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Many Canadians struggle to balance the competing demands of work and family on a daily basis. This challenge becomes even more significant when individuals are faced with the responsibility of caring for a gravely ill spouse, parent, child or partner.
Until now, employers have had to deal with a patchwork of legal rights and obligations for employees seeking leave to care for an ill family member. However, the federal government has changed the Employment Insurance Program to create new entitlements for employees to care for a seriously ill spouse or parent.
As of Jan. 4, 2004, an eligible person may be entitled to up to six weeks' of EI benefits where the person has to be absent from work to provide care or support to a gravely ill family member who has a significant risk of death within 26 weeks. Compassionate care benefits may be shared between eligible family members; in this case, only one family member must serve the required two-week waiting period under EI.
The new legislation defines what constitutes "care and support". To qualify for compassionate care benefits, an employee must...