Nearly one month ago, Effie Poole was laid off from her job as a server when the restaurant she worked at in Burlington, Ont., closed due to COVID-19.

The 35-year-old mother of one is still waiting to qualify for federal emergency aid and told the reason she hasn’t gotten it is that she’s pregnant.

The Canadian Press has connected with multiple expectant mothers who tell a similar story: They were laid off from their jobs in March, qualified for employment insurance benefits, then stumbled during the promised crossover to the Canada Emergency Response Benefit when it became available this month.

“There are lots of us. It’s not just me,” said Amanda Hoedt of Comox, B.C.

“If you applied to the CERB, it’s fine. If you applied for EI first … none of us has been paid.”

Poole said she doesn’t think it’s anything malicious, perhaps an oversight, but it’s one that she and other women in her position are hoping is quickly fixed.

“We’re just waiting, waiting, waiting,” she said.

When the CERB was unveiled this month, the Liberals said anyone who had previously applied for EI since March 15 would be moved to the new 16-week benefit, but needed to re-apply starting this week to continue receiving it.

One of the stipulations is that anyone who receives maternity and parental benefits can’t also receive the CERB, which for Jennifer Mitton isn’t the case since she’s not due to give birth to her first child until August.

[ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]

The 27-year-old was laid off from her job as a hair-stylist on March 16, out of financial and health concerns. She and her coworkers immediately applied for EI.

When the CERB rolled out, she was the only one among her colleagues not moved over the $2,000-a-month benefit. When she called Service Canada, she was told it was linked to her having identified herself as being pregnant in her online EI application.

She was told instead of taking the CERB, she would have to start her maternity-leave claim now.

There is another issue that officials are trying to figure out: How to help women get enough hours to qualify for maternity benefits if they’re going to fall short because of COVID-19 closures.

Jacqueline Cronk was short about 120 of the 655 hours she needed to qualify for EI when she was laid off from her job at a family-owned restaurant in Saint John, N.B., on March 16, but qualified for the CERB.

The 28-year-old is seven months pregnant with her second child, and has been told by her local MP, Liberal Wayne Long, the government is working on a solution to the hours requirement.

In the meantime, she said she has applied to work at Costco, among other businesses still open, to get the minimum hours needed to qualify for EI.

“I know that seems a little silly, but I’m taking the steps I can to secure my family’s future … if the government isn’t,” Cronk said.

Source: Read Full Article