With the COVID-19 and Coronavirus developments we have been getting a lot of telephone calls regarding a person’s eligibility for CERB or EI. Below is a brief outline setting out the eligibility requirements.

When it comes to CERB and EI, you should be aware of the following:

• The CERB program will provide you $500 per week up to 16 weeks.
• As a worker, to be eligible you have to be residing in Canada and be at least 15 years of age.
• You have stopped working due to “reasons related” to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) or you are, otherwise, eligible to receive EI / employment insurance or regular sickness benefits. You may also be eligible if you have exhausted your regular employment insurance benefits between December 29, 2019 and October 3, 2020.
• In 2019, whether you were employed and / or self-employed, your income should have been at least $5,000 or in the 12 months prior to the date of the application and you did not resign your employment voluntarily.
• When you are submitting your first claim, you cannot have earned more than $1,000 in employment and / or self employment income for 14 or more consecutive days in the four-week benefit period of your claim.
• In subsequent claims for CERB, you cannot have earned more than $1,000 in employment and / or self-employment income for the entire four-week benefit period of your claim.

The government advises that when submitting a claim for CERB you must do so either through the Canada Revenue Agency or Service Canada, not both.