Providing Canadian families with financial support during cancer treatment and recovery
Most Canadians believe that when Employment Insurance (EI) deductions are taken from their paycheques, these benefits will be available when they need them.
However, EI sickness benefits, which are accessed in the event of illness, only last for 15 weeks. For those cancer patients who need chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, or some combination of the three, 15 weeks is usually not long enough for them to fully recover and return to work. This is exactly what happened to Chilliwack, BC resident Bev MacGregor, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her EI sickness benefits were cut off before her treatment ended.
“15 weeks of EI sickness benefits is not long enough for most Canadians to complete their cancer treatment. The Canadian Cancer Survivor Network calls on the federal government to lengthen EI Sickness benefits from 15 to 52 weeks so that Canadians undergoing cancer treatment are not forced to suffer financial hardship,” said Jackie Manthorne, President and CEO of CCSN.
Join our campaign to ensure that EI Sickness Benefits truly cover the length of time people with cancer need to recover and return to work by writing jmanthorne@survivornet.ca . We would also like to hear from other cancer patients across Canada who had the same experience as Bev.
Please sign Bev’s Petition to Extend EI Benefits to people Suffering Illness in Canada at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/extend-ei-benefits-to-people-suffering-illness-in-canad.html