Users can now quickly find an estimate of the benefits for which they may be eligible
OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 8, 2024 /CNW/ - Service Canada is transforming service delivery and offering solutions to respond to the evolving expectations of Canadians accessing Government of Canada programs and services. Improvements to the processing of Employment Insurance (EI) means easier access to benefits and a seamless experience for clients of all backgrounds and abilities, including vulnerable populations.
To better help Canadians access benefits and services, the Minister of Citizens' Services, Terry Beech, today announced the launch of the EI Benefits Estimator to support workers when they need income support during a major life event or through the loss of a job by no fault of their own.
The EI Benefits Estimator helps workers get greater clarity on the benefits that they could be eligible to receive. By answering a few questions anonymously, workers can quickly and efficiently obtain an estimate of benefits and the duration for which they could receive them, based on their actual or potential situation.
This tool is the first release of new service improvements designed and delivered by Service Canada's Benefits Delivery Modernization Programme for EI. The modernization of EI is a multi-year journey to transform the service delivery experience for clients that will be delivered in a series of small and well-measured steps.
Quotes
"We are putting clients at the core of how services are designed and delivered and that includes improving the services already in place. This new online EI Benefits Estimator tool is designed to help Canadians get the information they need about benefits. Canadians expect to have accessible and reliable information at their fingertips, particularly during major life events. The EI Benefits Estimator provides that assistance, reducing stress and eliminating the need to wait in line or on hold. With continuous improvements to client experience we will continue to roll out more useful tools to help Canadians access services."– Minister of Citizens' Services, Terry Beech
Quick facts
- The EI Benefits Estimator covers all EI Benefits for employees, the self-employed and fishers including Regular benefits, Family Caregiver benefits, Compassionate Care benefits, Sickness benefits, as well as Parental and Maternity benefits.
- This is a simple, client-focused tool designed to improve the client experience for workers who want to understand whether they might be eligible for EI, and if so, what their benefit amount might be.
- The total amount paid for all types of EI benefits combined was $19.7 billion in 2022-23.
- In 2023-2024, over 3.13M EI applications were processed, representing over 200,000 more applications than the previous year. For 2023-2024, 86,4% of EI payments or notifications of non-payment were made within 28 days. On average, claimants received their first EI payment within 18 days.
- Average waiting time on the phone has also improved significantly. The average call wait times were reduced from an average of 18 minutes in 2022-2023 to 4 minutes in 2023-2024.
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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada
Contacts: For media enquiries, please contact: Teodor Gaspar, Acting Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Citizens' Services, Terry Beech, [email protected]; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected]
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