In September 2014 Ottawa announced an Employment Insurance (EI) tax credit for employers.
Currently employees pay EI rates of $1.88 per $100 of earnings (up to a maximum of $913.68 for 2014). Employers pay the employee rate multiplied by 1.4.
For the 2015 and 2016 calendar years employers, who pay $15,000 or less in employer EI contributions in the year, will receive a tax credit of $0.39 per $100 of employee earnings.
Here is how the math works:
Currently on $100 of employee income an employer pays $2.63 in employer EI contributions ($100 times $1.88 times 1.4).
For the 2015 and 2016 calendar years on $100 of employee income an employer will pay (after the tax credit is received) $2.24 in employer EI contributions ($100 times 1.60% times 1.4).
The difference between the $2.63 and the $2.24 is $0.39.