Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
Your doctor says four months off. Up to four supports might pay you, roughly in this order: paid sick days from your employer, EI sickness benefits (55% of earnings, up to $729 a week, for as long as 26 weeks), long-term disability insurance, and CPP disability if the condition is severe and long lasting. Most people use only the first two.
What pays first when I get sick?
Employer sick days come first. EI sickness benefits take over once the days run out or your pay stops. Long-term disability insurance usually starts after a waiting stretch that the policy sets, and CPP disability is for conditions expected to last indefinitely. The Disability Tax Credit pays no cash. It lowers your tax if you qualify.
A four-month illness usually plays out like this: a few days of paid or unpaid sick leave, several weeks to a few months on EI, then back to work before long-term disability or CPP ever come up. If the absence runs past 26 weeks, the later programs matter a lot more, so learn what they are before you need them. If you’re laid off instead of off sick, the rules in quitting, layoffs and severance apply.
How many paid sick days do I get?
It depends on who regulates your employer. Federally regulated workplaces (banks, airlines, telecom, interprovincial transport) have given up to 10 days of paid medical leave a year since 1 December 2022. You earn the first 3 days after 30 days of continuous employment, then 1 more day a month. Unused days carry over, up to 10.
In Ontario, the Employment Standards Act gives most employees 3 unpaid, job-protected sick days a calendar year after 2 consecutive weeks on the job, and an employer can’t demand a doctor’s note for them. Ontario also has a 27-week unpaid long-term illness leave, available since 19 June 2025 after 13 consecutive weeks of work. It protects your job and pays nothing. Other provinces have their own rules, some with paid days and some without, so check with your provincial employment standards office. Plenty of employers beat the legal minimum, so read your contract. The federal rules are on the Government of Canada: medical leave with pay page.
What do EI sickness benefits pay?
EI sickness benefits pay 55% of your earnings, up to $729 a week in 2026, for a maximum of 26 weeks, up from 15 for claims started on or after 18 December 2022. You need a medical certificate saying you can’t work and roughly for how long.
To qualify, your weekly earnings must have dropped by more than 40% for at least one week, and you need 600 insured hours in the past 52 weeks or since your last claim. The 40% test trips up part-timers and anyone on reduced hours, since you may not qualify while you’re earning close to your normal pay. Apply as soon as you stop working, because waiting more than 4 weeks can cost you benefits. Most claims carry a one-week waiting period, though a temporary measure has let it be waived at times, so ask Service Canada. Details are on the Government of Canada: EI sickness benefits, do you qualify page.
When does long-term disability insurance start?
Long-term disability (LTD) insurance pays only if you have a policy, usually through work, and it starts after an elimination period the policy sets. Group plans typically pay a share of your earnings, but the share, the length and the definition of disability all live in the policy, so read the booklet. Many plans cut their payment by other benefits you receive, CPP disability included.
Tax depends on who paid the premiums. Benefits are generally taxable if your employer paid, and generally tax-free if you paid with after-tax dollars. An employer can run a short-term plan and an LTD plan side by side, with EI sickness sitting between them. Ask HR for the plan documents early. The claim forms need your doctor and take time.
Who qualifies for CPP disability and the Disability Tax Credit?
CPP disability is for people between 18 and 65 whose disability stops them from doing any job regularly and is long term or likely to cause death. You need to have contributed in 4 of the 6 years before the disability, or in 3 of the 6 with 25 years of contributions in total. The 2026 maximum is $1,741.20 a month. A four-month illness that ends with you back at work won’t qualify.
The Disability Tax Credit (DTC) needs a doctor or other practitioner to certify a severe and prolonged impairment on Form T2201. The 2026 federal amount is $10,341, worth about $1,448 in federal tax at the 14% lowest rate, provided you have enough tax to use it. Our disability tax credit calculator shows the credit by year. CPP eligibility details are on Government of Canada: CPP disability eligibility.
What does a four-month illness look like on a $55,000 salary?
Picture an Ontario employee paid $55,000, or $1,057.69 a week, who is off for 17 weeks with no paid sick days and no LTD plan. On the site’s estimate engine, EI sickness pays 55% of that, which rounds to $582 a week.
| Weeks | What pays | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Three unpaid ESA sick days, then the EI waiting week | Nothing unless the employer pays |
| Weeks 2 to 17 | EI sickness benefits, 16 payments | $9,312 |
| Normal pay for 17 weeks | For comparison | $17,981 |
| Shortfall before tax | $8,669 |
If the waiting week is waived, add one more $582 payment. A federal employee in the same spot could draw on up to 10 days of paid medical leave first, about $2,115 at $211.54 a day, and then go on EI. Either way, EI sickness is taxable, so take-home lands below the table’s figures. The EI calculator handles the regular-benefit maths, and the EI regular benefits guide covers the application steps that sickness claims share.
Where does this information come from?
Rules come from Canada.ca (EI, CPP disability, federal medical leave) and ontario.ca (Employment Standards Act); the $55,000 timeline uses this site’s own estimate engine. Checked in October 2026. This is an independent information site: we provide no services, we do not represent the CRA or any organization, and we do not guarantee that anything here is accurate or current. We accept no liability for decisions based on it. Check the official source before you rely on it. See the full disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get EI sickness benefits and sick pay from my employer at the same time?
Ask Service Canada how to report employer sick pay, since EI looks at the earnings you receive. Most people use paid days first, then claim EI for the weeks without pay, and the order matters for the waiting week.
What happens when my 26 weeks of EI sickness run out?
Payments stop. Once all 26 weeks are used, you need another 600 hours of work to qualify for a new sickness claim. If you still can't work, a long-term disability plan or CPP disability are the next places to look.
Does CPP disability pay more than EI sickness?
Usually less. CPP disability tops out at $1,741.20 a month in 2026, about $402 a week, against up to $729 a week for EI sickness. CPP is meant for longer conditions, though, and it has no 26 week limit.
Do I need a doctor's note for Ontario sick days?
No, not for the 3 ESA sick days. Since 28 October 2024 an employer can't require a note from a physician, nurse practitioner or psychologist for them. EI sickness does need a medical certificate, and so does the 27-week long-term illness leave.
Is the Disability Tax Credit the same as disability benefits?
No. The DTC is a federal tax credit worth about $1,448 a year in 2026 for people with a severe and prolonged impairment. It cuts your tax bill and pays you nothing monthly, though it can open the door to other plans.