CRA fires 20 employees, investigating hundreds more for claiming CERB while working for tax agency
CRA fires 20 employees, investigating hundreds more for claiming CERB while working for tax agency
Late Friday, a spokesperson confirmed the organization was investigating 600 of its workers suspected of 'inappropriately' receiving the $2,000-per-month CERB
It would have been so much simpler and cheaper to just make CERB apply universally instead of still chasing after people who "cheated" the rules three years after the fact.
I know a lot of people who thought they were eligible and learned come tax season that they weren't. The communications surrounding CERB were messy and unclear, with eligibility criteria seemingly changing daily.
The criteria was clearly defined on the website at the time. I remember looking it up, and I didn't qualify, so I didn't apply.
How did people apply without seeing the criteria written out on the page they were applying on? I guess some people were thinking "free money!" and didn't bother to read the page.
The goal was to make sure people got the money they needed and they didn't have the resources to look over the applications closely. Justin Trudeau clearly said something to the effect of "Yes it's possible to get the CERB if you don't actually qualify, but don't that."
It was very clear to me at the time that a) I didn't qualify b) I could apply anyway and get the money even though I didn't qualify c) They would be checking later and I'd have to pay it back if I didn't qualify
I think people got thinking about part b) and didn't understand part c) would happen someday.
Yeah, I remember helping people look up the rules. JT was very clear, as was everyone else involved in the program. The point was helping people who needed it now^1. There was no verification at the time. They would go through and identify those who didn't qualify later, when the emergency had passed.
I have little sympathy for people who were fully employed at the time, applied, and then play dumb. Sure, if you were on some modified work schedule or work sharing thing... it was a weird time. People could have been confused. It was always 100% clear from the start that it was meant from those who were being furloughed, laid off, put on unpaid leave, etc.
^1 Well not now now, but then now.
Most people lack basic research skills in the best of times, and the start of the COVID pandemic was not the best of times. A lot of people were in situations where receiving CERB would have made sense, as in they definitely needed it, yet they were not technically eligible. I can't really blame someone who's stressed out, socially isolated, and out of a job seeing a program to help people through the pandemic and automatically applying, thinking "This must apply to me!"
I have no idea what it said on the website because, at the time, I had no internet at home, the library was closed and there are no public access points anywhere around. So I did what I always do, make application over the phone. That was a disaster zone of incomplete, incorrect, inconsistent, and occasionally incoherent instructions and alternate phone numbers.
Based on the fact that nobody has come chasing me for money, I'm guessing that I must have legitimately qualified.
One of the biggest problems with CERB was that you didn't have to apply for it specifically.
I happened to be out of work for a short time and applied for regular EI. They automatically gave me CERB then fucked me over with a surprise $2k bill a year later.
I just finished paying that off 2 months ago.
I know a lot of people who thought they were eligible and learned come tax season that they weren’t.
I know people who weren't sure, called the CRA, got told they were eligible, then still get chased because the employee they spoke to was full of shit.
A weird mix of bureaucracy and idiocracy.I know a lot of people who thought they were eligible and learned come tax season that they weren't.
Happened to my brother who had his hours slashed to almost nothing. He applied and received the money, but was then told even though his pay was reduced significantly he still made too much to qualify (over $1,000 per month). I don't believe the per month limit was in place when he originally applied.
I have a hard time seeing how doubling or tripling CERB eligibility would be cheaper. Are you saying that administering the program cost more than the benefits delivered?
One of the biggest problems with CERB was that you didn't have to apply for it specifically.
I happened to be out of work for a short time and applied for regular EI. They automatically gave me CERB then fucked me over with a surprise $2k bill a year later.
I just finished paying that off 2 months ago.
During the pandemic, public servants were safe from firings and business closings.
The fact that these individuals double dipped and took from the pot meant to go to the ones that truly needed it boils my blood.
Same goes for all the corporations who exploited loopholes to get relief funds they didn’t need while laying off their employees.
Note that the rules were very unclear at first and I'm sure most weren't full time or indeterminate workers... Heck, where I worked back then we were first told to apply for the new program instead of EI even if we were eligible for EI... It took a while before it became clear who could apply!
While I agree at the start it was confusing, it really should have been clearly understood that if you are working full time in the government (as a casual, term, or indeterminate) then these funds were not for them.
The whole purpose was in the name so there is absolutely zero pity for any gov worker who took CERB.
Don't they have issues with their Phoenix pay system? Could that be why they applied?
I kid. But seriously though, I hope they find them all and sack em.
I mean, I don’t see the problem with this? People fucked up, it’s not necessarily malicious. They have to pay it back anyhow.