t.PPF A J # : PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under a p peal is the Mi nistry of Social Dev elopment and Social Innovation (the ministry ) rec o nsid eration decisi on of February 2 1, 2014, which found the appellant not eligible for incom e ass istance in February 201 4 in acc ordance w it h the requir ement s of section 11( 2)(b) and (2.1) of the Employment and Assistance Regulation (EAR). The ministry determine d that the appellant ' s family unit owned assets with a t otal v alue o f $ 8,500.00 , a value that exce eds the legi slated limi t. PART D Re le vant Legis lat io n Empl oym e nt and A ss istance Regulatio n (EAR ) sect i on 11. EAAT 003(10/06/01)
APPEAL# � PART E -Summary of Facts The information before the ministry at the time of reconsideration included the following: A Gift of Vehicle document signed January 30, 2014 by the appellant as "donor'', gifting the Corvette to his mother as "recipient". A Gift of Vehicle document signed February 3, 2014 by the appellant as "donor'', gifting the GMC truck to his mother as "recipient",. At his request for reconsideration the appellant submitted a letter dated February 7, 2014 in which he stated that on September 7, 2013 he registered the GMC truck in his name. His mom had bought it for him hoping that he would be able to pay her back when he got his life back on track. On October 16, 2013 he traded his motorcycle for the Corvette. There was no money involved. After some time a Subaru was becoming unreliable so the appellant decided to put it up for sale. His mom said she would help him to get a different car in the meantime. She came with the appellant to purchase a Camara for $2300.00 including tax. Right after that the appellant sold the Subaru for$ 2200 and gave the money back to his mom. So he gifted her the Corvette to repay her for all the help she's given him over the past year. He also gifted her back the GMC truck as he was not going to be able to pay for it for a lot longer than first expected. In his Notice of Appeal dated February 28, 2014, the appellant states that he agrees that there was no stamp on the gift letters. He says that he has now included other insurance documents that include a stamp and that these were done on the same days as the gifts. He states that he should have included them in the last package he sent to the ministry; that was his mistake. With his Notice of Appeal the appellant included the following documents: An ICBC document, stamped on January 30, 2014, naming the appellant's mother as registered owner of the Corvette effective January 30, 2014, signed by his mother. On the document it says "Plate no. NONLIC" ..." no principal operator declared". An ICBC document, stamped on February 03, 2014, naming the appellant's mother as registered owner of the GMC truck effective February 3, signed by his mother. On the document it says "Plate no. NONLIC" ... "no principal operator declared". Information from ministry files which is not disputed by the appellant: The appellant did not declare any asset changes since his April 2013 application. In his April 3, 2013 application the appellant declared 1 vehicle asset valued at $4,500.00. At an eligibility review on January 28, 2014, the appellant disclosed 4 vehicles: A trailer valued at $1,000.00; a Corvette valued at $4,500.00; a GMC truck valued at $3,000.00; and a Camara, valued at$ 2,300.00 which the appellant has as his primary vehicle; pursuant to section 11(1l(i) it is therefore an exempt asset because its value does not exceed the$ 10,000.00 asset limit. EAAT003(10/06/01)
