Employers who file records of employment electronically no longer have to give workers printed copies
Employers who file records of employment (ROEs) electronically are no longer required to print a paper copy for their employee. The move by the federal government — announced by Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development — is designed to cut red tape for employers and ensure workers get employment insurance benefits faster.
The electronic ROEs go directly into Service Canada’s system and are immediately available to support the corresponding EI claim, thereby improving processing time and getting benefits into the hands of Canadians faster, the government said.
“We are living in a time of economic uncertainty and the viability of any business is of the utmost importance,” said Finley. “The Government of Canada pledged to remove some of the barriers that may affect the productivity of Canadian businesses and we’ve delivered on that promise.”
The cost of EI benefits is expected to rise by about $5.3 billion in 2009-10 over last year. EI benefits for 2009-10 are expected to be $2.5 billion higher than at the time of the 2009 budget.
As well, new timeframes have been implemented to permit employers to issue ROEs in accordance with their pay cycle.
“The Government of Canada has taken a major step in supporting both employers and employees," said Patrick Culhane, president and CEO of the Canadian Payroll Association. "This change to submitting electronic ROEs within five days after the end of the pay period reduces the administrative and compliance burden on employers, while enhancing accuracy and response time for employees who are applying for Employment Insurance benefits."
The ROE is the single most important document in establishing an EI claim – it determines whether individuals qualify for EI, how much they will receive, and for how long. Every year, over one million Canadian employers issue about eight million ROEs.
