Alberta.ca » Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual


Expected to Work/Barriers to Full Employment Policy & Procedures

Published Date: August 01, 2019
Bookmark this page

15 Administrative Procedures

Payment Methods and Processes

Cheques

Stop Payment on Cheques Subsequently Cashed

When entering a stop payment, the worker must first check the “Cheque Control System” to verify the cheque in question prior to placing the stop. The worker may not know that the cheque was already cashed (due to the cashed status has not updated in the mainframe financial processing cheque control yet) before placing the stop payment. When this happens, the client’s name will appear on a “Stop Payment on Cheques Subsequently Cashed” report. 

The Designated Site Contacts will follow the Stop Payment on Cheques Subsequently Cashed procedures to print the system-generated report from the Strategic Information Environment (SIE) Portal and distribute it to the worker.

Note
To access the “Stop Payment on Cheques Subsequently Cashed” reports, the Designated Site Contact must select either the F6-005 CPP or F6-006 DOC report link on the Brain. See the Stop Payment on Cheques Subsequently Cashed procedure for details.

These reports are to be dealt with in a timely manner to ensure that internal and financial controls are maintained and errors are minimized which results in a reduction of duplicate payments issued.

PROCEDURE

Upon receiving the report, the worker reviews the client file and contacts the client to determine which one of the four activities needs to occur:

  • Duplicate Payment  
    1. If the client was reissued benefits for this cheque and then the client admits to cashing both, the worker will calculate an overpayment and email Financial Client Payments & Revenue (FCP&R) at CSS.CSCheqContr@gov.ab.ca to inform an overpayment has been calculated.
    2. The stop is reversed in Financial Processing Cheque Control by FCP&R and the client’s name is removed from the report.
  • Cheque Stopped in Error 
    1. If the worker placed a stop in error and the client was entitled to the cheque, the worker emails FCP&R at CSS.CSCheqContr@gov.ab.ca to inform the cheque was stopped in error.
    2. The stop is reversed and the client’s name is removed from the report by FCP&R.
  • Forged Endorsement or Not Endorsed (No signature)
    1. If the client denies cashing the cheque and the signature does not appear to be the client’s or there is no signature on the back of the cheque, the worker scans the completed EMP 0151 A Statutory Declaration and a copy of the cheque and emails these two documents to FCP&R CSS.CSCheqContr@gov.ab.ca
    2. The Government will get reimbursed by the bank and the client’s name will be removed from the report by FCP&R.
    3. Note
      ATM or mobile technology is not considered in the scope of the Indemnity Agreement.
  • Request for Investigation 
    1. If the worker has interviewed the client and already completed an EMP 0151 A Statutory Declaration (due to the client’s denial of cashing the cheque but the signature appears to match the client’s), the worker will complete an EMP 0037 Request for Investigation
    2. The worker will submit the EMP 0037 Request for Investigation to the Investigation Unit at CSS.CISU@gov.ab.ca and FCP&R is to be notified of this request.
    3. The worker will notify FCP&R at CSS.CSCheqContr@gov.ab.ca of the acceptance or rejection of the Request for Investigation in order to clear the client’s name from the report if necessary.

All emails sent to FCP&R for any outcome should be sent to CSS.CSCheqContr@gov.ab.ca and should include the: Payee’s name, Issue Date, Cheque Number, Cashed Date and Amount.