A t t h e h e a r i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t h e h a d r e c e s o l e r e c i p i e n t o f i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e a n d h i s d a u g h t e t h e t i m e . T h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d f u r t h e r t h a t a f t e r g i f t i n g t h e C o v e h i c l e s r e m a i n e d a t h i s p l a c e . H i s m o t h e r d o e s n o o w n e d f o r a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 y e a r s a n d a VW v a n . H i a p p r o x i m a t e l y 6 m o n t h s a n d p a r k s h e r c a r s i n 2 a s s T h e m i n i s t r y o p p o s e d t h e a d m i s s i o n o f t h e a p p e l l a n w e r e s u b m i t t e d a f t e r t h e J a n u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 r e v i e w d a n d A s s i s t a n c e A c t t h e p a n e l a d m i t s t h e d o c u m e n t s t e s t i m o n y a s p r o v i d i n g a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t a n d d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d t o t h e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d r e c o r d s t r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n . T h e m i n i s t r y r e l i e d o n i t 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 T h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f f i c e r c o m m i t t e d a c l e r i c a l e r r o p a r e n t r e c i p i e n t w i t h a l e g i s l a t e d a s s e t l i m i t o f $ 4 , 0 0 a s s e t l i m i t o f $ 2 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 . T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h e f o l l o w i n g f a c t s : 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 ' s f a m i l y u a n d a s a c o n s e q u e n c e d e c i d e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w 2 0 1 4 . T h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t p r o v i f o l l o w i n g n o n e x e m p t i t e m s a r e s t i l l i n h i s p o s s e s s i o • a t r a i l e r w i t h a v a l u e o f $ 1 , 0 0 0 , • a C o r v e t t e , v a l u e d a t $ 4 , 5 0 0 , a n d • a G M C t r u c k v a l u e d a t $ 3 , 0 0 0 . T h e p a n e l a d m i t t e d e v i d e n c e a t t h e h e a r i n g t h a t c o n m o t h e r o n J a n u a r y 3 0 , 2 0 1 4 a n d a l s o " g i f t e d " t h e G M E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # i v e d t h e J a n u a r y 2 0 1 4 a s s i s t a n c e c h e c k . H e i s a r i s s t a y i n g w i t h h e r m o t h e r m o r e t h a n 5 0 % o f r v e t t e a n d t h e G M C t r u c k t o h i s m o t h e r t h e s e 2 t u s e t h e m b u t i s d r i v i n g a J e e p w h i c h s h e h a s s m o t h e r h a s b e e n l i v i n g a t h e r c o n d o f o r i g n e d p a r k i n g s p a c e s . t ' s d o c u m e n t s s u b m i t t e d o n a p p e a l b e c a u s e t h e y a t e . P u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 2 2 ( 4 ) o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t s u b m i t t e d o n a p p e a l a n d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s o r a l t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a s s e t s a n d t h u s b e i n g i n s u p p o r t h a t w e r e b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t r y a t t h e t i m e o f n d a d d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g i n f o r m a t i o n : r w h e n h e d e s c r i b e d t h e a p p e l l a n t a s a s i n g l e 0 . 0 0 . T h e a p p e l l a n t i s a s o l e r e c i p i e n t w i t h a n n i t o w n e d a s s e t s w i t h a t o t a l v a l u e o f $ 8 , 5 0 0 a s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e f o r F e b r u a r y d e d e v i d e n c e t o e s t a b l i s h o t h e r w i s e a n d t h e n : f i r m e d t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d " g i f t " t h e C o r v e t t e t o h i s C t r u c k t o h i s m o t h e r o n F e b r u a r y 3 , 2 0 1 4 .
