Posted on 12/09/2009, 6:12 pm, by mySteinbach

Manitoba Family Services and Consumer Affairs advises, due to technical difficulties following required computer maintenance, some provincial cheques and direct deposit payments have been delayed.  The department reports the problem has been identified and fixed.
 
The disruption affected benefits for programs like employment and income assistance (EIA), supported living, children’s special services and 55 PLUS; Manitoba shelter and Manitoba child benefits; as well as child-welfare foster-parents payments.
 
Contingency plans were put in place to process EIA cheques at individual offices and have them mailed out or made available for pickup by clients.  Some clients who receive payments through direct deposit will instead receive a cheque mailed directly to them.
 
Those clients who regularly pick up cheques at their local EIA office have not been affected.
 
Manitobans who need immediate assistance should contact their case worker or resource co‑ordinator or call 945-8080 (in Winnipeg) or 1-877-655-0502 (outside Winnipeg).  Emergency assistance will be made available to employment and income assistance recipients on a case‑by‑case basis.