Employment Insurance Act — E-5.6 152.11
Beginning of benefit period 152.11 (1) A benefit period begins on the later of (a) the Sunday of the week in which the interruption of earnings occurs, and (b) the Sunday of the week in which the initial claim for benefits is made. Length of benefit period (2) The length of a benefit period is 52 weeks, except as otherwise provided in subsections (11) to (19). Prior benefit period (3) Subject to any change or cancellation of a benefit period under this section, a benefit period shall not be established for a self-employed person if a prior benefit period has not ended. Late initial claim (4) An initial claim for benefits made after the day on which the self-employed person first qualified to make the claim shall be regarded as having been made on an earlier day if the self-employed person shows that they qualified to receive benefits on the earlier day and that there was good cause for the delay throughout the period that begins on the earlier day and ends on the day on which the initial claim was made. Other late claims (5) A claim for benefits, other than an initial claim for benefits, made after the time prescribed for making the claim shall be regarded as having been made on an earlier day if the self-employed person shows that there was good cause for the delay throughout the period that begins on the earlier day and ends on the day on which their claim was made. Late claims — clause 152.07(1)(d)(i)(A) (5.1) For the purposes of subsections (4) and (5), the fact that, but for clause 152.07(1)(d)(i)(A), the claimant would not have qualified to receive benefits is good cause for a delay in making a claim for those benefits. Exception (6) A claim for benefits referred to in section 152.06 with respect to a family member shall not be regarded as having been made on an earlier day under subsection (4) or (5) if (a) at the time the claim is made, all benefits that may otherwise have been payable in relation to that claim have already been exhausted; (b) the beginning of the period referred to in subsection 152.06(3) has already been determined with respect to that family member and the claim would have the effect of moving the beginning of that period to an earlier date; or (c) the claim is made in any other circumstances set out in the regulations. Exception (6.1) A claim for benefits referred to in section 152.061 with respect to a critically ill child must not be regarded as having been made on an earlier day under subsection (4) or (5) if (a) at the time the claim is made, all benefits that may otherwise have been payable in relation to that claim have already been exhausted; (b) the beginning of the period referred to in subsection 152.061(3) has already been determined with respect to that child and the claim would have the effect of moving the beginning of that period to an earlier date; or (c) the claim is made in any other circumstances set out in the regulations. Exception (6.2) A claim for benefits referred to in section 152.062 with respect to a critically ill adult must not be regarded as having been made on an earlier day under subsection (4) or (5) if (a) at the time the claim is made, all benefits that may otherwise have been payable in relation to that claim have already been exhausted; (b) the beginning of the period referred to in subsection 152.062(3) has already been determined with respect to that adult and the claim would have the effect of moving the beginning of that period to an earlier date; or (c) the claim is made in any other circumstances set out in the regulations. Cancelling benefit period (7) Once a benefit period has been established for a self-employed person, the Commission may (a) cancel the benefit period if it has ended and no benefits were paid or payable during the period; or (b) whether or not the period has ended, cancel at the request of the self-employed person that portion of the benefit period immediately before the first week for which benefits were paid or payable, if the self-em