The Government of Canada has approved legislation – the Fairness for the Self-Employed Act – to provide Employment Insurance (EI) maternity, parental/adoption, sickness and compassionate care benefits to self-employed Canadians on a voluntary basis. This legislation will allow the self-employed to opt into the EI program in January 2010, while benefits will start being paid in January 2011.

Visit the Government of Canada web site for more information on EI benefits for the self-employed.

This article is an excerpt from the NALH e-Newsletter. Click here to read the current issue.

Missed an issue? You can also read all previous issues in our newsletter archive.  Want to join our subscribers list? Visit our site to subscribe to our newsletter.