Mr. T. THOMSONasked the Minister of Labour whether, in the case of the bankruptcy of an employer who has previously deducted from wages an employé's contributions towards the Unemployment Insurance Fund but omitted to stamp the card, the insured workman is treated as having lost the benefit towards which deductions have been made from his wages owing to the subsequent bankruptcy of the employer?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDIn the circumstances described in the question contributions have not been paid and cannot be credited. The Department would, wherever practicable, make a claim in the bankruptcy proceedings, and under the Unemployment Insurance Acts such a claim would have priority in respect of contributions for four months. I should add that the employer making deductions without first stamping the unemployment books infringes the law, unless he has made a special arrangement with the Department for postponed stamping and has paid a deposit to cover the period of postponement.