How to get EI if you can’t work because of wildfire evacuations

Individuals unable to work due to wildfire evacuations or other natural disasters may still be eligible for employment insurance benefits, according to the Government of Canada. Dozens of communities and thousands of residents have fled their homes due to wildfires this year, with about 20,000 people evacuating from Summerland, B.C., alone. Evacuations can leave Canadians without regular incomes if they are required to work on-site in unsafe areas.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) encourages those unable to work due to hazardous weather or natural disasters to apply for EI benefits as soon as possible, even if their employer has not issued a record of employment. This is because businesses may not be able to pay employees during emergency evacuation orders. EI is available to supplement lost income if someone is unable to work due to no fault of their own and meets certain eligibility requirements.

To qualify for regular EI benefits, individuals must have been employed in insurable employment and paid EI premiums regularly, lost their job through no fault of their own, and been without work and pay for at least seven consecutive days in the past 52 weeks. They must also be ready, willing, and capable of working each day and actively looking for work.

Applicants can apply for EI online, and should have their social insurance number (SIN) and mailing address ready. If evacuating, they can provide a temporary mailing address in addition to their usual residential address. After application processing, payments may take up to 28 days to begin. ESDC encourages Canadians to apply as soon as they stop working and to sign up for direct deposit for faster payment processing.

When declaring income in weekly reports, recipients should not include money received from insurance companies, government relief funds, or charitable organizations.