CRA fires 20 employees for improper CERB claims, about 600 under investigation

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) says it has fired 20 employees who "inappropriately" received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number likely to increase as it investigates hundreds of other cases.

A spokesperson for the CRA confirmed the dismissals in a statement to CTVNews.ca Saturday morning.

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"As the CRA is responsible for administering the Income Tax Act and many COVID-19 benefits, the highest standard of employee conduct must be upheld," the spokesperson said.

"The CRA understands the importance of transparency and integrity. The CRA also ensures that both Canadians and its employees are aware that the CRA takes any form of wrongdoing very seriously."

The spokesperson said the agency is investigating a "very limited number" of employees — about 600 or less than one per cent of the CRA's more than 60,000-person workforce.

Some people may have been eligible for the CERB while it was available, the spokesperson said, since the CRA employs people under different types of employment including temporary and student contracts.

"Should misconduct be founded following an investigation, disciplinary actions are relative to the seriousness of the misconduct and any mitigating and aggravating factors. The most egregious cases of misconduct result in the most severe disciplinary measures, up to and including termination of employment. Each review is handled on a case-by-case basis and will have its own outcome," the spokesperson said.

"In addition to the disciplinary measures, serious misconduct could lead to a revocation of an employee's reliability status which is a condition of employment at CRA."

OTHER INELIGIBLE CANADIANS RECEIVED CERB PAYMENTS

Under the CERB program, Canadians could receive up to $2,000 a month in financial support if the measures put in place to control the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada had affected their employment.

Canada's auditor general reported in December that of the estimated $211 billion in COVID-19 aid that the federal government provided, $4.6 billion in overpayments were made to people who were ineligible to receive those funds.

In February following an internal investigation, Employment and Social Development Canada fired 49 employees who received CERB while employed there.

The CRA spokesperson said that the "situation involving such a limited number of our employees in no way undermines the honesty and integrity" of those "who work every day in an exemplary manner to serve Canadians."

"The confidence and trust that individuals and businesses have in the CRA is a cornerstone of Canada's tax system and this is why the CRA has a duty to administer all benefits fairly, to safeguard and protect taxpayer information, and deliver results to Canadians," the spokesperson said.

"At all times, we expect our employees to abide by the CRA's Code of Integrity and Professional Conduct and the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector."