If you have been fired from your job for being unvaccinated against COVID-19, you may not qualify for employment insurance (EI).
At least, that’s what Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough said in interview with CBC’s Power & Politics on Thursday.
“It’s[COVID-19 vaccination] a condition of employment that hasn’t been met and the employer choosing to terminate someone for that reason would make that person ineligible for EI,” Qualtrough said.
The rule would not affect people with legitimate reasons to not get the COVID-19 vaccine, like a medical exemption.
The move has not been tabled by Parliament, since Qualtrough said that Trudeau has yet to recuperate from the election and shuffle his cabinet.
Emily Taman, a legal expert and co-host of ‘The Docket Podcast,’ tweeted in disapproval of the potential heavy-handedness of a move like this.
I am strongly in favour of vaccine mandates but I’m not convinced the Minister is right about this. Failing to meet a term of employment unilaterally imposed after the fact does not generally constitute cause for dismissal. Denying access to EI would be extremely heavy handed. https://t.co/GKVlluO3vK
— Emilie Taman (@EmilieTaman) October 22, 2021
EI is given to those who have lost a job through no fault of their own, either by layoffs, mass or seasonal, or a shortage of work, for workers who are fit and able to work.
Typically, EI pays 55 per cent of someone’s average weekly earnings.
After CERB ended in October 2020, many people’s benefits were shifted to EI. Most did not need to apply for EI benefits since Service Canada automatically reviewed each file.
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