Employment Insurance (Fishing) Regulations

8 (1) Subject to any other provision of this section and regardless of whether the fisher has had an interruption of earnings, a benefit period shall be established for a fisher who makes an initial claim for benefits during a period beginning not earlier than the Sunday of the week in which October 1 falls and ending not later than the Saturday of the week in which the following June 15 falls.

(2) In order to have a benefit period referred to in subsection (1) established in respect of a fisher, the fisher must prove that the fisher is not qualified under section 7 of the Act to receive benefits and

• (a) in the case of a fisher who is a new entrant or re-entrant to the labour force, that the fisher has, in the qualifying period, $5,500 or more in earnings from employment as a fisher; and

• (b) in the case of any other fisher, that the fisher has accumulated since the beginning of the qualifying period not less than the amount of insurable earnings from employment as a fisher that is set out in the schedule for the unemployment rate applicable to the region where the fisher resides.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(a), a fisher is a new entrant or re-entrant to the labour force if, in the 52-week period that precedes the beginning of the qualifying period referred to in paragraph (4)(a), the fisher has had less than

• (a) $3,000 in earnings from employment as a fisher;

• (b) 14 weeks or 490 hours for which benefits have been paid or were payable to the fisher under these Regulations;

• (c) 14 weeks or 490 hours that relate to employment in the labour force as a fisher in the aggregate of the weeks referred to in subsection 12(1) of the Employment Insurance Regulations; or

• (d) 14 weeks or 490 hours of any combination of the earnings and weeks or hours referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c), with the earnings converted to hours, where necessary, by dividing the earnings by the minimum wage.

(3.1) A fisher is not a new entrant or re-entrant to the labour force if the fisher has been paid one or more weeks of benefits referred to in paragraph 12(3)(a) or (b) or 152.14(1)(a) or (b) of the Act in the period of 208 weeks preceding the period of 52 weeks before their qualifying period or in other circumstances, as prescribed by regulation, arising in that period of 208 weeks.

(4) The qualifying period referred to in paragraph (2)(a) or (b)

• (a) begins on the latest of

  • (i) the Sunday of the week in which the March 1 preceding the week in which the fisher makes the initial claim for benefits falls,

  • (ii) the Sunday of the week in which the fisher’s last benefit period began, and

  • (iii) the Sunday of the 31st week preceding the week in which the fisher makes the initial claim for benefits; and

• (b) ends on the Saturday of the week preceding the week in which the fisher makes the initial claim for benefits.

(5) Notwithstanding subsections 8(2) to (4) of the Act, the qualifying period described in subsection (4) shall not be extended.

(6) Subject to any other provision of this section and regardless of whether the fisher has had an interruption of earnings, a benefit period shall be established for a fisher who makes an initial claim for benefits during a period beginning not earlier than the Sunday of the week in which April 1 falls and ending on the Saturday of the week in which the following December 15 falls.

(7) In order to have a benefit period referred to in subsection (6) established in respect of a fisher, the fisher must prove that the fisher is not qualified under section 7 of the Act to receive benefits and

• (a) in the case of a fisher who is a new entrant or re-entrant to the labour force, that the fisher has, in the qualifying period, $5,500 or more in earnings from employment as a fisher; and

• (b) in the case of any other fisher, that the fisher has accumulated since the beginning of the qualifying period not less than the amount of insurable earnings from employment as a fisher that is set out in the schedule for the unemployment rate applicable to the region where the fisher resides.

(8) For the purposes of paragraph (7)(a), a fisher is a new entrant or re-entrant to the labour force where the fisher meets the condition set out in paragraph (3)(a), (b), (c) or (d), except that the reference in subsection (3) to the qualifying period shall be read as a reference to the qualifying period described in subsection (9).

(8.1) A fisher is not a new entrant or re-entrant to the labour force if the fisher has been paid one or more weeks of benefits referred to in paragraph 12(3)(a) or (b) or 152.14(1)(a) or (b) of the Act in the period of 208 weeks preceding the period of 52 weeks before their qualifying period or in other circumstances, as prescribed by regulation, arising in that period of 208 weeks.

(9) The qualifying period referred to in paragraph (7)(a) or (b)

• (a) begins on the latest of

  • (i) the Sunday of the week in which the September 1 preceding the week in which the fisher makes the initial claim for benefits falls,

  • (ii) the Sunday of the week in which the fisher’s last benefit period began, and

  • (iii) the Sunday of the 31st week preceding the week in which the fisher makes the initial claim for benefits; and

• (b) ends on the Saturday of the week preceding the week in which the fisher makes the initial claim for benefits.

