Physician's Guide - Working while receiving benefits
Erratum in Physician's Guide - Working While Receiving Benefits
In the section entitled "Will CPP help my patients with vocational rehabilitation?".
Many CPP disability beneficiaries want to be involved in work activity, but are concerned that this may lead to CPP stopping their benefits. Your patients can continue to receive benefits while they:
- do volunteer work,
- attend school,
- take part in a re-training program.
Beneficiaries can earn up to $4,000 before taxes from employment (in 2004), without having to report the income to CPP and without losing their benefits. Please note that this amount may increase every year. Once this amount is earned, your patient should contact CPP to discuss his or her current work situation and future work goals. If your patient can only work once in a while, he or she may be allowed to earn more than $4,000 while receiving CPP benefits. If your patient is able to work on a regular basis, CPP will explain the process for returning to work, including such supports as vocational rehabilitation.
There is no fixed dollar amount at which benefits are automatically stopped. Because everyone's medical condition and capacity for work is unique, each case is considered individually. CPP looks at your patient's medical information, pattern of work, number of hours worked and earnings before reaching a decision on his or her benefits. If your patient's benefits have stopped and he or she is having difficulty staying at work because of the disability, CPP benefits can be quickly reinstated provided certain conditions are met.
Will CPP help my patients with vocational rehabilitation?
Note: Some of the information in this section contain errors. Please refer to the Erratum at the end of this document to view the updated content of this section.
Yes. CPP Vocational Rehabilitation is a voluntary program designed to help people receiving CPP disability benefits return to work.
To qualify for CPP vocational rehabilitation, a candidate must be:
- medically stable;
- considered by a physician to be a suitable participant for a work-related rehabilitation program;
- motivated and willing to participate;
- living in Canada; and
- selected by the CPP Disability Vocational Rehabilitation Program.
When a person reveiving CPP disability benefits applies to be considered for vocational rehabilitation, a case manager completes an initial case assessment. He or she will inform you of your patient's interest in and potential readiness to consider vocational rehabilitation. As the treating physician, you will be asked for your assessment of your patient's readiness to participate in work activities.
Your patient will continue to receive CPP disability benefits during the rehabilitation period. CPP may also help pay for assessments, counseling, guidance, transportation, training, and other vocational rehabilitation expenses, such as tuition and books.
Once the rehabilitation program is complete, participants are granted a three-month job-search period. This can be extended up to one year in exceptional circumstances. CPP also allows a work trial period while participants get established in a job. If the work experience is successful, the participant continues to work, and disability benefits are stopped.
CPP works cooperatively with the medical community. If you have a patient receiving CPP disability benefits who might benefit from or be interested in this program, please call 1 800 461-3422.
Erratum in Physician's Guide - Working While Receiving Benefits
In the section entitled "Will CPP help my patients with vocational rehabilitation?".
Yes. CPP Vocational Rehabilitation is a voluntary program designed to help people receiving CPP disability benefits return to work.
To qualify for CPP vocational rehabilitation, a candidate must be:
- medically stable;
- considered by a physician to be a suitable participant for a work-related rehabilitation program;
- motivated and willing to participate;
- living in Canada; and
- selected by the CPP Disability Vocational Rehabilitation Program.
When a person reveiving CPP disability benefits applies to be considered for vocational rehabilitation, a case manager completes an initial case assessment. He or she will inform you of your patient's interest in and potential readiness to consider vocational rehabilitation. As the treating physician, you will be asked for your assessment of your patient's readiness to participate in work activities.
Your patient will continue to receive CPP disability benefits during the rehabilitation period. CPP may also help pay for assessments, counseling, guidance, transportation, training, and other vocational rehabilitation expenses, such as tuition and books.
Once the rehabilitation program is complete, participants are granted a three-month job-search period. This can be extended up to one year in exceptional circumstances. CPP also allows a work trial period while participants get established in a job. If the work experience is successful, the participant continues to work, and disability benefits are stopped.
CPP works cooperatively with the medical community. If you have a patient receiving CPP disability benefits who might benefit from or be interested in this program, please call 1 800 277-9914.