What eligibility criteria must employees meet to qualify for EI sickness benefits?

To qualify for Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits, employees must fulfill specific eligibility criteria that ensure they have contributed to the program and have a valid reason for claiming the benefits. The correct answer emphasizes that individuals must accumulate a certain number of insurable hours worked and provide adequate medical documentation to support their claim for sickness benefits.

Accumulating enough insurable hours means that the employee must have worked a minimum number of hours in employment that is insured under the EI program. This ensures that only those who have participated in the workforce and contributed to the EI fund can access sick benefits. Additionally, medical documentation is critical as it demonstrates the legitimacy of the claim, confirming that the employee is unable to work due to a specific health condition. This requirement is in place to prevent misuse of the benefits and to ensure that support is provided to those genuinely in need.

The other options do not reflect the accurate criteria for eligibility and are therefore not suitable. For instance, the notion that prior employment must be for a minimum of five years is incorrect, as the focus is on accumulated insurable hours rather than the length of employment. Similarly, there is no requirement that employees must be full-time or have no prior health issues to qualify for these benefits. Instead, the focus is on