Many part-time workers in Ontario are facing lost shifts and outright job loss during the current recession. Some have paid into Employment Insurance for as much as thirty weeks in the past year, yet are not eligible for a single dime of benefits.

Different from workers in many parts of the country, Ontario workers must have 594 insurable hours before being eligible to receive any benefits whatsoever. This results in many being left with no source of income while they search for new opportunities.

It is time for the government to create a fair national standard for EI eligibility of 360 hours. This lowers the threshold for every Canadian worker and eliminates regional disparity. As importantly, it will end a system where the lowest-paid workers pay for benefits they never receive. In a time of recession, when unemployed workers have few options, EI fairness must be a priority.

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