Coronavirus Knowledge Center

If your employer tops up EI, that may make EI a more attractive option. Workers cannot collect both the CERB and EI benefits for the same period. Therefore, the best option is going to depend on some tricky arithmetic. In general, the CERB will help employees who don’t qualify for EI. Or it will help employees for whom 55% of their weekly wages is less than $500 (because then the CERB’s weekly $500 will provide more compensation than the EI amount). But, one also has to consider the amount of the top-up, if any, received from the employer for EI benefits (which may not apply to CERB payments). And, one may also need to factor in the implications of combing EI regular benefits and parental benefits in the same benefits period, possibly reducing the overall number of weeks a person can receive benefits. As far as we can tell, receipt of the CERB won’t count against any of the maximum EI entitlements.

Canada has recently announced the Canada Emergency Student Benefit which is available to students and new graduates who are not eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit. This benefit would provide $1,250 per month for eligible students or $1,750 per month for eligible students with dependents or disabilities. The benefit would be available from May to August 2020. The camp is contractually bound by any contract it formed with you. In normal circumstances, if the camp reneged on the deal, this could be a breach of contract. If it was a fixed-term contract for the summer, you could claim the lost wages you would have earned during the duration of the contract. However, if the camp closure is forced because of COVID-related circumstances, the camp may be able to argue the contract was “frustrated” by unforeseen circumstances. This could absolve the camp of any liability under the contract.