Prime Minster Trudeau announced on May 8 that the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) will be extended. This should be welcome news for employees and employers.
The details of the CEWS are summarized in our previous blog posts, including our discussion about how it can be used by employers instead of laying off employees. In brief, the program allows employers to apply for a subsidy covering 75% of wages for eligible employees, up to a maximum of $847 per week. Originally, the program was created for the period of March 15 - June 6, 2020. Employers started applying for the program on April 27. Applications have been received for more than 2 million workers. It is expected that the subsidy is allowing many employers to maintain employees on their payroll even with reduced work to be done.
Trudeau said that more details about the extension will be announced next week. We will provide an updated blog post once those details are available.
Changes to Provincial and Federal Covid-19 Benefits happen rapidly and often. We update our helpful Benefit Chart just as frequently. Stay current on the most essential benefits available by visiting our Chart. We'll be posting on LinkedIn whenever it is updated. Or you can find it on the Harper Grey COVID-19 Resource Hub - check it out here.
Originally published 8 May 2020
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