E.I. job search questionnaire

[retrovertigo]

Since I'm sure I'm not the only one on E.I. around here - my luck just ran out and I got hit with a letter from The Man asking for details on my job search over the winter. Anyone had to fill this out, have any tips for me?

I have pretty much the minimal planter off-season this year - finished working early October and will be back at it late Feb / early March. In between obviously I've been in talks with the two companies I'll be working for, one of which is new for me, so that was a job search of a sort with a fairly informal 'interview'. I can report all this but I'm not sure if it's enough or if they might want to see that I was looking for a regular city job the past 3 months. Any advice is welcome, thanks folks!

[Scooter]

Try printing off the company list on the jobs page (http://www.replant.ca/jobs.html) and let them know that you've contacted every single company there, and none of them have work earlier than when you're expected to return to work in mid-February. With such a short down-time (October to February) you'll be fine.

[Rainman]

Depending on who you get at EI that is checking you out, this could be easy or not. Be prepared. I have been cut off (many years ago), because I did not "pass" their job search test. Understand that they want you to be actively looking for work the whole time you are on EI. To them anything short of that is not acceptable. Just claiming to be looking for bush work when there is none available will not fly if you get a stickler checking into your claim.

What they really want to see is a detailed record of all the job search attempts and calls you made while you were collecting EI. That should include the company, phone number and person you talked to, as well as the result of the inquiry. Be sure to include some "local" searching you did outside of bush work. When I got into a discussion with EI that I was not prepared to look for minimum wage work, that's when they basically cut me off.

Really, I was fed up with the EI "game" and my attitude is what got me cut off. I suggest, if you care about continuing getting your EI, you should put some effort into making up a believable list that makes you look like looking for work is all that you have done since getting laid off.

If they say jump, then jump. Or risk getting cut off.

[robertsonja]

My landlord found out I was having the same kind of trouble with EI, and told me she had got out of the same situation by seeing a employment agency. Apparently they can help you get EI off your back.

[Screefhead]

Rainman pretty much summed it up. If you've only talked to a couple of employers then you're probably screwed. Where i live you're expected to contact a minimum of ten employers a week.

Last year I worked into November, yet by mid December was called in for a job search interrogation. The investigator was bitterly disappointed when I gave him my job search with over 50 different companies.

[Scooter]

It definitely sounds a lot different than my experience in the Maritimes. Mind you, there are not a lot of jobs here other than minimum wage jobs, hence the reason everyone goes out west to work. When I said that I had worked lined up in my industry for mid-February, and showed them the list of companies that I had investigated, the girl that I dealt with said, "Enjoy your last few weeks until you get started again."

[trip]

My experience has been they typically hassle you every third year with the detailed assessment and workshop. Jump through the hoops as they are presented and you should do ok - just make sure you apply as much as they expect you to and keep good records of your job search.

[retrovertigo]

Yeah that sounds about right, this was my 3rd time collecting it.

Anyways I sent it off today, wish me luck.

[fluffer]

I'm surprised if they would put much effort into nailing you on nittygritties as they are completely swamped.