The Canadian Cancer Society has been advocating for better support for caregivers for more than 15 years. Over the years, various initiatives have been put forward at the federal level to better support caregivers. Progress has been significant, but gaps still remain.
The Canadian Cancer Society calls on the federal government to:
- Implement a national communications plan to ensure that potential beneficiaries are aware of the new 2017 Caregiver Benefit, the extended Compassionate Care Benefit and the EI benefits for Parents of Critically-ill Children
- Eliminate the mandatory 1-week waiting period to receive the benefits
- Allow caregivers to continue receiving the Compassionate Care Benefit for a 2-week bereavement period following the death of their loved one (currently the compassionate care benefit ends when the death occurs)
- Work to improve flexibility criteria for the three EI caregivers benefits by allowing caregivers to receive benefits for partial weeks
- Work with provincial and territorial governments to ensure Canadians enjoy job protection when they claim an EI caregiver benefit
The Canadian Cancer Society calls on provincial and territorial governments to:
- Enact legislation to guarantee job leave protection for all three EI caregiver benefits