The program provides low-income essential workers with a wage top-up of up to $4.00 per hour for 16 weeks. All services identified as critical or essential in the Guidelines for the delivery of critical, essential and other services are eligible.
The Yukon Essential Workers Income Support Program has been extended to February 15, 2021. The program provides low-income essential workers with a wage top-up of up to $4.00 per hour for 16 weeks. All services identified as critical or essential in the Guidelines for the delivery of critical, essential and other services are eligible.
The Yukon Essential Workers Income Support Program is available to both full time and part time employees. Employers must apply on behalf of their staff and may choose when the 16 week benefit is applied between October 15, 2020 and February 15, 2021. Essential workers who received the benefit during the initial program period are once again eligible for the program.
To date more than 100 businesses have received more than $1.2 million in funding, benefiting more than 1,300 employees.
"This wage top-up has been so important to Yukon’s essential workers and we are happy to extend it. I strongly encourage employers to register for this program. Yukon workers providing essential services have continued to come to work despite the stresses and risk of interacting with the public, and we thank them for supporting all Yukoners through these challenging times." Minister of Economic Development Ranj Pillai
Employers can contact the Department of Economic Development to start an application:
- Email: ecdev@gov.yk.ca
- Phone: 867-456-3803
- Toll-free: 1-800-661-0408, extension 3803
Employees using this program must not have accessed the Canada Recovery Benefit during the same period.

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