P A R T C D e c i s i o n u n d e r A p p e a l T h e d e c i s i o n u n d e r a p p e a l i s t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l D r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n d a t e d M a y M a r c h 4 , 2 0 1 4 , c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h e s a s h e r r e q u e s t d o e s n o m i n i s t r y f o u n d t h a t t h e c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t i s n o t r e q u i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t h e p h y s i c a l h e a l t h o f t h e a p p e l l a n d A s s i s t a n c e f o r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b i l i t i e s R e g u l a P A R T D R e l e v a n t L e g i s l a t i o n T h e r e l e v a n t l e g i s l a t i o n i s s e c t i o n 5 7 o f t h e E A P W D E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L I e v e l o p m e n t a n d S o c i a l I n n o v a t i o n ( M i n i s t r y ) ' s f i n d i n g t h e A p p e l l a n t i s n o t e l i g i b l e t o r e c e i v e a t m e e t t h e l e g i s l a t e d c r i t e r i a . S p e c i f i c a l l y , t h e i r e d t o m e e t a n u n e x p e c t e d n e e d o r t o a v o i d a n t a s r e q u i r e d b y s e c t i o n 5 7 o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t t i o n ( E A P W D R ) . R .
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s T h e A p p e l l a n t i s c u r r e n t l y r e c e i v i n g d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a T h e a p p e l l a n t s u f f e r s f r o m a n u m b e r o f m e d i c a l c o n a t t a c k s , d i a b e t e s , c h r o n i c b r o n c h i t i s a n d n e u r o p a t h y n u m b e r o f y e a r s . H e r c o n d i t i o n s m e a n t h a t t h e a p p e 2 0 I b s -5 0 I b s ( t h e a p p e l l a n t c u r r e n t l y w e i g h s o v e r 2 0 0 i n a n a p a r t m e n t t h a t w a s i n f e s t e d w i t h b e d b u g s , a n d p u r c h a s i n g n e w o n e s . S h e h a s b e e n s l o w l y r e b u i l d w o m a n , t h e a p p e l l a n t f i n d s i t d i f f i c u l t t o o b t a i n c l o t h e n o t h a v e a w i n t e r c o a t , w h i c h c o n c e r n s h e r a s l a c k o T h e a p p e l l a n t h a s m a d e t w o p r e v i o u s a p p l i c a t i o n s f o r e a s o n s i n J a n u a r y a n d N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 3 . T h e m i n i s l e g i s l a t e d c r i t e r i a w e r e n o t m e t . T h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t r e g a r d i n g i n f e s t a t i o n i s n o t i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t w a s b e f o r e t h e m i n T h e r e f o r e , i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h s e c t i o n 2 2 ( 4 ) ( b ) o f t h e f o r t h e p a n e l t o d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n i s s u p p o r t o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t w a s b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e b e s u p p o r t o n a n y o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t r y r e g a r d i n g a d i s c r e e t c i r c u m s t a n c e u n r e l a t e d t o t h e i n M i n i s t r y a t t h e t i m e o f t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n , w f l u c t u a t i o n s . A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e p a n e l f i n d s i t c a n n o t t a i t s d e t e r m i n a t i o n a t t h i s a p p e a l . A s t h e i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h e b e d b u g s i s n o t a d m r e a s o n a b l e n e s s o f t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n t o d e n y t h b a s i s o f o n g o i n g w e i g h t f l u c t u a t i o n s . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L I n c e a s a s o l e r e c i p i e n t . d i t i o n s i n c l u d i n g h a v i n g s u f f e r e d f r o m t w o h e a r t . S h e h a s s u f f e r e d f r o m t h e s e c o n d i t i o n s f o r a l l a n t e x p e r i e n c e s w e i g h t f l u c t u a t i o n s o f b e t w e e n I b s ) . A t s o m e p o i n t i n 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t r e s i d e d s h e d i s p o s e d o f a l l h e r c l o t h e s a n d b e g a n i n g h e r w a r d r o b e s i n c e t h a t t i m e . A s a f u l l f i g u r e d s i n h e r s i z e a t s e c o n d h a n d s t o r e s . S h e d o e s f a c o a t m a y a g g r a v a t e h e r b r o n c h i t i s . r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h i n g f o r t h e s a m e t r y d e n i e d b o t h a p p l i c a t i o n s o n t h e b a s i s t h a t t h e t h e d i s p o s a l o f h e r c l o t h e s d u e t o b e d b u g i s t r y a t t h e t i m e o f t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n . E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e A c t , i t i s n e c e s s a ry a d m i s s i b l e a s i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t i s p r o v i d e d i n r y a t t h e t i m e o f t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n . d b u g i n f e s t a t i o n i s n e w e v i d e n c e a n d i s n o t i n a t t h e t i m e o f t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n . I t i s f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t t o t h e h i c h d e a l t e x c l u s i v e l y w i t h h e r w e i g h t k e t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n i n m a k i n g i s s i b l e , t h e i s s u e b e f o r e t h e p a n e l , t h e n , i s t h e e a p p e l l a n t a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h i n g o n t h e
