Qualification for Employment Insurance Benefits

WHEREAS industry dependent communities are feeling the negative impact resulting from layoffs of workers in this time of economic downturn: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM petition the federal government to introduce the following changes to the EI system to ensure that all unemployed workers across Canada are treated equally: a allow more unemployed workers to be eligible for EI by reducing the number of hours of work hours required to qualify; b eliminate regionalization of EI eligibility and benefits which are tied to regional unemployment rates and move towards a system which is based on a minimum number of hours worked that would be the same across the country; c enhance benefits from current levels 55 of claimants weekly average earnings; and d eliminate the 2 week waiting period for EI.