Work-Sharing is a program designed to help employers and employees avoid lay-offs following a temporary drop in the normal level of business activity that is beyond the employer’s control. Work-Sharing provides income support in the form of EI regular benefits to eligible employees who agree to temporarily work a shorter work week while their employer recovers. This enables employers to retain their skilled workers and employees to keep their jobs.

Work-Sharing agreements are signed for a period of between 6 and 26 consecutive weeks, with a possible extension of up to 12 additional weeks, for a total of 38 weeks.[100] To mitigate the impact of the recession of 2008 and 2009, the federal government temporarily extended the maximum period of Work-Sharing agreements.

Budget 2016 proposes to extend the maximum length of Work-Sharing agreements from 38 to 76 weeks across Canada.[101]

In its brief to the Committee, the Canadian Labour Congress reported that it was heartened by the lengthening of the Work-Sharing program and added that it “encourage[s] the government to work with employers and worker groups to increase awareness of this program, as it can be very effective, but take up is low.”[102] UNIFOR also made this recommendation in its brief.[103]

The Committee agrees with witnesses who spoke to this issue that the Work-Sharing program is a good tool to prevent lay-offs during challenging economic times. Members also share the view that additional measures to promote the program and increase participation in it would be beneficial, and therefore make the following recommendation:

RECOMMENDATION 9

The Committee recommends that Employment and Social Development Canada implement measures to raise awareness of the Work-Sharing program in order to increase the program participation.