Tuesday, June 27

The Hidden Disadvantages of E. I.


When it comes to temporary work, many people,like it because they prefer  to work for a period of time and then relax at home and just receive E. I. I always hated being unemployed, sitting at home waiting for a handful of peanuts that the Government pays you, just simply disgust me. Now that I am unemployed again, I am studying for a test (three tests, in fact) in September and I am doing job search to. My E. I. benefits hasn't been started yet but I'm not too anxious because I have a little money saved and I am in a relaxed and quiet environment. These are two main features of E. I. that the Government put an end to them a few years ago as many abused the system: 
1) People used to quit their job, go home and apply for E. I.! The Government changed that in a way that only the people who get laid off, would be eligible for E. I. benefits.
2) There were many people, mostly foreigners, who would leave the country after they applied for E. I., get a job in their own home country or simply relaxed while the government would deposit money to their accounts! Hojam was one of these guys. I hope someone from CRA reads although it's too late and the guy is not back to Canada but at least they can do something in case he ever decides to come back. What he did was he was working for a business and then when it came the time, he asked the owner to lay him off so he can apply for E. I. The guy did and he left the country shortly after that but before that he asked a buddy to keep filing E. I. reports. The guy who he introduced to me as Ali Afghani kept doing that up to the time that Hojam was eligible and thousands of dollars were saved in his account! I don't know the rest of the story as how he used it but I heard that he purchased a few used cars and intended to sell them in the old country! The Government of Canada now indicated that there is a collaboration between CRA and CBSA and if people leave the country, unless it is for employment purposes (Interview, for example), in the US or loss of family members, their E. I. benefits would be suspended for the time of their absence. I do know about the level of competence of the people in CBSA who are supposed to track the people who intend to leave the country while receiving E. I. benefits but it shall be a correspondence in the systems that these two Government organizations use.
With that in mind, here are some disadvantages of E. I., in my personal opinion: 
1) No CPP would be deducted form your income, because there's no income!

2) You are like a prisoner! You can't leave the country until you're employed again or you should kiss the benefits goodbye.

3) You have a limited income every month, despite how much you used to make. There's a cap. That's barely livable, particularly in today's economy. I doubt that the Government has increased the amount to somehow match it with the inflation. 

4) The psychological affects of that is significant. I don't know how people can enjoy the so-called benefits. Everyone realizes sooner or later that you're not working and you seem like a loser to them! 
(Photo: Lisa Simpson shows a loser sign. That is how you feel when you are asked to leave your job and that's how the majority of people see you. You are a loser in a way!)

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