PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the Reconsideration Decision of the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (the "ministry") dated January 20, 2014, which detennined that the appellant was not eligible for income assistance (IA) as a sole recipient with dependent children because she and her son reside with his father. Specifically, the ministry determined that the appellant's son's father meets the definition of "dependant" as per section 1 of the Employment and Assistance Act (EAA) because the appellant and her son reside with his father and he indicates a parental role for his son. PART D -Relevant Legislation Employment and Assistance Act (EAA) section 1 EAA T003(10/06/01)
I APPEAL# 2014-00054 PART E -Summar of Facts With the consent of both parties the hearing was conducted as a written hearing pursuant to section 22(3)(b) of the Employment and Assistance Act (EAA). The documentary evidence before the ministry at reconsideration included the following: • A copy of the appellant's Request for Reconsideration signed by the appellant January 7, 2014. • A copy of a letter addressed "To Whom it may concern", signed by the appellant November 21, 2013. In this letter the appellant reports in regards to her request for reconsideration, she depends on IA for herself and three children in her care and that she has no other means ofi ncome because of a medical condition which prevents her from working. This submission then goes to argument (see Part F below). • A copy of Schedule "A" of the appellant's Rental Agreement with the following changes made to the original document; appellant's son's fathers name has been crossed out with the comment next to it "does not reside there", initialed by the appellant, the names of the appellant's niece and nephew have been added and initialed by the appellant, and the make and model oft wo cars listed as being permitted to park on site have been crossed out with the conunent next to it, "I do not own a vehicle" also initialed by the appellant. • A copy of a ministry Shelter Information form in the appellant's name dated March 22, 2013. • A copy of an Apartment Rental Agreement in the appellant's name and signed by her on March 26, 2013. The Agreement required a damage deposit of$1100.00 dollars and rent of$1100.00 payable monthly in advance of the first day oft he month. Schedule "A" of this Agreement provides a list of persons permitted to share the use of the lands and premises with the renters pursuant to paragraph 1 (l)(a) of the rental agreement and includes the appellant, her son and his father with the comment in a arrow box beside his name stating "spouse"? • A copy of a Back Deposit Register, in the appellant's son's father's name showing monthly deposits for rent made to the appellant's landlord between April 1, 2013 and November 21, 2013, as follows: April 1, 2013--$1,100.00, May 7, 2013--$400.00June 17, 2013--$600.00, July 2,2013--$1,100.00, August 12, 2013--$950.00, August 28, 2013--$800.00, September 9,2013--$1,000.00, October 21, 2013--$500.00 for a total of $6,450.00. • A copy of an unsigned undated Application for IA in the appellant's current name, for herself and her son, declaring that she is single, never married, separated from spouse September 4, 2011, and lists her previous last name as being the same as her son and his father. • Copy of 10 Day Notice to End Tenancy for Unpaid Rent or Utilities signed by the appellant's landlord and dated September 21, 2012. • A copy of a fax cover sheet and accompanying copy of an Application for Residency, signed by the appellant May 14, 2012, listing the appellant's son's father as the primary applicant. • A copy ofa Residential Tenancy Agreement listing both the appellant and her son's father as tenants signed by the appellant May 17, 2012. • A copy ofa BC Assessment Role Report dated September 9, 2013, listing the appellant, her son's father, and another person as owners of the property. • A copy of a Modification of Mortgage Loan Approval dated March 18, 2008, listing the appellant, her son's father, and another person as owners oft he prope1ty. • Application for IA and a Medical Service Plan Client Release document initialed and signed by the appellant May 28, 2009. • A copy of a utility bill invoice showing the account name as the appellant's son's father, a billing date May 27, 2009, billing period March 25, 2009 to May 27, 2009, due date of June 26, 2009. \ PAGE 3 of7 EMT 003( 10/06101)
