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Mending Canada's Employment Insurance Quilt: The Case for Restoring Equity

Author

Listed:
  • Colin Busby

    (C.D. Howe Institute)

  • David Gray

    (University of Ottawa)

Abstract

Under the current Employment Insurance (EI) system, long-lasting EI benefits are more easily accessed in regions with high unemployment rates than in regions with low unemployment rates where workers face tighter restrictions to access short-lived benefits. This complicated screening procedure, intended to better support the various circumstances facing unemployed workers across the country, creates a number of undesirable consequences: the most glaring being pockets of high, chronic unemployment. The goals and intentions of the EI regime should be simplified to better address the needs of Canada’s unemployed workers.

Suggested Citation

  • Colin Busby & David Gray, 2011. "Mending Canada's Employment Insurance Quilt: The Case for Restoring Equity," C.D. Howe Institute Backgrounder, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 144, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdh:backgr:144
    as

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    File URL: https://www.cdhowe.org/mending-canada%E2%80%99s-employment-insurance-quilt-case-restoring-equity
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Miles Corak & Wen-Hao Chen, 2007. "Firms, Industries, and Unemployment Insurance: An Analysis using Employer–Employee Data," Research in Labor Economics, in: Aspects of Worker Well-Being, pages 299-336, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    2. Peter Kuhn & Chris Riddell, 2010. "The Long-Term Effects of Unemployment Insurance: Evidence from New Brunswick and Maine, 1940–1991," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 63(2), pages 183-204, January.
    3. Stephen A. Woodbury, 2009. "Unemployment," Book chapters authored by Upjohn Institute researchers, in: Kenneth G. Dau-Schmidt & Seth D. Harris & Orley Lobel (ed.),Labor and Employment Law and Economics, volume 2, pages 480-516, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
    4. Chen, Wen-Hao & Corak, Miles, 2005. "Firms, Industries, and Unemployment Insurance: An Analysis Using Employer-employee Data from Canada," Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series 2005260e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ake Blomqvist & Colin Busby, 2012. "Better Value for Money in Healthcare: European Lessons for Canada," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 339, January.
    2. Christopher Ragan, 2012. "Financial Stability: The Next Frontier for Canadian Monetary Policy," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 338, January.
    3. David R. Percy, 2012. "Resolving Water-use Conflicts: Insights from the Prairie Experience for the MacKenzie River Basin," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 341, February.
    4. Alex Laurin & William Robson, 2013. "Prudence and Opportunity: A Shadow Federal Budget for 2013," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 375, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social Policy; Canada; employment insurance (EI); EI reforms;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J6 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers
    • J65 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment Insurance; Severance Pay; Plant Closings
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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