Nearly 300 CRA Employees Dismissed for Wrongfully Claiming CERB Benefits

Published On: February 4, 2025

In a shocking revelation, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has dismissed nearly 300 employees after an internal investigation found they had wrongfully claimed the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). This incident has raised serious concerns about integrity, oversight, and ethical responsibility within government institutions.

With the CRA responsible for administering CERB during the COVID-19 pandemic, this case highlights the challenges of balancing rapid crisis response with strong accountability measures.

CRA Employee Firings

Details	Information
Number of employees fired	Nearly 300
Reason for termination	Wrongfully claiming CERB despite being ineligible
CERB Overview	$2,000/month aid for workers affected by COVID-19
Investigation Scope	600 CRA employees reviewed
Repayment Requirement	Fired employees must repay the CERB amounts

The CRA has emphasized that these firings do not reflect the majority of its workforce, but it underscores the need for stronger internal oversight.

Who Was Eligible?

The Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) was introduced in March 2020 to provide financial aid to workers who lost income due to the pandemic. The program granted $2,000 per month to eligible individuals.

CERB Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for CERB, individuals needed to:

Be at least 15 years old and residing in Canada.
Have lost income due to COVID-19-related reasons.
Have earned at least $5,000 in 2019 or in the 12 months prior to applying.
Not have voluntarily quit their job.

While some CRA employees were eligible, those fired were found to be ineligible, raising concerns about fraud and mismanagement.

Investigation

In June 2023, the CRA launched an internal investigation into its own employees. The review examined 600 employees, with 289 found to be ineligible for CERB and subsequently fired.

Some employees continued working while claiming CERB.
Others failed to meet income loss requirements.
A few employees may have claimed CERB multiple times.

It’s worth noting that 135 CRA employees were confirmed eligible due to temporary or part-time contracts that resulted in income loss.

CRA’s Response

CRA spokesperson Charles Drouin stated that the agency takes any form of wrongdoing very seriously and remains committed to maintaining integrity within the organization.

Wider Implications

The CERB program was created in an emergency, leading to rapid deployment but insufficient oversight. A 2022 Auditor General report found that:

$4.6 billion in COVID-19 benefits were overpaid to ineligible recipients.
Some individuals applied multiple times or continued receiving payments despite improving financial situations.
Fraudulent claims and mismanagement were major challenges.

The fact that government employees misused CERB—while also enforcing tax and benefit laws—raises questions about accountability and ethical responsibility.

Lessons for the Future

The CRA needs better internal monitoring to ensure employees do not exploit government programs they help administer.

Improving Fraud Detection

Future benefit programs should include:
Real-time income verification to detect fraudulent claims.
Stronger eligibility checks before approving payments.
AI-driven fraud detection tools.

Rebuilding Public Trust

The CRA must:
Hold wrongdoers accountable and ensure funds are repaid.
Enhance transparency in managing taxpayer money.
Demonstrate commitment to ethical governance.

The firing of nearly 300 CRA employees for wrongfully claiming CERB is a major scandal that highlights the risks of mismanaging government assistance programs.

While the majority of CRA employees serve Canadians with integrity, this incident raises critical questions about oversight, fraud prevention, and ethical conduct. Moving forward, the CRA must tighten its internal controls, strengthen fraud detection, and rebuild public trust in government institutions.