F o l l o w i n g t h e m i n i s t r y ' s R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n D e c i s i o n a n d w r i t t e n l e t t e r d a t e d J a n u a r y 2 1 , 2 0 1 4 . I n h e r s u b m i s s i o l o n g e r l i v i n g w i t h h e r a n d t h a t s h e i s n o w l i v i n g a l o n e w F b e l o w ) . T h e T r i b u n a l O ff i c e r e c e i v e d a r e s p o n s e t o t h e a p p e l l a n t h e m i n i s t r y d a t e d F e b r u a r y 1 8 , 2 0 1 4 . T h e m i n i s t r y r e p t h e i r d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t r e s i d e s w i t h h e r s o b e l o w ) . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # 2 0 1 4 -0 0 0 5 4 p r i o r t o t h e h e a r i n g , t h e a p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d a 1 p a g e n t h e a p p e l l a n t r e p o r t e d t h a t h e r n i e c e a n d n e p h e w a r e n o i t h h e r s o n . T h e l e t t e r t h e n g o e s t o a r g u m e n t ( s e e P a r t t ' s s u b m i s s i o n i n c l u d e d w i t h h e r N o t i c e o f A p p e a l f r o m o r t e d t h a t t h e y w e r e s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e s u p p o r t s n ' s fa t h e r . T h e l e t t e r t h e n g o e s t o a r g u m e n t ( s e e P a r t F P A G E 4 o f 7
P ART F -Reas on s for Pan el D ec i s ion T he issue in thi s app eal is whe t h er the minist ry's decis ion for inco m e as sistanc e as a sole r e cipient with d epend ent is re ason ably sup ported by th e evi dence, or is a reas onable the appe llant . Sp ecif icall y the m i n i stry det e1mi ned t hat th "d epe nd ant" as p er section I of EA A b ec aus e the a ppellant pa ren tal ro le fo r his so n. T he appli cable leg isl at ion in this ma tte r is the follo wing: Int erp ret a t ion 1 (I) In this A c t: "depen da n t" , in relati o n to a person, m (a ) is the sp o use of the p e rson, (b) is a depen den t chi ld o f the person, or ( c) i n dic a tes a paren ta l role for th " fami ly un it" m e ans an ap plicant or a re "rec ipient" m e ans the perso n i n a fam il o r a sup ple ment is p r ovi ded unde r t h i s A i ncl ud es ( a) the per s o n's spouse, if th e spo ( b) the person's ad ult dependant Th e app el lant's position i s tha t she d e p e n ds on IA to suppo not r e side with h er and has n ot done so for as l ong as sh e app ellan t is n ot el igi ble fo r IA as a sole recipient w it h de father an d he ind icates a par ental ro l e for his son. In the appellant's submis sion of November 21, 20 1 3 , add accompanied her Request for Reconsideration, the appellant argues that her son's father do a nd th at s he was un s u re why his name was add ed to the rent transferred through her son's father's bank account in the past that will no longer b her own bank account. The utility bills were put in his name more than four years ago and are for the property where he now resides. S he is now paying her own bills and has opened her own bank account. The Ministry of Chil mis ta ken. She may have been confused because her son's father was there the day the MC do a house visit. She is wait in g fo r MC FD to get b a ck to provide personal and professional references stating that her son's father is not residing with her. taken steps to have her name taken off of the jointly owned prope1iy. In the appellant's submission of January 21, 2014, accompanying her Notice of Appeal, she argues that she does no t have a s pouse t hat li ve s wit h h er or a spouse that does not live wit . .. EAAT 003( 10/06/01) I APPEA L# 20 14 -00 054 which d ete rmin ed that the appell ant was not eli gible chil dren b ecause s he and her so n r esi de wit h h is fa ther , a pplica tion of t he legisl ation i n the circ um st ances o f e app ellant's son ' s fath er meets the def initio n o f a nd her son r e side w ith his fa the r a nd he indic ates a e ans anyone who re si des w ith the p e rson and who e person's d epen den t child; c i pien t and hi s or h e r depend a nt s; y unit t o o r for who m inc om e assis tance, hardship a s sistanc e ct for the u se or benefit of someo n e in t he fami ly unit , and us e is a d ependant, and s rt hers elf an d her s on and tha t he r so n's father do es can rememb er. The mi nistr y's po s itio n is that t h e pen den t children b e cau s e she res ides w it h her son's ress ed "To Wh om it may concer n", which es not live w i th her a l agreement after she signed it. While h er re n t w a s e the case as she has opened wil l b e able to sho w that f rom this point on as she dren and Family Developmen t (MCFD) worker was FD worker came to her with somethi ng in writi ng and she is going to She has also h her. "Until recently th e on ly peop l e t hat PAGE 5of7
l i v e w i t h m e i s m y s e l f a n d m y s o n " . T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s n i e t o a n o t h e r r e s i d e n c e . T h e a p p e l l a n t fu r t h e r a r g u e s t h a t u n s u r e a s t o w h y h e r s o n ' s f a t h e r ' s n a m e w a s a d d e d t o t c u r r e n t l a n d l o r d h a s v e r i fi e d t h a t h e r s o n ' s f a t h e r d o e s n T h e a p p e l l a n t c o n c l u d e s b y a r g u i n g t h a t s h e d o e s n ' t k n o n e e d s u p p m t . I n 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 a n d i n t h e i r l e t t e r o f r e 2 0 1 4 , t h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t o n O c t o b e r 9 , 2 0 1 3 , t h e y l a n d l o r d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s o n ' s f a t h e r