Voluntary Leaving
Disclaimer:
*This asterisk denotes recent case law.
Questions to Answer
- Did claimant leave voluntarily?
- Did claimant have just cause?
- Should a disqualification?.. or disentitlement apply?
References
Act: sections 29 Employment Insurance Act, 30 Employment Insurance Act, 31 Employment Insurance Act , 32 Employment Insurance Act , 33 Employment Insurance Act , 34 Employment Insurance Act , 35 Employment Insurance Act , subsection 49(2) Employment Insurance Act, section 51 Employment Insurance Act
Regulations: section 51 Employment Insurance Regulations
Legal test
"No reasonable alternative to leaving the employment, having regard to all the circumstances" - paragraph 29(c) of the Act Employment Insurance Act.
Onus of proof
- Commission must show that the claimant left employment voluntarily
- Claimant must show just cause for leaving his employment, that is, considering all circumstances, the claimant had no reasonable alternative to leaving.
*PATEL A-274-09 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, BELL A-450-95 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, LANDRY A-1210-92 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal.
Conflicting evidence should be resolved by accepting the evidence which is reasonable reliable and credible having regard to the circumstances. If the evidence on each side of the issue is equally balanced, the Commission shall give the benefit of doubt to the claimant - subsection 49(2) Employment Insurance Act. ALCUITAS A-472-03 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, CUB 39868 Board Of Referees Decision, CUB 39640 Board Of Referees Decision.
Key Case Law
IMRAN A-104-07 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, LAUGHLAND A-76-02 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, ASTRONOMO A-141-97 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, BELL A-450-95 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Legal test for just cause. TANGUAY A-1458-84 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, MCCARTHY A-600-93 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Meaning of "just cause" vs good reason or motive.
IMRAN A-104-07 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Voluntary leaving to find employment in his field of expertise does not constitute the reasonable assurance of other employment. BORDAGE A-506-04 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: The offer of a course does not equate to an offer of employment. SACREY A-123-03 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Reasonable assurance of other employment.
MULLIN A-466-95 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, RUST A-650-95 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Voluntary leaving to relocate with spouse
THOMPSON A-26-06 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, CLOW A-260-04 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Voluntary leaving to follow common-law spouse. Common-law relationship must be "at least one year", 10-11 months does not meet the definition.
THOMAS A-673-02 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, LAURIN A-784-99 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, LANDRY A-1210-92 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, DUECK A-535-96 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Voluntary leaving to follow friend/fiance
CHAFE A-734-95 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Voluntary leaving job in Vancouver to move to Newfoundland to care for ill father.
BEAULIEU A-465-07 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, CARON A-322-06 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, CÔTÉ A-562-04 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, GAUTHIER A-552-03 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, LAMONDE A-566-04 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, BORDAGE A-506-04 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, BÉDARD A-20-03 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, BAIROS A-433-02 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, CONNELL A-46-02 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, SHAW A-41-02 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, LESSARD A-249-01 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, COUTURE A-230-01 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, VAN ASTEN A-136-01 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, WALL A-54-01 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, BOIS A-31-00 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, FUREY A-819-95 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, STEVENS A-599-95 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, WEST A-349-95 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, BARNETT A-37-96 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal Voluntary leaving one's employment to return to school. Consideration given to the circumstances at the time the claimant left the job
CAMPEAU A-57-06 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Sincerity and inadequate income do not constitute just cause.
TREMBLAY A-50-94 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Insufficiency of salary earned does not constitute just cause.
PEACE A-97-03 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, HORSLEN A-517-94 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Significant change in working hours/salary
KING A-387-04 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Voluntary leaving due to discrepancy in pay cheque.
PATTERSON A-765-95 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, MELANSON A-691-94 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Claimant leaves earlier than when just cause exists
*GREEY A-76-09 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal : The proper test to distinguish employment from volunteer work is whether the claimant expected to derive any financial benefit from the work arrangement and not “some kind” of benefit independent of the work arrangement. TRAYNOR A-492-94 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Voluntary leaving for an unpaid internship; indefinite period of disqualification. BERUBE A-986-88 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Meaning of volunteer work vs employment.
CARON A-468-00 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Medical reasons alleged for voluntary leaving, DIETRICH A-640-93 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, BRISEBOIS A-510-96 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Proof of medical reasons for voluntary leaving. BRISEBOIS considers credibility of claimant vs need to provide proof.
*VAIRAMUTHU A-54-09 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal : Voluntarily leaving employment to seek medical treatment abroad for a condition for which treatment is available locally is without just cause.
LANTEIGNE A-296-08 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal : Just cause not shown as left job without notice, made no arrangements to secure transportation back to work and did not advise his employer of his alleged inability to find return transportation.
BORDEN A-338-03 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Loss of employment due to imprisonment.
SMITH A-875-96 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, EPPEL A-3-95 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, EASSON A-1598-92 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Misconduct vs voluntary leaving
MURUGAIAH A-21-07 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, AGYEMAN A-12-02 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, MILLS A-189-98 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Leaving employment to seek better employment
PEACE A-97-03 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal, SULAIMAN A-737-93 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Voluntary leaving vs misconduct vs constructive dismissal
QUINN A-175-96 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Voluntary leaving in anticipation of being affected by a new collective agreement
CECCONI A-49-94 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Whether refusal to renew an employment contract is equivalent to voluntary
MORIN A-114-01 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Personal choice not to drive and work in the winter.
MARSHALL A-259-01 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Left part-time employment due to reduced hours.
GENNARELLI A-346-03 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Left part-time employment held concurrently with full-time employment, LEUNG A-328-03 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Left one of the two part-time employments held concurrently to concentrate on increasing hours of the other.
RICHARD A-518-08 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal : The Board of Referees erred when it accepted a worker's desire to improve his or her financial situation as just cause for voluntarily leaving an employment. Quit permanent part-time employment for seasonal full-time employment late in the season. Applies the principles established in Langlois A-75-07.
LANGLOIS A-75-07 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Left permanent employment to take another permanent, but seasonal, employment at a higher wage.
HERNANDEZ A-594-06 Judgment Of The Federal Court Of Appeal: Fear of dangerous working conditions.
Quick Reference
- What's New
- Board of Referees Jurisdiction
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- Availability for Work
- Claim Procedure
- Delayed Appeal to the Board of Referees
- Earnings
- Labour Disputes
- Misconduct
- Out of Canada
- Penalties and Violations
- Qualifying Conditions
- Rate of Weekly Benefits
- Reconsideration of Claim
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- Special Benefits
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- Teachers
- Undeclared Earnings
- Week of Unemployment
- Voluntary Leaving