"Career Impact Allowance (CIA), Disability Award increase" as of 1 Apr 2017

[The Bread Guy]

This out today from the VAC Info-machine - I'll leave it for others to let us know more about what it really means for folks getting said benefits ...

The Government of Canada recognizes that when someone joins the military, their whole family serves and when a member leaves the military, we must assist their transition to civilian life. Increasing financial compensation not only provides security, but is part of the Government's acknowledgement of the immense contribution of the Veteran's service to our country.

The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence confirmed today that beginning April 1, 2017, Veterans and their families will begin to receive increased benefits from enhancements announced in Budget 2016. The new Career Impact Allowance (CIA), formally known as Permanent Impairment Allowance, is being expanded to provide increased access to higher grade levels meaning more financial compensation for the most seriously ill and injured Veterans.

The expanded access to the Career Impact Allowance is complemented by the Disability Award which also increased effective April 1, 2017 from a maximum award of $314,724 to $360,000. All Veterans who received a Disability Award since 2006 will receive an additional, tax free lump sum payment adjusted by inflation.

Fulfilling the Budget 2016 commitments was the foundation for the planned improvements announced in Budget 2017 and will provide further support for Veterans including: expanding the Veteran Family Program across all 32 Military Family Resource Centres; creating a new Veterans' Education and Training Benefit; redesigning the Career Transition Services program; enhancing and simplifying support for caregivers; and establishing a Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund.

Quotes

"We understand the significant impact that a permanent illness or injury can have on a Veteran and their families' lives. That is why we decided to make changes to better compensate those who face the biggest challenges as a result of their service to Canada. We want to ensure these Veterans and their families receive the financial security they need. "

Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of the Department of National Defence.

Quick Facts

    No Veteran will have their Career Impact Allowance impairment grade level decreased as a result of these changes.
    Eligibility for the Career Impact Allowance does not change.
    In 2017, the amount payable for grade one is $1,799.87/month, grade two is $1,199.93/month and grade three is $599.96/month.
    The term "totally and permanently incapacitated" (TPI) will also change to "diminished earning capacity" (DEC). Diminished earning capacity means that a Veteran is unable to earn at least 66.7% of their adjusted pre-release salary.
    Veterans who received a Disability Award and are getting monthly program benefits from Veterans Affairs Canada, as well as those who received a Disability Award payment within the last two years will automatically get a letter explaining the amount of their additional lump sum payment by mid-April ...

More info -- Career Impact Allowance and Diminished Earning Capacity and Career Impact Allowance FAQs.

 

[Teager]

The key part in that is "eligibility for the career impact allowance does not change"

Which means many that have careers impacted but don't meet the old PIA criteria this benefit means nothing.

 

[CampCricket]

I read over the CIA criteria on VAC website... appears to be nothing more than a name change. I thought there was a discussion last year to introduce more grade levels so there would actually be an increase based on career impact - but the three grade level qualifiers remained unchanged... so in order to move up from grade 3 to grade 2... I would have care providers assisting me regularly for some of my DA conditions, be in and out of hospitals etc... preventing me from earning 66.5% of my former wage... but nothing about the impact on future earnings and what or where my career would be had I not been blown up in AFG...

Am I reading this right? If so... I don't see any point behind the name change as it does nothing to address lost earnings potential and years I had left in my military career.

 

[umbrella]

Received the letter re: CIA today in myVAC account. Basically it said because my spouse had served over 20 years in the military then his CIA would not be impacted. My understanding is it is only for those who's earning capacity was diminished and left them unable to serve 20+ years. They are not taking into consideration the fact that his last contract was slated to end well into 2026. The letter actually said

"Given you served 20 years or more, your military career was not impacted and therefore does not affect your current grade level"

Needless to say I did not share that part of the letter with him as his career was very much impacted and has left him debilitated. VAC has treated us okay but its wording like this that can really set someone back. IMO

 

[Rifleman62]

Don't know anything about the CIA except what is on VAC's web page

My understanding is it is only for those who's earning capacity was diminished and left them unable to serve 20+ years.

Does anyone know if this is correct? IMHO if the member has a contract to 2026 then their career has been impacted by loss of future earnings with pay rate increase, promotions with increased rate of pay, and most important reduced lifetime indexed pension with survivors benefits.

