{"id":46595,"date":"2015-06-16T21:59:06","date_gmt":"2015-06-17T01:59:06","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2026-07-22T11:18:24","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T15:18:24","slug":"can-i-apply-social-assistance-welfare-while-i-wait-ei","status":"publish","type":"publications-page","link":"https:\/\/www.cleo.on.ca\/en\/publications-page\/can-i-apply-social-assistance-welfare-while-i-wait-ei","title":{"rendered":"Can I get Ontario Works while I wait for EI?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You might be able to get benefits from Ontario Works (OW) while you wait for EI.<\/p>\n

When you apply, OW will ask about your income and assets and why you’re unemployed. You may also have to prove that you have applied for EI.<\/p>\n

Apply for OW as soon as you can. It can take a long time to find out about your EI application. So you might get OW for several weeks before you get EI.<\/p>\n

When you apply<\/h2>\n

When you apply for OW, you must sign a form called Assignment of Benefits. This lets Service Canada pay OW back for the benefits you get while you’re waiting for your first EI payment.<\/p>\n

It also makes sure that you do not get both kinds of benefits for the same period.<\/p>\n

Amount of EI you get<\/h2>\n

Tell the OW office as soon as you get your first EI payment.<\/p>\n

You might get less from EI than what you get from OW. If this happens, you might still be able to get some money from OW.<\/p>\n

This means that you would still get the same amount in total each month as when you were getting OW on its own.<\/p>\n

If OW refuses you<\/h2>\n

If OW refuses to give you benefits, contact your local community legal clinic for help. See Where can I get help and information?<\/a><\/p>\n

You must act quickly because there are strict and very short time limits to have OW review their decision.<\/p>\n

\n

Find out more in I disagree with a decision from OW. What can I do?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-46595","publications-page","type-publications-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nCan I get Ontario Works while I wait for EI? - CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario \/ \u00c9ducation juridique communautaire Ontario)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleo.on.ca\/en\/publications-page\/can-i-apply-social-assistance-welfare-while-i-wait-ei\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can I get Ontario Works while I wait for EI? - CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario \/ \u00c9ducation juridique communautaire Ontario)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You might be able to get benefits from Ontario Works (OW) while you wait for EI. 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