Compensation options for ill and injured Reservists

Definition

You are considered on Class C on Special Duty Service when you are serving, training, or traveling in a Special Duty Area or as part of a Special Duty Operation. The Minister of National Defence may designate such areas or operations where members are, or may be, exposed to conditions of elevated risk.^{Footnote 1}

Benefits

If you are on Class C on Special Duty Service^{Footnote 2}  that has not yet expired, an extension of Class C service may be authorized. It is your employing unit Commanding Officer’s responsibility to advise Director Causality Support Management about the extension requirement and the required extension duration. Under this extension, you are entitled to pay and continued medical care provided by the Canadian Armed Forces according to the Spectrum of Care.  For more information on medical care entitlements for Class C Reservists, read Health Care for Reservists. 

Eligibility

To be eligible, your service-related injury or illness must have occurred while on Class C on Special Duty Service. The required documents must be completed and submitted before the end of your Class C on Special Duty Service.

For details on eligibility, consult the following sites:

• Extension of Class C Reserve Service for a personnel whose injury or illness was sustained on Special Duty Service (SDS),
• Compensation and Benefits Instruction Chapter 210.72 (13) – “Reserve Force – Compensation During a Period of Injury, Disease or Illness”, and
• CANFORGEN 174/07 – “Extension of Class C Reserve Service for Personnel Whose Injury or Illness was Sustained on Special Duty Service” (INTRANET).

If you were injured or became ill while on Class C on Special Duty Service, but the injury or illness was not diagnosed before the termination of the Class C period of service, you may be eligible for Reserve Force Compensation or benefits under the Government Employees Compensation Act. You remain eligible for Canadian Armed Forces care only for your service-related injury.

How to apply

To apply for a Class C extension, follow these steps:

• Report the service-related injury or illness sustained while on Class C on Special Duty Service to your employing chain of command;
• Your commanding officer and you will complete form CF 98;
• Then your commanding officer will forward the completed form to the Director Casualty Support Management within 14 days. The form can be submitted with electronic signatures;
• Your chain of command will also complete form DND 663 to report a hazardous occurrence to the Director General Safety, if applicable;
• Your employing unit must also notify the commanding officer of your home unit of the injury or illness;
• Working with your employing chain of command and a medical doctor, you must complete form DND 2346 – Application for extension of Class C Reserve Service for personnel whose injury or illness was sustained on Special Duty Service;
• Your employing unit must submit a cover letter and recommendation, as well as form DND 2346, to the Director Casualty Support Management.
• The Director Casualty Support Management reviews and renders a decision on your request for an extension of Class C Special Duty Service. The decision is then sent to your employing unit. 

To learn more about the application process, read Annex C of our investigative report entitled A Systemic Review of Compensation Options for Ill and Injured Reservists.

Keep in mind that if you were injured during a period of Class C service that is not considered Special Duty Service, you may be eligible for benefits through Reserve Force Compensation or the Government Employees Compensation Act.

If most of your income comes from working for the Canadian Armed Forces, you should consider applying for Reserve Force Compensation. 

Definition

If you are a Reservist on Class “A”, “B” or “C” Reserve Service and suffer an illness, disease, or injury attributable to your reserve service that continues beyond the period of service during which it occurred, you may be eligible for Reserve Force Compensation. 

Benefits

The Reserve Force Compensation benefit equals the pay rate for your rank and Reserve Service Class at the time of your injury or illness.

The Canadian Armed Forces also provides healthcare to Reservists who suffer from a service-related illness or injury. This healthcare is not part of Reserve Force Compensation. 

Eligibility

Compensation can continue at the discretion of the Minister, but cannot extend beyond:

The date of release, or

The date on which treatment for the injury, disease, or illness is completed. Treatment is considered completed when the competent medical authority determines that the member is able to resume active participation in the Reserve Force, resume full-time post-secondary studies, resume the occupation held at the time of injury, illness or disease, or to seek civilian employment, whichever occurs first.

Consult Compensation and Benefits Instruction Chapter 210.72 – “Reserve Force – Compensation During a Period of Injury, Disease or Illness” for more information.

To learn about how to apply, read the following links:

• Instructions for completing the Reserve Force – Compensation during a Period of Injury, Disease or Illness Form,
• Reserve Force Compensation webpage, and
• our investigative report: A Systemic Review of Compensation Options for Ill and Injured Reservists (Appendices D to F).

More information

For more information, read FAQs about Reserve Force Compensation.

If most of your income comes from civilian employment, you should consider making a compensation claim through the Government Employees Compensation Act.  

Important: For Reserve Force personnel applying for compensation under the Government Employees Compensation Act, Commanding Officers must report any injury requiring medical attention or resulting in lost time to Employment and Social Development Canada within three days.^[1]

Definition

The Government Employees Compensation Act provides compensation to federal government employees, including Reservists^[2], who have suffered a work-related injury or illness. This Act delegates authority to each provincial/territorial workers’ compensation board to decide on compensation on behalf of the federal government.

Benefits

Benefits available under the Government Employees Compensation Act may cover: 

• lost wages for a federal government employee (civilian and military), up to a maximum amount set by each province and territory, and
• medical expenses for the work-related injury or illness. 

 Lost Wage Compensation Information (2019)

Note: If you are injured outside of the province or territory where your home unit is located, your employing unit must use the provincial forms of your home unit province or territory.

To apply for compensation under the Government Employees Compensation Act, follow these steps:

• Report the work-related injury or illness to your chain of command;
• Your employing unit commanding officer and you will complete form CF 98 to report the injury or illness;
• Your commanding officer will send the completed form to the Director Casualty Support Management within 14 days. The form can be submitted with electronic signatures;
• Your chain of command will also complete form DND 663 to report a hazardous occurrence to the Director General Safety, if applicable;
• Determine if your claim will be more advantageous for you if you make it under the Government Employees Compensation Act rather than under Reserve Force Compensation;
• Your unit completes the appropriate Employer's Report of Injury or Disease form that corresponds to the province or territory in which you normally work (your home unit) and submits it to Employment and Social Development Canada. Commanding Officers shall report to Employment and Social Development Canada within three days of the service related-injury requiring medical attention or resulting in lost time;
• At the same time, a relevant medical professional completes the provincial or territorial medical form, and then sends it to the appropriate provincial or territorial Workers’ Compensation Board;
• Employment and Social Development Canada confirms your eligibility and, if eligible, sends the claim to the appropriate provincial or territorial Workers’ Compensation Board;
• Then the Workers’ Compensation Board decides on your claim and manages it according to its provincial or territorial legislation. 

To learn more about the application process, read Annex G of our investigative report entitled A Systemic Review of Compensation Options for Ill and Injured Reservists.