[News] CSEC announces an income bridge support program for part time employees

[sureLoss]

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/csec...es/c-316170828

To all Calgary Sports and Entertainment part-time employees,

It has been a very challenging week for all of us. We appreciate your support and understanding as further events unfold. We may not get everything right, out of the gate, but we can assure you that we will continue to work hard to do what is right for all of our Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corporation family.

The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to cause great uncertainly for everyone. We continue to monitor the situation and evaluate any and all options that we may be able to undertake to help us navigate this very fluid situation.

Subsequent to the release of our previous communication, we have obtained a number of additional pieces of information including communicating directly with many part-time employees. This has prompted us to reach out to you today and advise that we will now be adopting an income bridge support program for qualifying employees.

This program will provide part time employees who are affected by this temporary halt in our operations and are applying for and are eligible to receive Employment Insurance (EI) benefits to receive a top up payment from CSEC, which will provide an overall benefit of up to 95% of your regular average insurable earnings (which is the maximum allowable by Service Canada), to the conclusion of the Flames regular season. If you are not eligible to receive EI benefits due to not working sufficient hours you will receive the equivalent CSEC top up portion.

[TheScorpion]

It's about time they did something. I'm disappointed that this wasn't their initial decision, but at least they aren't doubling down like the Jets did.

Still they've lost a lot of goodwill in my books.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

https://www.nhl.com/flames/news/csec...es/c-316170828

Subsequent to the release of our previous communication, we have obtained a number of additional pieces of information including communicating directly with many part-time employees being mercilessly shamed online. This has prompted us to reach out to you today and advise that we will now be adopting an income bridge support program for qualifying employees.

[agulati]

About ####ing time. This will not necessarily get rid of the image that has been tarnished, but prevents it from getting worse.

[AC]

EI eligible employees only.

So the bare minimum to try and save face.

Edit: "Top up" for non EI employees. Hopefully that makes a big difference.

[scobel]

It is sad it took them this long to release some type of program, but I do give them a break on this as just like the rest of us, this is unprecedented circumstance and we are all learning on what to do.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by AC

EI eligible employees only.

So the bare minimum to try and save face.

And now you get to go hat in hand to beg for money from your employer knowing if it was up to them you'd be getting nothing.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by AC

EI eligible employees only.

So the bare minimum to try and save face.

I wonder how large the contingent of employees is of whom this does not cover.

[agulati]

Originally Posted by AC

EI eligible employees only.

So the bare minimum to try and save face.

They do say this

If you are not eligible to receive EI benefits due to not working sufficient hours you will receive the equivalent CSEC top up portion.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by AC

EI eligible employees only.

So the bare minimum to try and save face.

Not quite.

Non-EI people just get the CSEC portion of the top up. So CSEC is giving each employee the same amount per hour per the above release.

[sureLoss]

nm covered

[AC]

Originally Posted by agulati

They do say this

Good catch. Hopefully that top up is sufficient in helping bridge the gap.

[AustinL_NHL]

Amazing job by the Flames' community to pressure the greedy owners into doing the right thing.

They may have finally caved, but the damage is already done. Not only have they ruined their public image, they've lost the trust and support of many fans, which will cost them dearly.

[Torture]

So basically CSEC is paying about 45% of their salaries. 55% from EI.
Pretty much the same as Edmonton is doing.

Have we heard anything about what is happening to the GoFundMe $$?

[TheScorpion]

If it were up to me I'd still give the workers the GoFundMe money

There's no such thing as too much money in this instance

[AC]

Phew. Thanks for the corrections, glad to hear it.

Still, as I said originally this was inevitable due to the bad PR. Doesn't fix the fact they took the wrong stance when many other teams were eagerly doing the right thing.

[N-E-B]

This seemed like such an easy thing to get right the first time. It’s good they’re doing it now but still embarrassing it took two tries to get here.

[Hey Connor, It's Mess]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

It's about time they did something. I'm disappointed that this wasn't their initial decision, but at least they aren't doubling down like the Jets did.

Still they've lost a lot of goodwill in my books.

It could very well have been their initial decision privately and it required the necessary leg work behind the scenes to set it up properly.

[SOMBRI2]

Thank you, Mr. Bean!!

[Trojan97]

Call me petty but this changes nothing in my eyes. Good on them for caving to public pressure and the negative publicity but the damage has been done. Between the threats of moving the team over the arena and now this, they can go #### themelves.

Happy the staff will be somewhat taken care of tho regardless of how it happens.