P A R T F R e a s o n s f o r P a n e l D e c i s i o n T h e i s s u e u n d e r a p p e a l i s t h e r e a s o n a b l e n e s s o f t h e l i g i b l e t o r e c e i v e a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t t o p u r c h a s e n l e g i s l a t e d c r i t e r i a . T h e r e l e v a n t l e g i s l a t i o n i s s e c t i o n 5 7 o f t h e E A P W D C r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t 5 7 ( 1 ) T h e m i n i s t e r m a y p r o v i d e a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t t o a s s i s t a n c e o r h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e i f ( a ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t o r a p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t r e e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n a n i t e m u n e x p e c t e d l y n e e d e d b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e n o r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e f ( b ) t h e m i n i s t e r c o n s i d e r s t h a t f a i l u r e t o m e e t t h e ( i ) i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t h e p h y s i c a l h e a l t h . ( i i ) r e m o v a l o f a c h i l d u n d e r t h e C h i l d , F a ( 2 ) A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t m a y b e p r o v i d e d o n l y f o r e q u e s t f o r t h e s u p p l e m e n t i s m a d e . · ( 3 ) A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t m a y n o t b e p r o v i d e d f o r ( a ) a s u p p l e m e n t d e s c r i b e d i n S c h e d u l e C , ( b ) a n y o t h e r h e a l t h c a r e g o o d s o r s e r v i c e s ( 4 ) A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t p r o v i d e d f o r f o o d , s h e l t e ( a ) i f f o r f o o d , t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t t h a t m a p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t ; ( b ) i f f o r s h e l t e r , t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t t h a t ( i ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s a c t u a l s h e l t e r c o ( i i ) t h e m a x i m u m s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n 4 a p p l i c a b l e , f o r a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t m a t c ( c ) i f f o r c l o t h i n g , t h e a m o u n t t h a t m a y b e p r ( i ) $ 1 0 0 f o r e a c h p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i d a t e o f a p p l i c a t i o n f o r t h e c r i s i s s u p p ( i i ) $ 4 0 0 f o r t h e f a m i l y u n i t i n t h e 1 2 a p p l i c a t i o n f o r t h e c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t ( 5 ) T h e c u m u l a t i v e a m o u n t o f c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t s m u s t n o t e x c e e d t h e a m o u n t c a l c u l a t e d u n d ( 6 ) I n t h e c a l e n d a r m o n t h i n w h i c h t h e a p p l i c a t i o u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n ( 5 ) i s c a l c u l a t e d b y m u l t i p a s s i s t a n c e o r h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e t h a t m a y S c h e d u l e D t o a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t m a t c h e s t h e ( 7 ) D e s p i t e s u b s e c t i o n ( 4 ) ( b ) o r ( 5 ) o r b o t h , a c r f o r t h e f o l l o w i n g : ( a ) f u e l f o r h e a t i n g ; ( b ) f u e l f o r c o o k i n g m e a l s ; ( c ) w a t e r ; ( d ) h y d r o . T h e M i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n a t t h e t i m e o f t h e r e c o n s i d e r a d o e s n o t m e e t a l l o f t h e t h r e e l e g i s l a t e d c r i t e r i a : E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L I e M i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n f i n d i n g t h e A p p e l l a n t i s n o t e w c l o t h e s b e c a u s e s h e d o e s n o t m e e t t h e R : o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t i s e l i g i b l e f o r d i s a b i l i t y q u i r e s t h e s u p p l e m e n t t o m e e t a n u n e x p e c t e d a n d i s u n a b l e t o m e e t t h e e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n t h e i t e m a m i l y u n i t , a n d e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n t h e i t e m w i l l r e s u l t i n o f a n y p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t , o r m i l y a n d C o m m u n i t y S e rv i c e A c t . r t h e c a l e n d a r m o n t h i n w h i c h t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o r t h e p u r p o s e o f o b t a i n i n g o r . r o r c l o t h i n g i s s u b j e c t t o t h e f o l l o w i n g l i m i t a t i o n s : y b e p r o v i d e d i n a c a l e n d a r m o n t h i s $ 2 0 f o r e a c h m a y b e p r o v i d e d i n a c a l e n d a r m o n t h i s t h e s m a l l e r o f s t , a n d o f S c h e d u l e A o r T a b l e 2 o f S c h e d u l e D , a s h e s t h e f a m i l y u n i t ; o v i d e d m u s t n o t e x c e e d t h e s m a l l e r o f l y u n i t i n t h e 1 2 c a l e n d a r m o n t h p e r i o d p r e c e d i n g t h e l e m e n t , a n d c a l e n d a r m o n t h p e r i o d p r e c e d i n g t h e d a t e o f . t h a t m a y b e p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t i n a y e a r e r s u b s e c t i o n ( 6 ) . n o r r e q u e s t f o r t h e s u p p l e m e n t i s m a d e , t h e a m o u n t l y i n g b y 2 t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t o f d i s a b i l i t y b e p r o v i d e d f o r t h e m o n t h u n d e r S c h e d u l e A o r f a m i l y u n i t . i s i s s u p p l e m e n t m a y b e p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t t i o n d e c i s i o n w a s t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t
