Cessation of Reserve Service due to Illness or Injury

Topic

Cessation of Reserve Service due to Illness or Injury

Case number

• 2017-137 (F&R date: 2018-11-15)

Issue

Although the applicable Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) policies, including the Canadian Forces Military Personnel Instruction 20/04 and the Compensation and Benefits Instruction 210.72 - Reserve Force - Compensation During a Period of Injury, Disease or Illness, indicate that a reservist’s Terms of Service (TOS) should not be ceased prematurely when they become ill or injured, these policies are being interpreted and applied inconsistently throughout the CAF. This results in unfairness for any reservist whose TOS are prematurely terminated due to injury or illness who will then lose eligibility for important benefits.  Meanwhile, other reservists who remain in their positions until their TOS expiry date despite injury or illness, may retain eligibility for those benefits.

Recommendation

The Committee recommended that the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) direct further clarification of these policies.

Final Authority Decision

The CDS agreed with the Committee's systemic recommendation to address the CAF's inconsistent treatment of injured reservists by clarifying the applicable policies. The CDS directed the Chief of Military Personnel to review the matter with the goal of providing interim direction regarding the cessation of reserve service due to injury or illness.