PIA changing to CIA

[Teager]

Here are the proposed changes.

The Government of Canada is proposing an enhancement to expand access to the Permanent Impairment Allowance (PIA). This monthly allowance is paid to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans who have a permanent and severe impairment resulting from a service-related injury or illness that has affected their employment potential and career advancement.

The Permanent Impairment Allowance is payable at three grade levels. A number of factors are considered when assessing the grade level of a Veteran eligible for PIA.

The proposed changes would measure the factors related to employability and career advancement, by introducing an individual functional capacity assessment. The assessment would measure the impact a service-related impairment has on a Veteran’s career advancement opportunities, and consider years of service, to determine Permanent Impairment Allowance grade level. No Veteran will receive less money as a result of this assessment.

If approved, this proposed enhancement to the Permanent Impairment Allowance will come into effect on April 1, 2017. At that time, the program name will also be changed to Career Impact Allowance (from Permanent Impairment Allowance) to better reflect the intent of the program, which is to compensate for loss of employment potential and career advancement opportunities.

The proposed changes deliver directly on the mandate commitments of the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence. They are among the first steps in working to improvement benefits and services offered to Canadian Armed Forces members, Veterans and their families.

Example of a Veteran who could benefit from this change:

Kimberly is a Veteran who released after four years in the military. She meets the eligibility requirements for the Permanent Impairment Allowance (PIA) due to a service-related injury. Based on the current method of assigning grade levels, Kimberly has been assigned a grade three PIA. With the new individual assessment, which would take into account Kimberly’s assessed earning capacity and the fact that her military career was cut short and therefore she lost military career advancement opportunities, she would receive additional funds.

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/about-us/legislation/proposed-changes

 

[Capt Caveman]

It sounds like a promising change.  My only concern is that they will lose sight of the fact that most  retire, take on a second career and then power save in order to have sufficient savings to augment their pension when they finally stop working.  My worry is that VAC will consider someone being medically released after 30 years as not being in need of financial assistance since they were at the end of their career and have earned an unreduced annuity and either block them from the allowance or greatly reduce it.  I just hope that they factor in that many retire and continue to work for another 15+ years when they develop the policy.

C.C.