1. The need fo r the item is unexpected or there is an unexp weight fluctua tions has b e en established for over a year, it is not unexpected shoul d need c lo t hes o f v a rious s izes. The need criterion is not me t. 2. The r e are n o alternate reso u rces av ai lable. Th reso u rces are available. Thi s criterion is met. 3. Failure to o b ta i n th e item or m eet t he expens of the Appe llant. The ministry has n o confirmation that w inter w eather cl oth in g , so thi s criterion is not met The Ministry's posit ion at the hea r ing w a s t hat only th 1 .Clothe s are an on goin g expense to be pa id out of t A ppe llant's weight flu c tu a t i o ns have been goin g on une x pect ed. Th e Ap pe l la n t's decision t o dispose of c lai m is in r e g ard to h er weight fl uctuations, n ot th is i to ensure that she ha s season-appropriate c lothin g wo u ld nee d warmer clot hes in the w inter. Th is crite rio 2. The min istry conce de d t ha t there are no o the r re sources clo t h e s. This cri te ri o n is met. 3. If t h e ap pellan t doe s lac k a wi nte r c oat, t hi s cou ld immi ne nt dan g e r to her healt h. This cri t eri o n is met. A lthou g h the Mi nistry rev ers ed its d e c ision i n reg a r d con s i der whic h deci sion it is r eviewing. T he pan el's A ssis tance Act is t o det ermine whet her a decisio n being a pa nel co nsid e rs t h at it i s reviewing the positio n of t h decision, n ot at ap peal. O n this ba s i s , the panel takes it as the mini not m et . The appellant's position at the hearing was that: 1. The a p pellant's n e ed fo r clothing is unexpected bec would ha ve to dispose of all her clothes due to bedbugs. As predictable nor controlled, the appellant's need for clothes in various so i s u n e xpected. 2. The appellant's advocate confirmed that there are no alternative resources for her to find new clothes as none of the sources they looked into had clothes in her size. 3. Not having a winter coat would result in imminent danger to her health as it would aggravate her bronchitis. EAA T003(10/06/01) APPEAL I e cted expense. As a pattern of that the appella nt f o r winte r clo t hing i s not unexpected. Thi s e ministry has n o con firmation that alternate e will re sult i n i mminent danger to physi c al h eal t h the appellant does not have suitable . e first cr iterion was not met in this in st a nce: h e A p pella nt' s a ssi sta nce p ayme n t s. T he f or a numb er o f y ears so the y can not be h er cl othes occ urr e d ma ny mo nths ago and he r nc ident. In add itio n, t he app e ll an t i s respo nsib le out of her i nco me a s it is not un exp ec t ed th a t she n is n ot m e t. available to t he appell a nt to p urch ase agg rav at e h er b ron ch i t i s and so re su l t in s to c r i te rio n #3 at t he he aring, the pa nel must authority un der section 24 of t h e Empl oyme n t and ppealed was reas onable. Ther efor e th e e min is try at the t ime of the rec ons ide r a tion s try's position th at criterion # 3 is ause s he could not have f oreseen that she well , a s her wei g ht fluctuati on s are not sizes ca nnot b e anti cip a ted and
APPEAL I 1. Was the Ministry reasonable in determining that the appellant's need for clothing in various sizes and for winter clothing is not an unexpected expense? The panel finds that, as the appellant has been experiencing weight fluctuations for more than one year and is aware that her weight will fluctuate over time, as well as the fact that the appellant has applied for a crisis supplement for the same reasons on two previous occasions, these fluctuations cannot be characterized as unexpected. The fact that the appellant cannot predict whether her weight will go up or down over any given period of time does not alter the fact that she is aware that she needs clothes in a number of different sizes. As she has been aware of this for a considerable period of time, it cannot be characterised as "unexpected". The need for winter clothing is also an anticipated need and so cannot be characterised as an unexpected expense. The panel finds that the ministry was reasonable in determining that the appellant's need for clothing in various sizes and for winter clothing was not an unexpected expense. 2. Was the Ministry reasonable in finding that the appellant has alternate resources available? As the ministry and the appellant agreed that this criteria on is meant the panel did not consider reasonableness of this decision. 3. Was the Ministry reasonable in finding that failure to obtain additional clothing (in this case, a winter coat) would not result in imminent danger to the health of the appellant? The panel finds that it has not been established that failure to obtain a winter coat would result in imminent danger to the health of the appellant. The appellant does not live in a location which experiences severe weather during the winter months, and, furthermore, there is no indication that the appellant does not have other clothes that would be suitable for winter weather. The panel finds that the ministry was reasonable in determining that failure to obtain additional clothing would not result in imminent danger to the health of the appellant. The ministry was reasonable in finding that the appellant did not meet all of the legislated criteria in section 57 of the EAPWDR and so does not qualify for a crisis supplement. Accordingly, the panel finds that the Ministry's decision to deny the Appellant a crisis supplement to purchase clothing was a reasonable application of the relevant legislation and confirms the Ministry's reconsideration decision. EAAT 003(10/06/01)
You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment.