I lost my job and applied to collect regular employment insurance benefits.  However, I received a letter from Service Canada stating that my application was denied.  Is there any way to challenge this decision?

Yes.  If a worker receives a decision indicating that the government will not accept the worker’s application to collect regular employment insurance (“EI”) benefits, the worker has the right to ask for a “reconsideration” of this decision.

It is important to note that the government may deny a regular EI application for a variety of reasons.  For instance, the worker may have been fired “for cause” or the worker may have quit or resigned from their employment.  It is crucial that if the worker disagrees with a decision to deny them the ability to collect regular EI benefits that they ask to reconsider this decision.

If the worker’s reconsideration request is not successful, it is also crucial for the worker to understand that this may not be the end of the story.  In a nutshell, the “reconsideration” decision may be appealed even further.  However, in this situation, it may be a good idea for the worker to get some assistance from a lawyer or legal representative to guide them through this process.