Some three years after the school opened, the company running it has finally accepted the responsibility to give teachers this minimum social protection… because of a demand from the General Union. With this company currently in financial difficulty, the teachers involved at least have peace of mind from knowing that they can fall back on UI benefits if their school closes down.

A person working at least twenty hours a week is, usually, eligible to be enrolled on unemployment insurance. If you have paid UI contributions for at least six months and then become unemployed, you will normally be eligible to receive UI benefits while searching for a new job (more details at www.generalunion.org/law/).

Also, once you are on UI, you are automatically enrolled on workers’ accident compensation insurance too. This means that if you are injured in an accident at your workplace or while commuting to and from work, you or your next-of-kin can receive appropriate benefits.

Unemployment insurance is a right (if you meet the criteria for eligibility). In these difficult economic times, with language schools feeling the pinch just the same as other businesses, it is also a necessity.

Find out more on how to get your employer to enroll you!