自雇者投保EI 享产假父母假 产假最多15周 父母假35周
(渥太华3日加新社电)联邦政府周二提出法案，建议给自雇者就业保险福利(EI)。受保者可享受产假、父母假、病假和恩恤护理假期。
人力资源部长范恩丽(Diane Finley)说，加拿大自雇者“不应在家庭和业务责任之间作抉择。”她周二发表声明说：“法案是就业保险制度过去10年来最大的改革。”
依据拟议《自雇者公平法案》(Fairness for the Self-Employed Act)，自雇者自由加入就业保险计划，享受其他受薪者一样的就业保险福利。自雇者选择就业保险，需要支付受薪者相同比例的保费。
魁北克省的自雇者不必加入新的就业保险计划，仍可享用魁省的自雇者就业保险。
《自雇者公平法案》条文包括：
．自雇妇女享受最多15周产假，假期最早从预产期前8周计算。
．亲生父母或养父母照顾新生婴儿、新领养孩童，可享受最多35周父母假，父母任何一方均可休假，或两人分享。
．由于疾病、受伤或隔离，自雇者最多休15周病假。
．自雇者照顾重病和病危的家人，暂时不上班，最多可休恩恤护理假6周。
自雇者领EI 须缴保费最少1年
自雇者要享受就业保险福利，必须缴纳保费最少1年。自雇者加入就业保险计划，要在申请当年开始供款，前1年的自雇收入最少要有6,000元。自雇者从没申请就业保险福利，可选择退出，在税务年度年底退出。自雇者加入就业保险计划后，一直维持自雇状况，如有申领就业保险，以后都要继续供款。
范恩丽估计，加拿大共有260万个自雇者。《自雇者公平法案》有利不断增加的自雇者，特别是妇女。根据最新的人口普查，自雇妇女在2001到2006年间增加8.4%，在1981到2006年间更有巨大的234%增幅。
自雇者加入EI非一定受惠 会计师称宜慎重考虑
明报/联邦政府引入法案，容许自雇人士加入就业保险(Employment Insurance)计划，为加拿大260万名自雇人士提供多一个选择。但一位会计师指出，新措施不一定所有人受益，自雇人士应该慎重考虑，才决定是否加入。
联邦政府正式提出新法案，让自雇者将可以选择是否加入就业保险计划。加入者在待产，或是照顾生病父母等情况下，需要暂时结束自雇时，将可与其他受雇者一样，申领保险金。
联邦人力资源部长范茵丽(Diane Finley)昨日解释新法案的精神时表示，希望新法案可以让自雇人士同时照顾自己的家庭及自己的事业。她说，自雇者不应该被迫在家庭与事业之间做出抉择。范茵丽估计，全加拿大有260万名自雇者可以选择加入这一保险计划，这是过去10年以来，就业保险计划最为大手笔，最为重大的改进。由于取得新民主党的支持，估计新法案在周二可以顺利获得通过。
新法案估计对妇女特别有利，根据2006年的人口统计数字，妇女自雇者相对于2001年上升8.4%。而相对于1981年更大幅上升达234%
会计师刘洲雄认为，这是一个不错的政策，可以为自顾人士提供多一个选择。但这一个选择也不一定适合所有自雇人士，符合资格者应该小心衡量，才决定是否加入。
有利拟生育及生病受伤风险高者
他分析说，对于有生孩子打算的妇女，以及生病受伤风险较高的人士，这一计划较为适合，假若是身体健康，患病机会不高，又没有生孩子的打算，参加这一计划的益处可能不高。
此外，家庭较大的自雇人士也可以考虑。因为照顾家人而暂时停职的人士也可以申请，但假若是家庭人口不多，又或者是双亲没有一起移民的人士，益处可能不高。
联邦政府宣布，2010年就业保险的供款款额冻结在2009年的水平，同时增加长期供款人。
The Government of Canada delivers Employment Insurance fairness for the self-employed
TORONTO, ONTARIO, November 3, 2009—The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today announced that the Government of Canada has introduced the Fairness for the Self-Employed Act, legislation that would extend Employment Insurance (EI) special benefits, including maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, to the self‑employed.
“Our government knows that self-employed Canadians should not have to choose between their family and their business responsibilities,” said Minister Finley. “Extending access to these benefits is the fair and right thing to do. It is good family policy, and it represents one of the most significant enhancements to the EI program in the last decade.”
“The self-employed have had little or no income protection to cope with major life events, such as giving birth, caring for a newborn or newly adopted child, being sick or injured, or caring for a gravely ill family member,” added Minister Finley. “This government is now providing these Canadians with greater peace of mind with respect to their future financial security.”
