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EI Payments Delayed? Common Reasons & How to Fix Your Claim Today
Waiting for your Employment Insurance (EI) benefits can cause significant financial stress. While Service Canada aims to process applications within 28 days, several factors can trigger delays.
How to Resolve Your EI Delay
If your payments are late, follow these steps to investigate:
- Log in to your My Service Canada Account (MSCA) to check the status of your claim.
- Verify if your employer has submitted your ROE electronically.
- Ensure your most recent bi-weekly reports were submitted and accepted.
- Contact the Service Canada EI Call Centre if your status has remained unchanged for more than 28 days.
1. The Mandatory One-Week Waiting Period
Every new EI claim has a one-week waiting period. This is essentially a deductible; you will not be paid for the first week of your claim. If you just applied, your first “missing” week is likely this period.
2. Missing Record of Employment (ROE)
Service Canada cannot process your claim without an ROE from every employer you worked for in the last 52 weeks.
- Electronic ROEs: Check your My Service Canada Account (MSCA).
- Paper ROEs: If your employer gave you a paper copy, you must mail it or drop it off at a Service Canada Centre.
3. Bi-Weekly Report Issues
To keep receiving money, you must complete your reports every two weeks. If you miss a report, your claim will be deactivated. Common reporting errors include:
- Indicating you were outside of Canada.
- Stating you were not “ready, willing, and capable” of working.
- Failing to report earnings or hours worked.
4. Impact of Severance or Vacation Pay
If you received a severance package or vacation pay-out, Service Canada treats this as earnings. This “allocates” your earnings forward, delaying the start of your EI payments until that money is considered “spent.”
5. Processing Times (The 28-Day Window)
The standard processing time is 28 days. If your application was complex (e.g., you quit or were fired), a dedicated agent must review the case, which can extend the wait beyond a month.
Here are some additiona reasons
If your Employment Insurance payment is late, don’t panic. Most delays are caused by specific administrative requirements or claim limits. Use this checklist to identify and resolve the issue.
1. Exhausted Entitlement Weeks
Every claim has a set number of weeks. Once you have received all entitled benefits, your payments will stop. Log into MSCA to check your remaining weeks.
2. Claim Expiration (The 52-Week Rule)
EI claims expire after 1 year. Even if you have weeks remaining, you cannot draw benefits once the claim’s end date has passed.
3. Outstanding Bi-Weekly Reports
Payments are only issued after a report is received. If you forget to file your online report, your payment will be held indefinitely.
4. Separation Monies & Deductions
Vacation pay, severance, or bonuses must be deducted before benefits begin. Service Canada treats this as income that must be exhausted first.
5. The Initial Waiting Period
The first week of every claim is a “waiting period.” You will not receive payment for this week on your first bi-weekly deposit.
6. Missing Record of Employment (ROE)
Service Canada cannot finalize your claim without an ROE. Ensure your employer has submitted it electronically or that you have provided the paper copy.
7. Manual Review (ROE Box 18)
If your employer added comments in Box 18 of your ROE, a human agent must review it, which bypasses the automated payment system.
8. Mandatory Info Session Attendance
If you were invited to a Claimant Information Session and failed to attend, your benefits will be cut off until you comply.
9. Sickness Benefit Maximums
Sickness benefits are limited to 15 weeks. Payments stop once you reach this limit or the recovery date provided by your doctor.
10. Seasonal Processing Delays
Expect delays after December and Summer breaks. If your claim is stalled, contact the EI Call Centre to chase the status.
11. Integrity Office Audits
If your file is flagged for an audit, payments are paused. You must contact Service Canada immediately to provide the required information.
If you have further claim-specific questions about your EI claim, you must call EI call centre directly for assistance.
More Read: How to tell EI agent about your Financial Dire Need situation?
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