My employer has not supplied the ROE: what should my follow-up say?

Identify which document is missing

A Record of Employment (ROE) is a federal employment-history record that Service Canada uses to decide Employment Insurance (EI) eligibility, benefit amounts, and payment duration. It is not a recommendation letter, nor is it a provincial severance statement. Before following up, confirm whether the employer issued the ROE electronically or on paper. Electronic ROEs are submitted through ROE Web or Secure Automated Transfer; paper ROEs are given to the employee, sent to Service Canada, and kept by the employer. If you are unsure which format applies, ask the employer directly. Community concerns about a delayed document do not establish that benefits are unavailable, nor do they prove that an employer’s explanation is correct.

Use a short, specific records request

Write a concise message that states your employment dates, your last day of work, the specific document you are requesting (the ROE), and the contact channel where you want a reply. Ask whether an electronic ROE has been submitted to Service Canada, and if so, how you can obtain or check it—for example, through your My Service Canada Account. Keep a copy of your request and any acknowledgement you receive. Send identifying details through a verified employer channel, such as a known HR email or portal, and do not include unnecessary financial information like bank account numbers. This request is about the ROE only; do not mix in other complaints.

If dates or reasons appear wrong

If the ROE contains a date or reason for separation that you believe is incorrect, list the specific field, what you believe is correct, and the supporting records you have (such as pay stubs, emails, or a termination letter). Ask the employer about amending the ROE; if the employer does not correct it, inform Service Canada through its established process. Describe actual events rather than selecting a more favourable reason, because eligibility is decided from the applicable rules and the facts. Do not ask the employer to change the reason to something that did not happen.

Do not combine every issue into one dispute

Keep ROE requests, EI application confirmation, final-pay questions, and any release negotiation in separate folders or threads. Service Canada states that required documents can follow an application, so if the ROE is missing, you can still apply for EI and then provide the ROE later. Seek Service Canada’s help promptly rather than waiting indefinitely for the employer. For each issue, note the reference number, the outstanding item, and the next action date. This separation helps you track progress and avoids delaying one process because another is unresolved.

How to check the ROE status

Check electronic ROEs through My Service Canada Account. If the employer says an electronic record was submitted but it is not visible, keep that response and ask Service Canada about the missing record through its employee EI process. For a paper ROE, ask the employer for your copy and follow the relevant submission instructions. Keep the application moving rather than waiting indefinitely for a document to appear. A missing record and a disputed field are separate questions.

What to do if the employer does not respond

If the employer does not respond, keep the dates and methods of your requests and seek Service Canada’s help through the EI enquiry or application process. If you already applied, have the application reference and missing-document details ready. Ask what records can be supplied now and what remains outstanding. Do not assume an employer’s silence is a benefits decision, or that asking again pauses a deadline.

Hypothetical illustration

Hypothetical illustration: an employee has applied for EI but cannot find the electronic ROE. HR says it was submitted. The employee keeps that response, checks My Service Canada Account and contacts Service Canada with the application reference and employment dates. The useful question is what further record is needed and how to supply it. Separately, the employee records a final-pay discrepancy. Neither process is treated as automatically resolved, and no completion time is promised.

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