Employment Insurance Appeals Consultative Committee (EIACC)

Purpose of the Committee

As an independent tribunal, the Social Security Tribunal (SST) is responsible for safeguarding its independence in adjudication, for setting its own strategic priorities and for developing its operational policy. However, as part of the executive branch of the federal government, it does so bearing in mind the policy objectives of the statutes it applies, and the government’s objectives of promoting a client-centric and accessible system of administrative justice.
Organizations that are external to government provide valuable insight and perspectives on the Employment Insurance recourse system and the SST’s process.
The Canada Employment Insurance Commission, as the initial decision-maker on Employment Insurance claims, and then as an institutional litigant before the SST, also provides valuable insight and perspectives on the Employment Insurance recourse system and the SST’s processes.
The SST recognizes that the successful implementation of new policies and initiatives that affect stakeholders and those who appear before the SST may require discussions and/or consultations with stakeholder representatives, as well as with other federal government departments.
The Employment Insurance Appeals Consultative Committee (EIACC) is the primary forum for the SST to consult and seek advice on how it manages the employment insurance appeals process.
The members of the EIACC are to be informed of the SST’s strategic priorities and, where appropriate, consulted on policies and initiatives. EIACC members will be asked to provide their views and the SST will communicate how their contributions were taken into account. The SST has a responsibility to carefully consider comments received from EIACC members during consultations and, as appropriate, to reflect these comments in new or amended policies or initiatives.

Mandate and operation of the Committee

The EIACC is a vehicle for exchanging information and to address issues of mutual concern. However, this does not include discussion of the substantive merits of individual appeals or discussion of matters that are properly the exclusive responsibility of members to decide in their capacity as independent adjudicators.
Specifically, it is a forum that:
- enables the SST to advise members of its organizational priorities;
- enables the SST to consult members on proposed changes to its operations or policies, as appropriate, in order to ensure that SST decisions are informed by the perspectives of the users of its adjudicative systems;
- enables members to provide comment and advice on current and emerging issues relating to the SST’s operations as they affect the people who use its adjudicative systems;
- enables members to provide comment and advice on the SST’s approach to engagement and communication about its work, including its forms, informational material, and the publication of its decisions.
Biannual national meetings take place in the fall and in the spring, and are presided over by the SST Chairperson, or the Chairperson’s delegate. The EIACC may also meet on an ad hoc basis to discuss specific policy initiatives or matters of concern.
The SST will consult with EIACC members in order to prepare meeting agendas.
The SST’s Policy, Outreach, Accountability and Innovation Directorate provides secretarial services for the SST’s stakeholder engagement process.

Membership of the Committee

Social Security Tribunal

Chairperson
Vice-Chairperson, General Division – Employment Insurance
Vice-Chairperson, Appeal Division
Executive Director
General Counsel
Director, Registry Operations

External stakeholders

The membership from the external stakeholder community consists of at least 6 representatives from organizations that use the SST’s adjudicative systems (lawyers, paralegals, lay representatives, non-governmental organizations or community groups, employer associations). The external stakeholder group should be representative of diverse perspectives (for example: geographic, gender balance, worker and employer interests, linguistic profile).

The membership from Employment and Social Development Canada consists of a maximum of 2 representatives who work on policy or legal issues directly related to the SST or who appear as counsel before the SST.

To the extent possible, the external stakeholder group should be representative of diverse perspectives (for example, geographic, gender balance and identity (2SLGBTQI+), linguistic profile, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities and diverse socio economic communities).

Secretariat

The SST’s Corporate Management Directorate will perform secretariat functions in support of the EIACC.