This measure responds to the Government’s 2008 pledge to help provide improved economic security and support for all those who are self-employed. By introducing this legislation, the Government is delivering on, and in fact exceeding, its commitment. With these changes, self-employed Canadians would be able to voluntarily opt into the EI program and receive special benefits. Overall, the special benefits for self-employed individuals would mirror those currently available to salaried employees under the EI program.
“About 2.6 million Canadians are self-employed. The majority of them have long asked for this support, and our government is responding to this strongly expressed need,” said Minister Finley. “We think that the self-employed should have the option of getting the same income protection that salaried employees currently receive when it comes to major life events.”
This measure demonstrates that the Government continues to make responsive and responsible choices to support Canadians through the EI program. It is just the latest in a series of improvements the Government has already made to the EI program.
Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government is helping those hardest hit by the economic downturn by providing longer EI benefits, more efficient service and support for training, while protecting jobs through Work-Sharing agreements. The Government has also frozen EI premiums for 2010 at the same rate as 2009.
Most recently, the Government introduced legislation to extend EI regular benefits for unemployed long-tenured workers, who are individuals that have paid EI premiums for years and made limited use of the program, and who now need additional support while they look for jobs in a recovering economy.
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This news release is available in alternative formats on request.
For further information (media only):
Michelle Bakos
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482
Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
Backgrounder
Fairness for the Self-Employed Act
Income protection for life-transition events, such as the birth of a child, adoption, illness, and the care of a gravely ill family member, is a key contributor to the financial security of all Canadian workers. The 2008 Speech from the Throne recognized the challenges facing self-employed Canadians as they deal with the dual pressure of being entrepreneurs and caring for their families. In Budget 2009, the Government proposed to examine ways to best provide self-employed Canadians with access to Employment Insurance (EI) maternity and parental benefits. The Government has now introduced the Fairness for the Self-Employed Act, legislation that would fulfill and exceed this commitment.
Through the new legislation, self-employed Canadians who opt into the EI program would be eligible to receive the same special benefits currently available to salaried employees, specifically:
-maternity benefits (15 weeks maximum) are available to birth mothers and cover the period surrounding birth (a claim can start up to 8 weeks before the expected birth date);
-parental/adoptive benefits (35 weeks maximum) are available to biological or adoptive parents while they are caring for a newborn or newly adopted child, and may be taken by either parent or shared between them (if parents opt to share these benefits, only one waiting period must be served);
-sickness benefits (15 weeks maximum), which may be paid to a person who is unable to work because of sickness, injury or quarantine; and
-compassionate care benefits (6 weeks maximum), which may be paid to persons who have to be away from work temporarily to provide care or support to a family member who is gravely ill with a significant risk of death.
Under the proposed legislation, self-employed Canadians would be required to opt into the program at least one year prior to claiming benefits. They would also be responsible for making premium payments starting with the tax year in which they apply to the program. With a program start date of January 2010, claims could be made as early as January 1, 2011.
To access EI special benefits, self-employed individuals would need to have earned a minimum of $6,000 in self-employed earnings over the preceding calendar year.
The self-employed could opt out of the EI program at the end of any tax year, as long as they have never claimed benefits. If they have claimed benefits, they would have to contribute on self-employed earnings for as long as they are self-employed.
Self-employed Canadians who opt into the program would pay the same EI premium rate as salaried employees. They would not be required to pay the employer portion of premiums, in recognition of the fact that they would not have access to EI regular benefits.
Self-employed residents of Quebec would continue to receive maternity and parental benefits through the Quebec Parental Insurance Program provided by the Government of Quebec. In addition, they would now be eligible to take advantage of the sickness and compassionate care benefits being offered by the Government of Canada through EI. Should they choose to take advantage of the program, they would pay EI premiums at the same rates as employees in Quebec, where rates have already been adjusted downward to take into account the existence of a provincial maternity and parental benefit plan.
Through the Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada has also implemented measures to support all unemployed Canadians. These measures include providing 5 extra weeks of EI regular benefits, increasing the maximum duration of benefits from 45 to 50 weeks in regions of high unemployment, protecting jobs through the Work-Sharing program, and freezing EI premiums for 2010 at the same rate as 2009 to provide economic stimulus. For more information on these measures, please visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
Most recently, the Government introduced legislation to extend EI regular benefits for unemployed long-tenured workers, who are individuals that have paid EI premiums for years and made limited use of the program, and who now need additional support while they look for jobs in a recovering economy. Further information on this proposed measure is available at www.hrsdc.gc.ca.
