Vanita Lindsay has been paid $8,816.20 for a job with the federal government, but hasn’t worked a single day for it.
She has, however, been feverishly trying to get in touch with Ottawa to let them know she wants to give the money back.
After three months of emails and phone calls, the stay-at-home mom from Shawnigan Lake finally got a response on Wednesday.
“They’re going to take the money back, which is good — there’s no issues with taxes or a T4, even better, but there may be interest charged,” said Lindsay.
“It’s a very messed-up, weird thing, but you know I’m just glad it’s over.”
Lindsay’s bureaucratic nightmare started about a year ago when she decided to apply for a work-from-home position at a call centre related to the Canada Pension Plan.
She went through an interview for the clerk position, provided her personal and banking information and won the spot.
However, Lindsay, who had been out of the workforce for some time with a chronic illness, started to have second thoughts about her ability to handle the workload.
“The next day I emailed them to say I couldn’t do the job. I thanked them. I thought it was done,” she said.
But in mid-August, money turned up in her account.
She emailed her supervisor on the file, but got no response.
Two weeks later, more money turned up. So Lindsay started emailing and calling again, finally getting though to a call centre and a representative who started a file.
She was told the matter was either being dealt with or they were looking into it. The confusing messages continued and the money kept on coming.
Lindsay started moving the money into another account, knowing the federal government would eventually come back to claim it.
She was worried the income would be counted on a T4 slip and bump her and her husband into a higher tax bracket, and that it would affect her health plan and child tax benefit.
She said with her husband’s job as a pilot, they don’t need the extra money and live modestly in a home they own.
Finally, on Wednesday morning, Lindsay got a call from a federal representative who explained what was likely a breakdown in communications with human resources and payroll services.
“Somebody screwed up … I’m just so relieved,” she said. “I can’t help but think I’m not the only one that this has happened to.”
The Times Colonist asked for a comment from federal human resources, which is under the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, but did not hear back by press time.
Lindsay said she’s kept records of all her calls and emails and has been sent an email on how to return the money.
“I have it and I’m ready to give it back,” she said. “Because come tax season, the [Canada Revenue Agency] will drive a truck up your butt, and you don’t want to get on their bad side.”
Lindsay said the problem with getting caught in a bureaucratic loop is “there’s not just a simple phone number you can call” to get answers. She also encountered managers who were covering for those on holidays.
