After leaving a Toronto job, you may be focused on your final pay, finding another position and adjusting your household budget. Your Record of Employment deserves attention too, especially if you plan to apply for Employment Insurance.
A Record of Employment, usually called an ROE, contains information about your employment history. Service Canada uses it to assess EI eligibility, payment amounts and the length of benefits. Receiving an ROE does not itself mean that a claim has been approved.
Checking Toronto Records of Employment is most useful when you compare the document with your own records. The aim is to identify specific discrepancies, ask clear questions and avoid delaying an application while paperwork is being resolved.
Find Out Whether Your ROE Is Electronic or Paper
Ask payroll how the employer will issue your record.
An electronic ROE goes directly to Service Canada. You can check for it through My Service Canada Account by selecting “Records of Employment.” The employer does not need to give you a paper original of an electronically submitted record.
A paper ROE requires a different step: you receive the employee’s original copy and must provide it to Service Canada when applying for EI, following the current submission instructions.
A payroll email saying the record is complete is useful, but verify whether it has actually been issued. If you receive a printed copy, ask whether it represents an electronic submission or an original paper ROE.
That distinction can prevent you from waiting for a document that will never arrive by mail.
Do Not Wait for the ROE Before Applying for EI
If you intend to apply for EI regular benefits, submit your application promptly after stopping work.
Federal guidance says you can apply before receiving your ROE. Applying more than four weeks after your last day of work may result in lost benefits.
A missing record and an unresolved correction should therefore be handled alongside the application, rather than becoming reasons to postpone it.
Provide accurate employment details and your explanation of the separation. Required documents can be supplied after applying.
Keep the application confirmation and any instructions about outstanding information. Applying promptly protects your position in the process; it does not guarantee eligibility.
Check the Issuing Deadline Against the Pay Cycle
The deadline is not always five days after your final shift.
For paper ROEs, the federal guide generally requires issuance within five calendar days of the first day of an interruption of earnings or the day the employer becomes aware of it.
For electronic ROEs issued on weekly, biweekly or semi-monthly payroll cycles, the deadline is generally five calendar days after the end of the pay period in which the interruption occurs. Monthly and four-week payroll cycles have a different timing rule.
Ask payroll which pay period applies and when submission is expected. Calendar days include weekends, so avoid substituting “business days” when discussing the deadline.
If the record remains missing after you have requested it, contact Service Canada for guidance. Its after-application instructions tell claimants to contact it when an employer has not issued the requested ROE within the applicable timeframe.
Verify Your Identity and the Employer Details
Before examining the figures, make sure the record belongs to the correct employment relationship.
Check your name and Social Insurance Number carefully. Review the employer’s name and confirm that it matches the organization responsible for your payroll.
A legal company name may differ from the name displayed at the workplace. Ask for clarification if you do not recognize it instead of assuming the record is wrong.
This can be particularly relevant when you worked through an agency, transferred between related businesses or experienced a change of ownership.
Toronto Blog’s guide to SIN verification for job applicants explains the distinction between legitimate payroll reporting and employment-history checks by prospective employers.
Keep the ROE securely stored. If you need to ask a question by email, avoid sending an unprotected copy containing your SIN unless the recipient provides an appropriate submission method.
Compare Employment Dates With Your Records
Look at the dates shown and compare them with your employment agreement, pay statements and work schedule.
Do not assume that every date on the ROE should match the day you received your final bank deposit. Payroll payment dates and the dates associated with employment or paid work can differ.
Prepare a short timeline showing:
- When you began the relevant employment period.
- Your last shift or day worked.
- Any paid leave near the end.
- When you received notice of the separation.
- When final payments were issued.
If a date appears inconsistent, ask payroll what it represents and which records were used.
For example, a useful question is: “My schedule shows that I worked on October 3, but the record appears to end earlier. Could you review the dates against the attached time record?”
Review Insurable Hours and Earnings Separately
Hours and earnings serve different purposes. A payment total does not explain how many insurable hours were reported, and your net bank deposits are not a substitute for gross payroll information.
Employers are responsible for accurately recording insurable hours, gross earnings and money paid or payable on separation.
Gather pay statements and any reliable time records covering the relevant period. If you worked changing shifts or received corrections to earlier pay, include those details when asking payroll to review the figures.
Do not estimate missing hours solely by dividing total pay by an hourly rate. Overtime, paid leave and other payments can make that calculation misleading.
Ask for an explanation of the period covered and how the totals were calculated. A difference is a reason to investigate, rather than immediate proof of an error.
Check the Reason for Issuing the Record
The ROE includes a reason code. Federal options distinguish circumstances such as shortage of work, quitting, dismissal, illness and leave.
Compare the reason with what actually happened and the documents you received.
If the employer describes the departure as a resignation but you believe the position was eliminated, request clarification using the notice letter and relevant correspondence. Keep the account factual.
Do not ask the employer to choose a more favourable code if it would misrepresent the circumstances. Accurate reporting is the goal.
A dismissal code also does not automatically establish misconduct for EI purposes. Federal guidance explains that Service Canada must examine the facts; dismissal and misconduct are not interchangeable.
If you disagree with the employer’s account, provide your own explanation to Service Canada.
Identify Payments Made After the Original ROE
Your employer may issue additional money after preparing the record.
Ask payroll whether a later payment requires an amendment. The federal ROE guide requires employers to amend issued records when information needs correction or updating, including certain additional payments on separation.
Keep final pay statements, payment explanations and any updated agreement together. Tell Service Canada about relevant payments through its required process rather than assuming the employer’s amendment completes all your reporting responsibilities.
Do not assume that the amount deposited into your account shows how a payment will be treated for EI. Ask Service Canada how the payment affects your particular claim.
Request Corrections With Specific Evidence
Send payroll a concise written request identifying the disputed detail and supporting record.
For example:
“I am reviewing my ROE issued on October 8. My pay statement shows an additional payment that I cannot identify on the record. Could you confirm how it was reported and whether an amended ROE is required?”
Attach only the material needed to explain the question. Ask when you can expect a response.
The employer issues an amended ROE where required; you should not alter the official document yourself.
Save the original, the correspondence and the amended version. If the employer does not respond or disputes the information, contact Service Canada and explain what remains unresolved.
Keep Track of Every Employer Relevant to the Claim
Someone who held several jobs may need more than one ROE assessed. The EI application asks for employment details from the past 52 weeks or since the start of the previous claim, whichever period is shorter.
Create a checklist of employers, employment dates, ROE status and outstanding questions.
This is especially helpful if you recently changed jobs or worked for more than one organization at the same time. Do not assume the newest record contains earlier employment.
While gathering documents, review your budget using Toronto Blog’s monthly expenses guide. Keep expected EI payments separate from confirmed income while the claim is being assessed.
Official Resources
Use these government pages for current instructions:
- Service Canada: About Records of Employment
- Federal ROE guide: Deadlines, fields and amendments
- EI regular benefits: Applying
- EI regular benefits: Checking records after applying
Note: This article provides general information, not an EI eligibility decision or legal advice. ROE deadlines and reporting requirements depend on the circumstances and format. Confirm unresolved information with payroll and Service Canada, and apply promptly rather than waiting for missing paperwork.
