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EI benefit for families

New proposal will help parents whose children fall ill.

The federal government has proposed a new Employment Insurance (EI) special benefit for parents who take time off work to care for their critically ill or injured children, North Vancouver Island MP John Duncan announced last week.

“Our Government is committed to supporting parents and families,” the MP said during a public appearance in Courtenay. “This new EI special benefit will ease the financial pressure on parents who take time off work to care for their critically ill or injured children when they need it the most.”

Parents who must take time off work to care for a child who has a life-threatening illness or injury would be able to apply for up to 35 weeks of this new EI special benefit. As with other EI special benefits, parents or legal guardians will need to have worked a minimum of 600 hours in the last year and take leave from their employment.

The new EI special benefit for parents of critically ill children is expected to beavailable in June 2013 and will help an estimated 6,000 families per year.