Question was: So if Manulife is not cutting the ELB checks to the member are they giving the ELB money to VAC for them to deposit to the injured member? If so then maybe a further edit on the VVi is required to clarify because now the impression is VAC is paying the ELB as if they are the insurance carrier for DND because you put in brackets (not) cutting checks for the ELB
Answer: In answer, Manulife is a service provider for SISIP FS and through SISIP, Manulife administers the Long Term Disability and Vocational Rehab programs. Neither Manulife nor SISIP provide any funding to VAC and the only financial connection between the organizations is the SISIP offset for pensions under the Pension Act. No other VAC funds are offset by SISIP so things like VIP allowances under the pension act, lump sums under the NVC, Earning Loss Benefits under the NVC or any other allowances VAC may be providing are not subject to SISIP offset; only the Pension Act pensions, which as we all know are currently the subject of a Class Action lawsuit.
Perhaps the confusion over is related to the NVC. Entry to the supports available through the NVC can be obtained in one of two ways. First, any member being medically released from the CF may make application to VAC for support under the NVC within 120 days of release and second, any veteran who has been released for more than 120 days from the CF may make application to the NVC if that veteran has a VAC determined Rehab need related to a service injury (the Rehab need can be medical, psychosocial or vocational). In both cases, on receipt of application VAC will make a determination if the veteran has a Rehab need under the terms of the NVC and if one exists then that veteran may be eligible for financial support such as ELB or access to other supports such as Public Service Health Care Plan or Vocational Rehab. VAC is supposed to be the last payer so if a member is being supported by SISIP Voc Rehab then VAC should not be providing Rehab support or if the veteran is receiving SISIP Long Term Disability benefits VAC will not pay the ELB. The VAC ELB is a taxable top up to 75% of gross military pay at release with offsets for other sources of income. Those sources are identified as CPP, CFSA, VAC Pensions under the Pension Act, employment income and SISIP LTD benefits. Consequently if a veteran is already being topped up to 75% of pay at release by SISIP, VAC will have no need to provide ELB. There have been cases where on release VAC has begun to pay ELB without confirming SISIP LTD is in place. In those cases the veteran then ends up in an overpayment situation with VAC and will have to deal with them as they effect a recovery of the overpayment. This will have no effect on the SISIP benefits as SISIP does not offset for ELB from VAC.
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