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Making employment insurance more flexible: a necessity to protect all workers

For several months now, the Service Employees Union, Local 800 (SEU 800), has been receiving a growing number of reports from workers being denied access to employment insurance benefits. This troubling reality reveals the shortcomings of a system that, while essential, remains ill-suited to the realities faced by precarious workers.

A temporary but significant step forward

SEU 800 welcomes the federal government’s recent decision to temporarily suspend the waiting period for employment insurance benefits. This measure, which comes into effect on March 30, 2025, for a six-month period, will allow laid-off workers to receive benefits starting from their first day of unemployment without being penalized for vacation pay, severance, or other termination payments.

This is a step in the right direction amid growing economic uncertainty caused by the U.S. imposed tariffs. As QFL President Magali Picard put it, “Even if it is temporary, Ottawa is showing openness in the current economic context.”

A system still unfair to the most vulnerable

Despite this progress, the eligibility requirements for employment insurance remain difficult to meet for workers in precarious jobs with fluctuating hours or temporary contracts. Ironically, these are the very people who need support the most. Too often, they are excluded from a system that favors stable, full-time employment.

As José Bazin, union representative with SEU 800, reminds us: “The changes made to employment insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic clearly demonstrated that a more accessible and inclusive system is not only possible, but also beneficial for all workers and the economy.”

A call to make these measures permanent and go further

SEU 800 urges the government not to stop here. Emergency measures must give way to lasting structural reforms. We are calling for the permanent adoption of the more flexible rules introduced during the pandemic, and for a guaranteed minimum benefit of $500 per week.

Currently, 55% of minimum wage earnings is far from enough to meet basic needs, especially in a context of inflation and growing economic insecurity.

“Employment insurance must be a true safety net, not a privilege for a select few,” stresses SEU 800 leadership. “A guaranteed minimum income would protect those already in vulnerable situations from the devastating impact of a sudden income loss.”

An issue of equality and social justice

Precarious jobs are disproportionately held by women, particularly women from diverse backgrounds. Denying them even a minimum level of support is to further impoverish them and their families. This is not just an economic issue, it’s a matter of social justice.

For a strong and lasting social safety net

In a political landscape where social protections are constantly under threat, now more than ever, we must stand up for lasting and inclusive support systems. Employment insurance needs to be reimagined to reflect the current realities of the labour market. SEU 800 reaffirms its commitment to fighting for a fairer, more inclusive, and more humane employment insurance system.

We will continue to raise the voices of our members and push for meaningful reform to ensure a dignified future for all workers.