) of that subsection, has 600 or more hours of insurable employment in their qualifying period;

“minor attachment claimant” means a claimant who qualifies to receive benefits and

(b) in the case of a claimant who is unable to work because of any reason in subsection 12(3) other than those referred to in paragraph (c) of that subsection, has fewer than 600 hours of insurable employment in their qualifying period;

2. (1) Paragraph 12(3)(c) of the Act is replaced by the following:

(c) because of a prescribed illness, injury or quarantine is 30; and

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

(5) In a claimant’s benefit period, the claim- ant may combine weeks of benefits to which the claimant is entitled because of a reason mentioned in subsection (3), but the maximum number of combined weeks is 65. If the benefit period

(a) is extended under subsection 10(13), the maximum number of combined weeks is 80;

(b) is extended under subsection 10(13.1), the maximum number of combined weeks is 71;

(c) is extended under subsection 10(13.2), the maximum number of combined weeks is 56; and

(d) is extended under subsection 10(13.3), the maximum number of combined weeks is 86.

(6) 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), but the total number of weeks of benefits shall not exceed 65 or, if the maximum number of weeks during which benefits may be paid to a claimant under subsection (2) is greater than 65 weeks as a result of the application of any of subsections (2.1) to (2.4), the number that corresponds to that maximum number of weeks.

COORDINATING AMENDMENT

3. On the first day on which both subsection 2(4) of the Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act and to increase benefits and section 2 of this Act are in force, subsection 12(6) of the Employment Insurance Act is replaced by the following:

(6) 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), but the total number of weeks of benefits shall not exceed 65 or, if the maximum number of weeks during which benefits may be paid to a claimant under subsection (2) is greater than 65 weeks as a result of the application of any of subsections (2.1) to (2.4), the number that corresponds to that maximum number of weeks.