Introduction

One of the objectives of the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC) is to "encourage publication and exchange of information, data development and coordination, and joint studies to enhance mutually beneficial understanding of the laws and institutions governing labor in each Party's territory." To accomplish this objective, the Secretariat of the Commission for Labor Cooperation has prepared this reference manual, which summarizes the main income support programs for workers in the private sector under the laws of Canada, Mexico and the United States. The manual's objective is to provide employees and employers with basic information regarding the main income security programs for workers provided in their respective countries.

Canadian, Mexican and American workers have access to a variety of government benefits and programs that are intended to provide income support and assistance. These include programs which:

• offer workers income support in times of need;
• help workers make the adjustment to changing employment circumstances;
• allow workers some job security while having children;
• give workers a chance to retrain or otherwise make themselves more employable;
• provide income support and medical assistance when workers are sick for reasons not related to their job;
• provide income support and medical assistance if professional injury or illness makes it impossible to work; and
• supplement workers' salaries and incomes.

This manual summarizes the basic features of the programs and benefits most widely available in each country. Many of the programs are too detailed to present in full here. In the United States and Canada, some programs vary between states and provinces. For further information on each program, contact the responsible institution.

The programs described in this manual include unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, disability insurance, severance pay, family support programs, maternity and sick leave, policies concerning wages, and income support programs for workers delivered through the tax system.

It should be noted that in many instances (e.g., severance pay and maternity provisions), employers and unions have negotiated agreements that provide a higher level of benefits than those described here.

The information is presented in the form of answers to important questions that workers or employers might want to ask related to income. Each answer describes the general nature of the benefits, the eligibility conditions, the length of time workers can continue receiving benefits, and who pays for benefits.¹

Most of this information has been published by the institutions responsible in each country. In addition, there are two appendices: Appendix A compares the income benefits available in the three countries and includes information in addition to that presented in the main text; Appendix B defines some of the main terms used.

¹ All monetary benefits are given in the national currency (i.e., Canadian dollars, U.S. dollars or Mexican pesos).