Missing ROE? How to Apply for EI Without Waiting

A missing ROE does not mean you should wait to apply for Employment Insurance. Service Canada tells applicants to apply promptly and send required documents afterward. However, it still needs the employment record to assess the claim.

Your record of employment, or ROE, describes the job, earnings and reason for the work ending. It is different from a T4 tax slip or a final paycheque. First, find out whether the record is truly missing or was sent electronically.

Check your missing ROE in MSCA

Sign in to My Service Canada Account, or MSCA, and open Records of Employment. An employer may have sent an electronic record directly to Service Canada. In that case, the absence of a paper copy does not show that no ROE exists.

Next, check the employer name and dates against your own work history. Also, look for every job that matters to the claim. One record does not cover work for a different employer.

Service Canada's after-application instructions explain this check and what to do if a requested ROE has not arrived. If a record appears wrong, note the exact field rather than describing the whole document as incorrect.

Missing ROE: apply for EI promptly

The EI application page warns that applying more than four weeks after your last day of work may cost you benefits. Therefore, do not let a payroll delay become an application delay.

Prepare your SIN, banking details and employment history. Give accurate dates and your own account of why the job ended. If a record is outstanding, follow the application prompts and keep proof that you asked for it.

Applying without the ROE is not a promise of approval. However, submitting the application lets Service Canada begin the process while you work on the missing evidence. Our EI application guide covers the wider eligibility questions.

Missing ROE: request it from payroll

A short written request is easier to follow up than a vague phone message. For example, include your full name, employee number if you have one, and last day worked. Then ask whether the ROE will be electronic or paper.

Please confirm whether my ROE has been issued for the employment that ended on [date]. If it is electronic, please confirm when it was submitted. If it is paper, please tell me how I can receive it.

Keep the reply and the date you sent the request. Also, use a known payroll contact. Do not send your full identity documents to a new email address simply because it claims to handle the record.

How long does the employer have?

ROE deadlines depend on the format and pay schedule. The employer ROE guide explains the different rules. For common electronic pay cycles, the deadline is tied to the end of the pay period containing the interruption of earnings.

Therefore, avoid assuming every employer has exactly five days from your last shift. Ask payroll which rule applies to its pay cycle. If the deadline has passed and the employer has not supplied the requested record, contact Service Canada.

If payroll still does not respond, CLEO's EI guide also explains what to do when you cannot get your ROE.

Missing ROE: evidence for your follow-up

• Your last day worked and the relevant pay-period dates.
• Recent pay stubs and any written notice that the job ended.
• The employer's name and payroll contact details.
• Your requests for the ROE and any replies.
• The claim confirmation and messages from Service Canada.

Ask how to provide any evidence the officer requests. However, do not upload random files in place of a requested document without explaining the situation.

Common questions

Should I send an electronic ROE myself?

The employer sends the electronic record directly. Check MSCA first. If you receive a paper ROE, follow Service Canada's instructions for delivering it instead.

Can I use the employer's ROE Web account?

No. Employees view records through MSCA. Our ROE Web article for employers concerns a different service. Finally, keep submitting any reports you are instructed to complete while the claim is being reviewed.

Missing ROE: track each employer separately

If you had several jobs, make a table with one row for each employer. Include the dates worked, whether an ROE appears in MSCA and when you last contacted payroll. Then note the next action beside each row. This prevents one employer's reply from making you forget another missing record.

For example, one employer may confirm an electronic submission while another promises a paper copy. Check the first in MSCA and track delivery of the second. Do not assume the two records will arrive through the same route.

What should you say when following up?

Start with your earlier request and its date. Then ask for a specific update: has the record been issued, which format was used and is anything needed from you? Keep the message short so payroll can identify the job and answer the question.

If the business has closed or your usual contact is unavailable, keep a note of your attempts. Also, gather the employment and pay records you still have. Explain the situation to Service Canada and ask what it needs next. Do not create an ROE yourself to fill the gap.

Keep the claim and ROE tasks distinct

Finally, use a checklist with separate entries for applying, finding the ROE and responding to claim messages. Completing one task does not complete the others. Continue checking for requests so the missing record does not hide another action you need to take.