EI application problems in Canada!?

Question

They've told me I'm not eligible for as many maternity weeks as I wish, because I don't have "just cause" for leaving a job. I worked as a Parts Person in the Automotive Industry for 6 months, and then decided I desired a change in career. I had a labour-type job lined up closer to home (1 hour away from where I was previously working), but soon found out I was pregnant and no longer could do that job. I found another job a few months later, and worked there until 3 weeks before I gave birth. How is not wanting to better yourself and have a change in career not a "just cause"? They won't give me my hours for my Parts Person job because I left without a good enough reason. Had I frickin' known I was pregnant, I wouldn't have left! Is there a list of things that qualify as "Just Cause" that I can browse through? Anyone know this system? I'd like to get some more info before contacting them...

Answer 1

How many maternity hours do you "wish"?  And how much are they giving you?

In most circumstances, leaving a job to better yourself is not what employment insurance is designed to be for.  Employment insurance is designed to assist financially those persons who have lost their employment through no fault of their own.  Reasons like going back to school are excellent reasons to "personally" leave a job, but you would not be eligible to use those hours for regular benefits.  If you had left your job for a pay increase, that may have been a better reason for EI.

There are times you can quit/get fired from your job and get special benefits from EI...but there is more to situation than can be answered online.  For example, you left your parts job with reasonable assurance of another job-which on the surface is just cause-but had to leave the next one for health reasons (again-surface just cause)....so I think there is more to this-or your employer has said something contradicting your reasons.

Also, remember you have 30 days to appeal any decision you feel was incorrect.  There is a jurisprudence library you can use to bolster your case.  (link given)

The list of Employment Insurance "just cause" reasons are here:

http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/ei/di...