What criteria is used by VAC to state 20 years is a limitation?

 

[PuckChaser]

Might have something to do with earning a pension after 20 (now 25) years. Seems like a reasonable cut off, as that's a typically full military career. If you haven't hit your peak rank by then, you probably only have one more in you unless you're streaming through succession planning.

 

[Teager]

The problem is if your applying for this benefit you must first meet the original PIA criteria. If you meet that they then look at amount of years cut short and base your grade off that. So if you don't meet the old PIA criteria but have had your career cut short and are very limited in career options civi side you still won't qualify for this.

 

[CampCricket]

I got another letter in my vac account regarding CIA. Looks like they will be looking at my diminished earnings capacity and I will have an assessment done. I decided to see what I could find on DEC and the new CIA

Looks like the criteria to receive the PIA/CIA remains unchanged... so changes in grade levels appear unlikely... what I took away from my readings is that these new changes will make the supplement more accessible to CIA recipients based on DEC

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/help/faq/career-impact-allowance?utm_source=myvacaccount&utm_medium=broadcast&utm_campaign=da040317

Item 15 and 17 are interesting:
-----------------------------------
Q15. How do the changes increase acceptance at a higher grade level?

The new assessment looks at years left to serve based on a military career of 25 years and considers the degree of lost earning capacity (capability of earning adjusted pre-release salary) to determine the appropriate grade level.

Q17. What is the impact of a Veteran’s years left to serve?

VAC will determine how many years of a 25-year career a Veteran has served.
If the Veteran served more than 20 years, that means he/she they had less than 5 years left to serve. The lost military earnings potential does not affect the Veteran’s CIA (PIA) grade level assignment and the Veteran’s CIA (PIA) Grade will remain the same.

If a Veteran served between 0 and 20 years, that means he/she had more than 5 years left to serve. The Veteran’s CIA (PIA) grade could increase, depending on the level of earning capacity.
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I guess it's a waiting game to see what really happens... I'm surprised to hear that some people already got letters stating that doing your 25 years makes you uneligible - as many people would have transitioned to civilian employment and used their military experience and skills to find employment paying similar salaries to their release salaries. Research shows that most retired military members getting out that keep working, have similar paying jobs civi side... so that's a little disheartening if only a 25 year career within the military is the only criteria used... I joined at 18 years - in 1990.  Who would stop working at 43.  I don't know anyone that is physically capable of working that has...

I did the majority of my service as a full time reservist - so I never hit the official 25 year or 9100 days... I was a Pension part 1 contributor... but when I was medically released, I was several years or days short of the 9100 qualifying pensionable days - so it will be interesting to see how my case is handled and if the use only my military career as the bench mark. I will post an update after I go through the DEC reassessment and let you all know what that involves and what the results are - so if there is other criteria involved, then others can use that information to make their own case

 

[Deleted member 101027]

I got a strange email from VAC that said:

We have reviewed your file, applied this new assessment and determined that your benefit will remain the same.

Our assessment showed that you do not have a diminished earning capacity (formerly total and permanent incapacity).

This means that your permanent health problem(s) does not prevent you from being suitably or gainfully employed.

This will not affect any other benefits you receive from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC).

I'm getting mixed messages. I'll call them when I get a chance to clear it all up, but it reads like "we regret to inform you that everything is ok."

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I got the same thing. It is confusing. Especially, since I was originally assessed TPI. Tried to get an answer, left lots of messages, no one has responded.

I also receive a monthly disability award for my hearing. There was no mention of changes to that one when they listed the rest. Still waiting on a response to that query also.

 

[Deleted member 101027]

I spoke with VAC on the phone, they said that nothing has changed. So anyone who got an email like mine, youre most likely still on Career Impact Allowance (CIA).

 

[prairefire]

Does anyone know how long the approval/adjudication process is for the CIA/PIA?

I have asked VAC for a clear answer but I keep getting the standard reply that is not really an answer. My application has been at Stage 3 since February.

 

[Teager]

I'm in the same boat as you. I've been at stage 3 since April 1st of this year. I'm guessing adjudication has a big back log. How long I don't know.

At least I can add another few months to my wait since your ahead of me by a few months and are still waiting.