i s r e s i d i n g w i t h t h e i r l e t t e r o f r e s p o n s e t h a t a s t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t p r o v d i s p u t e t h e i r p r e v i o u s s t a t e m e n t s t o t h e m i n i s t r y a n d a s f a t h e r ' s n a m e b e i n g o n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s T e n a n c y A g r e e m m i n i s t r y i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s o n ' s fa t h e r m e e b e c a u s e t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d h e r s o n r e s i d e w i t h h i s f a t h e r t h e m i n i s t r y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t 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 P a n e l F i n d i n g s T h e p a n e l f i n d s a l t h o u g h t h e a p p e l l a n t d i s p u t e s t h e m i n i r e s i d e n c e , a n d a r g u e s i n h e r s u b m i s s i o n o f N o v e m b e r 2 p o s i t i o n fr o m M C F D , a n d i n h e r s u b m i s s i o n o f J a n u a r y s o n ' s fa t h e r d o e s n o t l i v e w i t h h e r a n d h a s n e v e r l i v e d a t t o s u p p m t t h e s e a r g u m e n t s . T h e p a n e l fm t h e r f i n d s t h a t a p p e l l a n t t h a t d i s p u t e s t h e m i n i s t r y ' s a r g u m e n t t h a t t h e i r s h o w i n g t h a t h e r s o n ' s f a t h e r ' s n a m e a p p e a r s o n h e r T e n r e s i d e n c e w a s t r a n s fe r r e d t o h e r l a n d l o r d f r o m h i s b an k r e a s o n s t h e p a n e l h a s p l a c e d g r e a t e r w e i g h t o n t h e m i n i s T h e p a n e l t h e r e f o r e f i n d s , b a s e d o n t h e e v i d e n c e p r e s e n t a p p e l l a n t ' s s o n ' s f a t h e r m e e t s t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f " d e p e n d a n r e s i d e s w i t h t h e a p p e l l a n t a n d h i s s o n a n d i n d i c a t e s a p a r t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h e m i n i s t r y r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t w i t h d e p e n d e n t c h i l d r e n a n d t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y ' s R e c o n s i d e v i d e n c e , a n d c o n f i r m s t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n . E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # 2 0 1 4 -0 0 0 5 4 c e a n d n e p h e w n o l o n g e r l i v e w i t h h e r a n d h a v e m o v e d s h e i s t h e o n l y o n e o n h e r R e n t a l A g r e e m e n t a n d i s h e e n d p a g e o f t h e a g r e e m e n t . S h e a l s o a r g u e d t h a t h e r o t l i v e a t h e r c u r r e n t r e s i d e n c e a n d h a s n e v e r d o n e s o . w w h a t e l s e s h e c a n d o o r s a y , b o t h s h e a n d h e r s o n s p o n s e t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s u b m i s s i o n o f J a n u a i y 2 1 , c o n f o m e d d i r e c t l y w i t h M C F D a n d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s h e r i n h e r r e s i d e n c e . T h e m i n i s t t y fm t h e r a r g u e d i n i d e d a n y c o n f i r m a t i o n f r o m t h e l a n d l o r d o r M C F D t o t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n i s c m T o b o r a t e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s o n ' s e n t , a n d t h e r e n t b e i n g p a i d f r o m h i s a c c o u n t , t h e t s t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f " d e p e n d a n t " a s p e r s e c t i o n 1 o f E A A a n d h e i n d i c a t e s a p a r e n t a l r o l e fo r h i s s o n . T h e r e f o r e fo r I A a s a s o l e r e c i p i e n t w i t h d e p e n d e n t c h i l d r e n . s t t y ' s e v i d e n c e t h a t h e r s o n ' s fa t h e r l i v e s w i t h h e r i n h e r 1 , 2 0 1 3 , t h a t s h e i s e x p e c t i n g a l e t t e r s u p p o r t i n g h e r 2 1 , 2 0 1 4 , t h a t h e r c u r r e n t l a n d l o r d h a s v e r i f i e d t h a t h e r h e r r e s i d e n c e , n o d o c u m e n t a l e v i d e n c e w a s s u b m i t t e d n o d o c u m e n t a l e v i d e n c e h a s b e e n p r e s e n t e d b y t h e p o s i t i o n i s c o r r o b o r a t e d b y d o c u m e n t a l e v i d e n c e a n c y A g r e e m e n t , a n d m o n e y f o r t h e r e n t o f h e r a c c o u n t f r o m A p r i l 2 0 1 3 t o O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3 . F o r t h e s e t r y ' s e v i d e n c e t h a n t h a t o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s . e d , t h e m i n i s t r y w a s r e a s o n a b l e i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h a t t h e t " a s p e r s e c t i o n I o f E A A l i s t e d a b o v e b e c a u s e h e e n t a l r o l e f o r t h e d e p e n d e n t c h i l d . F o r t h e s e r e a s o n s h e a p p e l l a n t i s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r I A a s a s o l e r e c i p i e n t e r a t i o n D e c i s i o n i s r e a s o n a b l y s u p p o r t e d b y t h e . , ! P A G E 6 o f 7
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.