Your Responsibility to Actively Seek Work

In order to receive regular benefits, all EI claimants have a responsibility to be ready, willing, and capable of working for each day of their claim. If you refuse or fail to apply for a suitable job that is vacant or about to become vacant, or if someone offers you employment and you refuse it without ‘good cause’, you may be disentitled or disqualified from receiving E.I. benefits.

Here are some simple guidelines:

• The longer you are unemployed, the more you may be expected to broaden your job search or lower your expectations with respect to the type of work, location, and salary demands.

•  You should maintain a job search list.  While on claim, you may be asked to present evidence of your job search to E. I. You are expected to be ready, willing, and able to accept reasonable work. When you inquire about a job, write down the employer’s name and location, the person you spoke with, their phone number, and whether a job was offered.  Keep this information in the event you are asked to present your job search to EI. generally expects claimants to make five to seven contacts per week.

• Refusing a job.  Claimants must show that they had ‘good cause’ for refusing a job. While good cause is not the same as just cause, the reasons that generally constitute good cause are similar to those for quitting with Just Cause.  In addition, other reasons will sometimes be considered when refusing a job. However, the Commission will generally not accept as good cause the fact that part-time rather than full-time work was offered, or any availability problems with the work schedule.

Back to top