Waive EI waiting period for coronavirus patients: councillor
Waive the EI wait for those under coronavirus quarantine, says a Toronto city councillor.
In a letter sent Tuesday to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Councillor Jim Karygiannis calls on the federal government to waive the customary 14-day EI waiting period for those under medical quarantine due to the Wuhan coronavirus.
The gesture would mirror a move by Ottawa during the 2003 SARS outbreak, where those unable to work while under quarantine could access Employment Insurance benefits immediately instead of waiting the usual two weeks
“This was done in order to help alleviate the economic hardship of not being able to go to work,” Karygiannis said in a statement.
On Monday, officials reported two confirmed cases of the potentially deadly virus in the city, and that 19 patients are currently under observation.
The virus quickly spread, with the first confirmed death reported on Jan. 9 by Chinese officials.
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