Asking for a lay off

I live in Canada and I’ve been on maternity leave for a year now and I was just getting ready to head back to work but due to covid 19 my work has closed. Businesses are supposed to be opening soon and I want to reach out to my employer about starting back at work, but I’m worried she may not want me there anymore because of everything going on and new protocols put into place (I was her only employee as it’s her own small business) which makes me nervous because I have no back up plan for income.

I’m not eligible for EI as I’m just getting off maturity leave and I can only get CERB if I’m off of work due to covid 19 reasons.

If my employer doesn’t want me back is it rude for me to ask for a lay off so I can collect CERB for income? What does she have to do in order to lay me off? Will it cost her money?