Applying for the CERB

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I heard part of the covid19 briefing today and spokesperson (I didn’t catch her name) said all Canadians should apply for the CERB.
She said if you qualify for EI then you will get paid by Service Canada and if you don’t then you ge5 paid by the CRA.
I know David doesn’t think people on cppd and LTD would qualify but the rules seem to change daily.
I think most of us could use extra money.
Has anyone been to the website and does it say anything about cppd and LTD?

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I’m speculating here, but it seems unlikely to me that the Federal government would subsidize insurance companies or corporations to the tune of an additional $2K a month. Almost every group LTD plan has the contractual right to offset “income” 100% from your LTD benefit, so anything you receive would be deducted dollar for dollar from your LTD monthly benefit. The CERB benefit is intended to replace lost “employment” income, so I think insurance companies would take the position they can deduct it.

In addition, if your LTD is non-taxable, can you imagine the personal financial impact of replacing $2K of non-taxable income with $2K of taxable CERB??? What a nightmare.

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The website does not reference anyone receiving LTD or any other government benefits. It may have been a generalized comment, but it is a wage replacement for employed Canadians who have lost their jobs because of Covid19.
As for CPPD recipients who still work to the limit of $5700/per year (I think that’s what it is) it would probably be a case by case basis as to whether they are eligible.

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The CERB supports Canadians by providing financial support to employed and self-employed Canadians who are directly affected by COVID-19.

Who can apply:

To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

  • You did not apply for, nor receive, CERB or EI benefits from Service Canada for the same eligibility period
  • You have not quit your job voluntarily
  • You reside in Canada
  • You are 15 years old or more when you apply
  • You earned a minimum of $5,000 income in the last 12 months or in 2019 from one or more of the following sources:
    • employment income
    • self-employment income
    • provincial or federal benefits related to maternity or paternity leave
  • For your first CERB application:
    • You have stopped or will stop working due to reasons related to COVID-19
    • For at least 14 days in a row, during the period you are applying for, you will not receive:
      • employment income
      • self-employment income
      • provincial or federal benefits related to maternity or paternity leave
  • For your subsequent CERB applications:
    • You continue to not work due to reasons related to COVID-19
    • For the 4 week period you are applying for, you will not receive:
      • employment income;
      • self-employment income; or
      • provincial or federal benefits related to maternity or paternity leave.

Doesn’t look like people on LTD or CPP-D can qualify. But you can always try.

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Nothing in the wording posted by Elaine excludes CPP Disability recipients. Eligibility for the CERB seems very clear and straightforward. You have to have earned at least $5000 in 2019 or the last 12 months, that you stopped working (at the job you are currently doing) due to Covid-19, that you earned zero employment income in the 14 consecutive days prior to applying and that you have not already applied for EI. It does not say that your current job has to be full-time or even regular employment and in fact, it includes people who are employed not only part time, but people who barely work at all. $5000 a year is equivalent to someone working 6.45 hours a week at minimum wage. Many people who apply and qualify for the CERB will be getting a monthly benefit well in excess of what they lost in income due to Covid-19.

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