The Service Canada website was updated on October 15, 2021 to include new guidance for employers and claimants regarding employment separation due to vaccine mandates. 

With some pandemic government benefit programs approaching their end dates and with many employers developing vaccine policies, new EI information has been made available related to completion of the Record of Employment (ROE). If an employer has developed a vaccine policy and has, or plans to suspend/ let employees go, please note the following ROE code completion guidance under the Reason for Issue ( Block 16) as related to Covid-19 Vaccination policy:

• When the employee does not report to work because they refuse to comply with an Employer's mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code E (quit) or code N (leave of absence).
• When an employer suspends or terminates an employee for not complying with your mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, use code M (dismissal).

Employers should know that if they use these codes, Service Canada may contact you to determine:
 

• if you had adopted and clearly communicated to all employees a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy
• if the employees were informed that failure to comply with the policy would result in loss of employment
• if the application of the policy to the employee was reasonable within the workplace context
• if there were any exemptions for refusing to comply with the policy

Visit the EI website

 

Information for employers – EI and COVID-19:

• EI information for employers – COVID-19 - Canada.ca

 
EI regular benefits: Do you qualify?

• EI Regular Benefits - Do you qualify - Canada.ca