Career Impact Allowance (CIA) and the Career Impact Allowance Supplement (CIAS)

What a joke. 3 months should be the very max anyone waits for any decision. Load of crap.

Hello,

I just wanted to give an update for those who are waiting for a decision on their CIA claims. I phoned VAC this morning and I was told that the VAC Head Office is currently processing CIA claims dated May 2017. The VAC Rep also mentioned that they are processing many claims within the 24 week timeline! (It's not the time to be bragging about hitting the 24 week goal! When the standard turnaround time for CIA applications is suppose to be 12 weeks therefore....No pats on the back for you!)

I have been patiently waiting 28 weeks so far! ( Huh! Not the 24 weeks)
I don't think I will be seeing a decision letter until after Christmas! Does anybody know how long does VAC offices shut down for the holidays? Is it 3 weeks?

Cheers,
By the Bay

Yes you can SaintJohn18182.
It is what I did because I'm fracked.
Get additional documention to support your sit/ before your re-approach though.
i.e. new medical stuff.
pinger

When your percentage has been raised due to reassessments and other injuries being approved.. can You reapply to PIA or CIA or whatever its called to ask for a higher grade?

The problem is, the number of CIA recipients is very low, when compared to the overall number of disabled veterans. Then the number of CIA recipients who have mixed service is even smaller. But it shouldn't have to be a wide spread problem to be fixed. If one Veteran gets short changed, due to improper calculations, that is one too many.

So i have discovered that only one other vet has actually appealed the use use of reserve time as counted one to one against the CIA . So i would suggest that if you have been denied the CIA for this reason you should appeal it soonest . Since VA counts on sick vets to say nothing due to the stress fighting can cause .

I am trying to get a copy of the ombudsman response . but i think i may have to go to the privacy act .

Frustrated - Great handle by the way, describes all of us on here, and VAC dealings. I am in the same boat as you did 24, but 4 was reserve, with very little pension back then. So the bean counters where on crack when they made this up. There is no way they should be taking it as 1 yr reserve - 1 reg when it comes to CIA level. And yes they turned my appeal level down also. Johnny Out,,VVV...

Frustrated you may have more ammo to fight this when the new education benefit is released in April as VAC is going to determine how much time must be served to reach 6 years and 12 years. Whatever they end up using for that calculation should apply across the board.

OK ! the CIA Calculations for the 20< years have been using Reserve time as one to one yet you have not been granted that time to be counted for pentionable time . I just got off the phone with the Ombudsmans office and they have sent a recommendation to my second level appeal stating that there is a systemic flaw in the calculation and that reserve time should not be taken as one to one . the only reserve time that should count in the actual years that you served would be what reserve time that was used in calculating you're pention .
As i found out the ombudsman has no teeth so those of us that have been denied CIA increase due to VA taking oure reserve time as one to one and putting us over the magic 20 year mark need to mention that the Ombudsman disagrees with with the way VA calculates years of service .
we need to fight this !

Apply to everything. If you don't have a case manager request one and they can assist you with all the benefits.

Question .: i have PTSD and i would like to know what should i apply for . Got 3b released over a year ago. Feel like i am in a constant fog reading CIA TPI etc... is PTSD a permanent disability or not ? psychiatrist tells me yes and no !

Thanks

Dear Mr. Danny

Thank you for using MY VAC account and our secure e-mail services.

We are experiencing a very high volume of claims and are working
to process the claims as quickly as possible. We thank you for
your patience as we deal with the high volume of claims.

Your claim is in progress.

Before I "RED ZONE" your claim please choose one of the categories
below and provide detailed information. Your request will be
forwarded to the disability claims unit assigned to your claim.

Categories for "Red Zone" Designation:
Medically at Risk
Unmet Health Need Related to Claimed Condition
Financial Distress

If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact
us again via my vac account, or our toll-free number 1-866-522-2122.

Sincerely,
Derek S.
National Contact Centre Network Analyst
Veteran Affairs Canada

Quick response back, impressive!

Thanks for the quick response teager!
And I have an excellent CMO & had one for the last 6 years!
Trusting  the Government of Canada is not easy, especially after the GOC pension promise fiasco.

No, you don't automatically qualify for the supplement unless you already have the DEC or TPI. If you have that then you would qualify. If you don't have that they will deny it based on not being DEC did that to me. My case manager is sending out DEC paperwork to me for my doctor to fill out. If granted DEC then I can get the supplement. Do you have a case manager? If you don't you should get one/ask for one.