What are common reasons Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits claims are denied?

Insufficient insured hours in the qualifying period Medical certificate incomplete or not received You are already receiving other benefits that offset EI You are not available for work when required by the program rules

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Benefits pathways are plain-language education with cited government and public sources. They are not legal advice, a benefits determination, or a guarantee of eligibility. Checklist progress you save stays in this browser unless you export it — it is not an official filing or medical record.

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Canada · education only

Government

Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits

Temporary federal income support if you are unable to work because of illness, injury, or quarantine and you meet the hours-of-insurance rules.

Typical timeline: Service Canada aims to decide many claims within about 28 days once a complete file is received; delays happen if medical information is missing.

This page is a dedicated, search-friendly version of the same checklist on the main disability benefits guide. Progress checkboxes sync in your browser only.

Claim checklist & evidence

Forms

MSCA — medical certificate — Medical certificate for EI sickness link

Step-by-step

1. Check whether you likely meet the insured hours requirement
The hours needed depend on where you live and your employment history.
Next: Gather recent pay information and ROEs while you wait for the employer submission.
2. Apply for EI sickness and submit a complete medical certificate
Apply as soon as you stop working; waiting can reduce the weeks you can receive.
Next: Respond quickly to any Service Canada requests for more information.

Evidence to gather

Check off items as you collect them — progress is saved only on this device (same keys as the main benefits guide).

Completed medical certificate with clear functional limitations — Service Canada uses this to confirm inability to work.
Record(s) of employment from recent employers — Used to verify hours and reason for separation.

Common reasons claims get denied

Insufficient insured hours in the qualifying period
Medical certificate incomplete or not received
You are already receiving other benefits that offset EI
You are not available for work when required by the program rules

Sources

Canada.ca — EI sickness benefits · accessed 2026-04-24

Evidence library (curated)

Stable references we reuse across the app for wording and education surfaces — not a substitute for medical or legal advice.

Hand problems and arthritis (NIAMS)(opens in new tab)
NIH/NIAMS overview for inflammatory and degenerative hand symptoms — supports arthritis-related regimens and personas.
Hand Therapy Certification Commission — CHT(opens in new tab)
Official HTCC landing for the Certified Hand Therapist credential — use for professional/training surfaces, not patient eligibility claims.