CERB - Your thoughts on having to pay back

[cory_c]

Hello. As we all know Covid has sideswiped people across the nation in different ways. Many that are left standing are now faced with being asked by the CRA to repay CERB benefit payments. Question: After checking out eligibility on the CRA's website (or maybe you spoke to a CRA agent) were you convinced that you truly qualified for CERB?

Feel free to share your story.  BTW...Here's a petition you may consider signing: http://chng.it/M5kJfkTPJb

[cory_c]

Good for you! Congratulations on your promotion. The current second lock-down is devastating main street businesses so my aim is to support those in my area as much as I can. I figure that if any of them mistakenly applied for CERB, they should not have to pay any penalties.

[rhbcc]

WFH since the pandemic started and didnt lose my job either rather I got a promotion a few weeks ago. The Lord is good.

Now re: OP - people need led the money to get through while some abused it and more. They would still have to pay for it come tax time with penalties and what not. What comes around goes around. Nothing is for free. Either we pay for it in the form of higher taxes or repay in the end. 

[cory_c]

In speaking to a couple of people, who I know are self-employed, they have not received the second round of letters. I also spoke to an accountant who has informed me that he does not know of anyone who has received follow-up letters (?).

[yanzhiqiang]

I have been working from start to almost finish this year. I am very glad I didn't lose my job and no need for CERB.

[ashleyskye]

Most of the people I know who are asked to pay back CERB are people with disabilities who ran their own part time businesses. Many people, including myself, developed mental health conditions after being laid off. For the record, I did not apply for CERB, but I know many people who look healthy enough but are definitely not.

[darlicious]

The group of Canadians currently being sent letters from the CRA asking that they pay back CERB before the end of the year ( to avoid any additional taxes, penalties and/or fees) for the most part are being asked to do so because of poor wording in the information section the CRA provided on whether you qualify or not. This mainly affects self employed or small business people

Edit: dang cat managed to step on post.....not finished

[Korth]

Some of us continue working without ever collecting CERB.

I've met some people who collect CERB. Because they have reasonable health concerns are are simply unable to work, just no work available.

But I've also met a surprising number of people who collect CERB without (in my opinion) "qualifying" for it. Perfect health, prime of life, no worries about children or families, quite able to work for employers who are quite able to give them minimum-risk minimum-exposure work. They're just not working. They never admit it, of course, but they're basically just getting free money for being lazy. There's not a whole lot of motivation to work hard at a low-pay job when you have an option to "earn" just as much doing nothing.

To me this is a failing in the CERB administration system. Not really a failing in the people who choose to exploit it.

But regardless who or what is to blame I don't feel it's fair for working, taxpaying people (like me) to continue supporting freeloaders. In simplest terms, I think you must be able to prove that you can't work or that covid is a direct health concern to you (or your dependents) ... and if you can't submit such proof then you should expect to pay Canada (Canadian taxpayers) back the support you received.