Bill C-28, the federal Budget Implementation Act, 2003, received Royal Assent on June 19, 2003. Part 4 of this statute introduces amendments to the Employment Insurance Act, which will come into force on January 4, 2004.
The amendments create a new class of “compassionate care” Employment Insurance benefits, which will be available for up to six weeks to claimants providing care or support for a child, parent, spouse or common-law partner, or child of a spouse or common-law partner, who is suffering from a serious medical condition with a significant risk of death within 26 weeks. The claimant must provide medical certification of the family member’s condition and the requirement for care or support by the claimant. Eligible family members may be entitled to share compassionate care benefits; where this occurs there is one waiting period per family.
Bill C-28 Budget Implementation Act – Royal Assent version
