A Record of Employment (ROE) documents important information about your work history and why your employment or earnings were interrupted.
Service Canada uses the ROE when deciding whether you qualify for Employment Insurance (EI), how much you may receive and how long your benefits could last.
The Quick Answer: When does an employer have to issue a Record of Employment in Canada? An employer must generally issue an ROE when you experience an interruption of earnings—for example, because you were fired, laid off, quit or take certain unpaid leaves. In many cases, an electronic ROE must be issued within five calendar days after the end of the pay period in which the interruption occurs.
On This Page:
- 1. What Is a Record of Employment?
- 2. When Must Your Employer Issue an ROE?
- 3. How Do You Get Your ROE?
- 4. ROE Codes and Information
- 5. Late or Incorrect ROEs
- 6. ROE, Termination and Severance
What Is a Record of Employment?
A Record of Employment (ROE) is an official document that your employer sends to Service Canada after an interruption of earnings.
It contains information Service Canada may use to assess an EI claim, including:
- Your employer and employment dates
- Your last day for which you were paid
- Your insurable hours
- Your insurable earnings
- Vacation pay and certain other payments
- Whether you are expected to return
- The reason the ROE was issued
What is an interruption of earnings?
An interruption of earnings can occur when your employment ends or when you temporarily stop working and receiving insurable earnings.
Common examples include:
- Termination or dismissal
- Layoff or shortage of work
- Resignation
- Illness or injury
- Pregnancy or parental leave
- Leave without pay
- Certain compassionate-care or family-caregiver leaves
How Long Does an Employer Have to Issue an ROE?
The deadline depends partly on whether the employer issues the ROE electronically or on paper.
Electronic ROE deadline
For employees paid weekly, every two weeks or twice per month, an electronic ROE must generally be issued within five calendar days after the end of the pay period in which the interruption of earnings occurred.
For monthly or every-four-week payrolls, the deadline is generally the earlier of:
- Five calendar days after the end of the pay period in which the interruption occurred
- 15 calendar days after the first day of the interruption of earnings
Paper ROE deadline
A paper ROE must generally be issued within five calendar days of:
- The first day of the interruption of earnings, or
- The day the employer becomes aware of the interruption
Does your employer have to give you an ROE if you are fired?
Yes. A dismissal normally creates an interruption of earnings and requires an ROE.
This is true whether your employer says you were terminated without cause or fired for misconduct.
Do you get an ROE if you quit?
Yes. Your employer must generally issue an ROE after you resign and experience an interruption of earnings.
Whether you qualify for EI after quitting is a separate question. Service Canada will review why you left and whether you had just cause for doing so.
How Do You Get Your Record of Employment?
Most employers now submit ROEs electronically directly to Service Canada.
If your employer files electronically:
- You do not need to send the ROE to Service Canada yourself
- Your employer does not have to provide you with a paper copy
- You can view and print the ROE through My Service Canada Account
If your employer issues a paper ROE, you must receive the original and provide it to Service Canada when required for your EI application.
Can you get your ROE online?
Yes. Electronic ROEs can be viewed through My Service Canada Account after the employer submits them.
If you don’t see the ROE, first confirm whether your employer has submitted it electronically and when it was filed.
Can you apply for EI without your ROE?
Yes. Do not wait for your employer to issue the ROE before applying for EI.
Service Canada advises employees to apply as soon as they stop working. Waiting more than four weeks after your last day could result in lost benefits.
What Do the Codes on a Record of Employment Mean?
Block 16 of the ROE identifies the employer’s reason for issuing the document.
Common reasons include:
- Shortage of work — including many layoffs, restructurings and end-of-contract situations
- Illness or injury
- Quit
- Maternity or parental leave
- Dismissal
- Leave of absence
There are specific letter codes and sub-codes for these situations.
Does an ROE code determine whether you get EI?
No. The ROE gives Service Canada important information, but the code alone does not automatically decide whether your EI claim is approved.
If you quit or were dismissed, Service Canada may contact you and your employer to determine what actually happened.
For example, an employer may use a dismissal code because it ended your employment. That does not automatically prove misconduct for EI purposes.
What if Your Employer Doesn’t Give You an ROE?
If the deadline has passed and your ROE has not been issued:
- Check My Service Canada Account. Your employer may have submitted the ROE electronically without giving you a copy.
- Ask your employer in writing. Request confirmation that the ROE has been submitted.
- Apply for EI anyway. Do not delay your claim.
- Contact Service Canada. If the employer still hasn’t issued the ROE, Service Canada can provide next steps.
What if the information on your ROE is wrong?
An ROE should accurately reflect your employment information and the reason it was issued.
If there is an error involving your dates, earnings, hours, reason for separation or another important detail, ask your employer to correct it.
Employers can issue an amended ROE when previously submitted information needs to be changed, corrected or updated.
What if you disagree with the reason on the ROE?
A dispute is especially important if your employer says that you quit or were dismissed for misconduct and you disagree.
Keep your termination letter, emails, employment contract and other records showing what actually happened. Give Service Canada your version of events when you apply for EI or if it asks for more information.
Does Your Record of Employment Affect Severance Pay?
Your ROE does not determine how much severance pay you are owed.
The ROE is primarily used for Employment Insurance purposes. Your severance rights are determined separately under your employment contract, applicable employment legislation and common law.
If you are a non-unionized employee who has been fired or permanently laid off, you may be entitled to compensation that includes:
- Salary or wages
- Benefits
- Bonuses
- Commissions
- Other regular compensation
Depending on your age, position, length of service and the availability of similar work, severance pay in Canada can reach as much as 24 months’ pay.
What if your ROE says you were dismissed?
A dismissal code does not necessarily mean that you were fired for just cause or that you have lost your right to severance.
If your employer alleges serious misconduct, have the termination reviewed before accepting that you are owed nothing.
Record of Employment rules by province
ROEs and EI are federally administered, so the basic ROE rules apply across Canada. Employees may still search for province-specific guidance because severance and other employment rights can differ.
Speak With an Employment Lawyer About Your ROE and Termination
Most routine ROE questions can be dealt with directly through your employer and Service Canada.
However, you should speak with an employment lawyer if your ROE is connected to a disputed resignation, misconduct allegation, termination for cause or an inadequate severance package.
The employment lawyers at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP help non-unionized employees in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia understand what happened when their employment ended and determine how much compensation they are actually owed—it could be as much as 24 months’ pay.
We can review your termination documents, ROE, employment contract and severance offer, explain your options in clear language, and work to get your full compensation.