Part time employment

I am receiving CPPD and I live in Newfoundland. The cost of living has increased (for me) by roughly 40% due to the pandemic. I am looking into part time work in my old profession. If I stay within the limits of what we are allowed to make, are there restrictions on what work I am “allowed” to do? Thanks in advance.

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As long as you stay under the limit (which is 10% of YMPE, or $6,660 for 2023), you should be fine. The requirements for CPP disability are:

*** have a mental or physical disability that regularly stops you from doing any type of substantially gainful work**
*** have a disability that is long-term and of indefinite duration, or is likely to result in death**

The keyword there is “substantially gainful work”. It’s pretty hard to have substantially gainful work and only earn $6,660. That would be roughly 8 hours a week at minimum wage.

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Thanks. I played music for a living for 4 decades before physical and psychological issues made CPPD a necessity. I may have to use medication to play again occasionally as the cost of living post pandemic is so high.

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Be cautious because if you go over the 10% YME $6,600 (as Adam correctly says), then you open yourself up to investigation by Service Canada. They are getting more aggessive on this over past year. If you show ability to earn income above $6,600 they will start to investigate whether you have capability to earn over $17k or so, which is the level where you are deemed to be “gainfully employed” according to CPPD.

If at any poine you want to explore earning more than $6600 (in 2023), but less than $17,000, the you would want to contact Service Canada and have them put you in their vocational rehabilitation program. When you are working in the context of that program you will have more flexibility and they won’t come down on you.


David Brannen

Disability Lawyer with Resolute Legal

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Thanks David (not sure if I replied or not)!