EI Report Online: How to Report Hours and Earnings

To submit an EI report online, you need the dates, hours and earnings for the weeks being reported. You normally report every two weeks while receiving Employment Insurance benefits. However, the report is separate from your first EI application.

Start by reading the period shown on the reporting screen. Then gather your work records for those dates. This prevents a common mistake: using the latest paycheque instead of the weeks the report actually covers.

What you need for your EI report online

Service Canada's reporting instructions explain the information to keep. You need your SIN and the four-digit access code from your benefit statement. Also, keep the code private; it is not something to post in a help forum.

For each week, prepare a record of work, employer details and gross earnings. Gross means before deductions. You must also answer questions about training, availability for work and other money that may affect the claim.

If you have more than one job, keep records for each. Likewise, do not leave out self-employment simply because no employer issued a pay stub. Follow the questions and contact Service Canada if you cannot classify a payment.

Also, CLEO's Steps to Justice guide explains how to file EI reports. Use it to check the questions before you submit.

EI report online: match earnings to each week

Report work and earnings even if payday comes later. Therefore, match the amount to the work dates before you use the amount deposited in your bank account. Bank deposits are often net pay and may cover a different period.

The reporting calendar uses weeks from Sunday to Saturday. Add all full and partial hours first. Then round the weekly hours down to a whole hour, as the official instructions require. Round total earnings to the nearest dollar.

A simple example

Suppose you work 12.5 hours at $20 per hour in one reporting week. Your gross earnings are $250. In that simple case, you report 12 hours and $250 for that week, even if the employer pays you next week.

However, this example assumes no tips, commissions, vacation pay or other amounts. Add relevant earnings rather than treating the example as a rule for every pay situation. Keep your daily entries so you can explain the total later.

Submit your EI report online and save the next date

1. Reach the Internet Reporting Service through Service Canada's official reporting page.
2. Sign in and confirm the report dates.
3. Answer each question for the correct week and review your totals.
4. Submit the report only after checking the summary.
5. Save the confirmation and the next report date.

Next, set a reminder for that date. The rules while receiving regular EI say you have three weeks from the next report date to submit. However, waiting until the end of that window can delay payments.

A submitted report does not guarantee that a claim is approved or ready to pay. Also, Service Canada may still need documents or answers. Check the messages and claim details described in its after-application guidance.

EI report online: how to correct a mistake

You can review and change answers before sending the report. If you already submitted a wrong answer, contact Service Canada promptly. For example, explain which week was affected and bring the correct hours or earnings.

Do not try to fix one week's mistake by hiding work in the next report. Instead, keep a note of the error and follow the officer's instructions. This leaves a clear record of what happened.

Other questions about reporting

What if I cannot report online?

The official reporting page lists telephone reporting and alternatives if you cannot use the online service. Also, follow any instructions about a missing access code rather than creating a second claim.

Where do I start if I have not applied?

Read our EI eligibility and application guide first. While you look for work, our Canadian resume guide can also help you prepare job applications.

EI report online: a worksheet for two employers

If you work for two employers, keep a separate daily log for each job. Write the work date, hours and gross earnings beside the employer's name. Then group those entries into the Sunday-to-Saturday weeks shown by the reporting service.

For example, suppose one job pays weekly and the other pays every two weeks. The deposits may arrive on different days. However, your worksheet still follows the dates you worked. This helps you avoid shifting income into a later report just because that is when the bank received it.

Next, check any amount you cannot explain. A pay stub may include several types of pay. Do not assume that all money on the stub belongs to one week. Instead, use the reporting instructions or ask Service Canada how to report the specific payment.

What if you did not work during the period?

Read every question even when your work hours are zero. The report also asks about matters such as availability and training. Therefore, a week without a shift is not a reason to skip the other questions or copy all your previous answers.

Before you close the reporting screen

Finally, check that submission is complete and save the next reporting date. Keep your worksheet with that confirmation. If you later spot an error, you can identify the affected week and explain the correct figure without rebuilding your records from bank deposits.