The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has announced the conclusion of an internal investigation into employees who improperly applied for and received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) while working at the agency. Launched in June 2023, the investigation identified 330 workers who were terminated as a result.
The CRA’s probe revealed that of the approximately 600 cases reviewed, 185 employees were not dismissed. Among these, 40 faced other disciplinary actions, such as suspensions, while others were either no longer with the CRA or were found to be victims of identity theft. Importantly, at least 135 employees were confirmed eligible for CERB, and no disciplinary measures were applied to them.
The CRA clarified that employment with the agency does not inherently disqualify individuals from receiving CERB, which provided financial assistance to Canadians impacted by the pandemic. Employees found to have inappropriately received CERB payments are required to repay the funds.
While the majority of cases have been addressed, a few remain under review, particularly those involving employees on medical or extended unpaid leave. The CRA emphasized the importance of maintaining public trust and integrity, asserting that the actions of a small number of employees should not tarnish the reputation of the agency as a whole.
This investigation comes in light of previous issues, including a significant breach in which thousands of CRA accounts were hacked, leading to fraudulent CERB applications and prompting a major class-action lawsuit against the Canadian government.
