The ACTEW Blog

With high numbers of women in contingent employment and many ineligible for EI, it is not surprising that respondents our Pre-LMDA Survey report that government eligibility restricts women's access to employment and training services.

Clients accessing services at women-only agencies are especially affected government eligibility criteria. These women often have multiple barriers to employment.

This plays out for women in two ways. Some are not allowed to enter programs or access services because they do not fit the criteria of "client", although they may have the needs the program was designed to fulfill. A respondent offered a scenario:

"Some of the programs are for recent immigrants only. Some are for professionally trained individuals only. Those who do not belong to these categories are either excluded from services or fees are charged."

Other women may be able to enter a program, but the various challenges in their lives -- lack of dependable childcare, trying to settle families in a new country, court dates related to partner abuse -- interfere with their ability to attend programs with inflexible schedules.

Another respondent explained:

"The women we serve are often in a state of trauma, and cannot commit to stringent eligibility or expectations of participation. They require something more fluid as they seek supports on immigration; family cohesion; affordable housing; and for their mental health issues."

Read the full survey report.
Our next entry on the Pre-LMDA Picture: Underemployment

Labels: Pre-LMDA