(10) Notwithstanding subsections 8(2) to (4) of the Act, the qualifying period described in subsection (9) shall not be extended.

(11) A benefit period established under subsection (1) or (6) begins with and includes the week in which the initial claim for benefits is made and ends with the earlier of

• (a) the Saturday of the last week of unemployment for which benefits are payable pursuant to subsection (12); and

• (b) the ending date of the benefit period referred to in subsection 8(1) or (6), as the case may be.

(11.1) Despite subsection (11) and subject to the applicable maximums referred to in subsections (17) and (18), a fisher’s benefit period shall be extended by one week for each week in respect of which the fisher is entitled to special benefits under section 21, 22, 23, 23.1 or 23.2 of the Act, but shall not exceed a maximum of 52 weeks.

(11.2) Notwithstanding subsection (11) and subject to the applicable maximums referred to in subsections (17) and (18), if, during the period referred to in subsection 23(2) of the Act, the child or children referred to in subsection 23(1) of the Act are hospitalized, the fisher’s benefit period is extended by the number of weeks during which the child or children are hospitalized.

(11.21) Despite subsection (11) and subject to the applicable maximums referred to in subsections (17) and (18), if, during the period referred to in subsection 23(2) of the Act, the start date of a fisher’s period of parental leave is deferred or a fisher is directed to return to duty from parental leave, in accordance with regulations made under the National Defence Act, the fisher’s benefit period is extended by the number of weeks during which the fisher’s parental leave is deferred or the fisher is directed to return to duty, as the case may be.

(11.3) Despite subsection (11) and subject to the applicable maximums referred to in subsection (17), if, during a fisher’s benefit period, benefits were not paid to the fisher under subsection (12), benefits were paid to the fisher for more than one of the reasons mentioned in paragraphs 12(3)(a) to (e) of the Act and at least one of those benefits was paid for fewer than the applicable maximum number of weeks established for those reasons, and the maximum total number of weeks established for those reasons is greater than 50, the benefit period is extended so that those benefits may be paid up to that maximum total number of weeks.

(11.31) to (11.33) [Repealed, SOR/2013-103, s. 1]

(11.4) Subject to subsection (11.5), an extension under any of subsections (11.1) to (11.3) shall not result in a benefit period of more than 104 weeks.

(11.5) Unless the benefit period is also extended under any of subsections (11.1) to (11.21), an extension under subsection (11.3) shall not result in a benefit period of more than the sum of two weeks and the total of the maximum number of weeks set out in subsection 12(3) of the Act for each of the benefits paid to the fisher for one of the reasons mentioned in paragraphs 12(3)(a) to (e) of the Act during the fisher’s benefit period before it was extended under subsection (11.3).

(12) Subject to subsection (18), where a benefit period has been established for a fisher, benefits may be paid to the fisher for each week of unemployment that falls in a benefit period referred to in subsection (11), but the total amount paid shall not represent more than 26 weeks of benefits.

(13) [Repealed, SOR/2013-32, s. 3]

(14) A benefit period established under subsection (1) or (6) shall not be extended beyond the date determined in accordance with any of subsections (11) to (11.3).

(15) Section 6, subsections 7(1) to (5), sections 8, 9 and 11 and subsections 12(2) and 14(1.1) of the Act do not apply to persons who are claimants under these Regulations.

(16) A benefit period established under subsection (1) or (6) is a benefit period for the purposes of paragraph 8(1)(b), subsection 10(3), paragraph 10(6)(b), subsection 152.11(3) and paragraph 152.11(7)(b) of the Act.

(17) Where a benefit period is established under subsection (1) or (6) for a fisher, benefits may be paid to the fisher in the benefit period in accordance with the Act for any of the reasons referred to in subsection 12(3) of the Act and subject to the applicable maximums established by subsections 12(3) to (6) of the Act.

(17.1) For the purpose of subsection (17), the reference in subsection 12(5) of the Act to

• (a) subsection 10(13) of the Act is to be read as a reference to subsection (11.3) of this section; and

• (b) subsection 10(15) of the Act is to be read as a reference to subsection (11.5) of this section.

• (c) and (d) [Repealed, SOR/2013-103, s. 1]

(18) In a benefit period established for a fisher under subsection (1) or (6), benefits may be paid to the fisher under both subsections (12) and (17), but in no case shall the maximum number of combined weeks of benefits exceed 50.

(19) A disqualification under section 30 of the Act shall not apply in respect of the establishment of a benefit period for a fisher.