The Honourable Gail A. Shea, Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs and Minister responsible for Labour in Prince Edward Island, recently sent a letter to the Honourable Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada to request changes to the Federal Employment Insurance Act.
"In December, PEI changed its Employment Standards Act to fall in line with the amendments to the Federal Employment Insurance Act with respect to maternity and parental leave," says Minister Shea. "These amendments followed consultations with the public, employees and employers. We wanted to ensure that we offered the best possible program for both employees and employers."
This consultative process was conducted by an independent panel who invited written submissions and prepared a report outlining recommendations to be considered by the Executive Council of Prince Edward Island.
One of the recommendations requested the Federal Government consider a re-entry benefit through the Employment Insurance Program. This would allow EI benefits to be extended an additional two weeks while employees receive upgrading in new technologies, are retrained or reintroduced to the workplace.
Minister Shea indicated that there is a surplus in excess of 30 billion dollars in the Federal Employment Insurance Fund, making this initiative an easily affordable way to assist our employers in these challenging and competitive times.
"I have forwarded a request to the office of the Honourable Jane Stewart requesting that her office review this proposed change," says Minister Shea. "I believe that we must look at providing opportunity for employees and for young children while at the same time assisting our employers, especially in our small business community."