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 w h e t h e r t h e m i n i s t r y r e a s F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 4 i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e . T h e m i n i s t r y d e t a s s e t s w i t h a t o t a l v a l u e o f $ 8 , 5 0 0 . 0 0 , a v a l u e t h a t s e c t i o n 1 1 ( 2 ) ( a ) o f t h e E A R : • A t r a i l e r w i t h a v a l u e o f $ 1 0 0 0 . 0 0 ; • a C o r v e t t e , v a l u e d a t 8 4 , 5 0 0 . 0 0 ; • a G M C t r u c k n o t r u n n i n g w i t h a v a l u e o f $ • a C a m a r o a s p r i m a r y v e h i c l e , v a l u e d a t $ 2 , 3 S e c t i o n s 1 1 ( 1 ) ( b ) a n d ( 2 ) ( a ) o f t h e E A R a p p l y t o t h i A s s e t l i m i t s 1 1 ( 1 ) T h e f o l l o w i n g a s s e t s a r e e x e m p t f o r t h e ( b ) s u b j e c t t o s u b s e c t i o n ( d a y t r a n s p o r t a t i o n n e e d s i f ( i ) t h e e q u i t y i n t h e ( i i ) t h e m o t o r v e h i c t h e d i s a b i l i t y o f a r e ( i i i ) t h e m o t o r v e h i c c h i l d , o r ( i v ) t h e m o t o r v e h i c t h e c h i l d i s i n t h e c a u n d e r s e c t i o n f o r t h e p u r p o ( 2 ) A f a m i l y u n i t i s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r i n c o m e ( a ) s u b j e c t t o p a r a g r a p h ( c d e p e n d e n t c h i l d r e n a n d h a s ( b ) s u b j e c t t o p a r a g r a p h ( c d e p e n d a n t s a n d t h e f a m i l y $ 4 0 0 0 ; . . . . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # � o n a b l y d e n i e d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t f o r e r m i n e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s f a m i l y u n i t o w n e d e x c e e d s t h e l e g i s l a t e d l i m i t o f $ 2 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 u n d e r 3 0 0 0 . 0 0 ; 0 0 . 0 0 , w h i c h m e e t s t h e e x e m p t i o n c r i t e r i o n . s a p p e a l : p u r p o s e s o f s u b s e c t i o n s ( 2 ) a n d ( 2 . 1 ) : 2 . 3 ) , o n e m o t o r v e h i c l e g e n e r a l l y u s e d f o r d a y t o m o t o r v e h i c l e d o e s n o t e x c e e d $ 1 0 0 0 0 , l e h a s b e e n s i g n i f i c a n t l y a d a p t e d t o a c c o m m o d a t e c i p i e n t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t , l e i s u s e d t o t r a n s p o r t a d i s a b l e d d e p e n d e n t l e i s u s e d t o t r a n s p o r t a d i s a b l e d f o s t e r c h i l d , i f r e o f t h e a p p l i c a n t o r r e c i p i e n t ; 7 7 . 2 o f t h i s r e g u l a t i o n , a n d r e c e i v e d a n d u s e d s e s s e t o u t i n t h e b u s i n e s s p l a n ; a s s i s t a n c e i f a n y o f t h e f o l l o w i n g a p p l y : ) , a s o l e a p p l i c a n t o r s o l e r e c i p i e n t h a s n o a s s e t s w i t h a t o t a l v a l u e o f m o r e t h a n $ 2 0 0 0 ; ) , a n a p p l i c a n t o r a r e c i p i e n t h a s o n e o r m o r e u n i t h a s a s s e t s w i t h a t o t a l v a l u e o f m o r e t h a n
T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e s t h a t h e i s e l i g i b l e f o r F e b r u a r b e l o w t h e l e g i s l a t e d l i m i t o f $ 2 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 ; h e h a s g i f t e t o r e p a y h e r f o r t h e h e l p s h e h a s g i v e n h i m o v e r t h v a l u e d a t $ 3 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 , b a c k t o h i s m o t h e r b e c a u s e h h a d b o u g h t t h i s v e h i c l e f o r h i m i n t h e h o p e t h a t h e $ 1 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 i s s t i l l i n h i s p o s s e s s i o n . T h e m i n i s t r y a r g u e s t h a t a c c o r d i n g t o a r e v i e w o f J e x c e s s o f t h e $ 2 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 l i m i t a s s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n 1 F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 4 i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e . T h e m i n i s t r y a r g t o e s t a b l i s h o t h e r w i s e a n d t h e f o l l o w i n g n o n e x e m p • a t r a i l e r w i t h a v a l u e o f $ 1 , 0 0 0 . 0 0 t h a t t h e a p • a C o r v e t t e , v a l u e d a t S 4 , 5 0 0 . 0 0 ; • a G M C t r u c k n o t r u n n i n g v a l u e d a t $ 3 0 0 h i s m o t h e r h a d g i v e n h i m a l o a n t o p u r c h a s e I n c o n c l u s i o n t h e m i n i s t r y f i n d s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s t o t a l a s s e t v a l u e o f $ 8 , 5 0 0 . 0 0 w h i c h i s i n e x c e s s o f m a d e t h e a r g u m e n t t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t g i f t e d t h e C o S e c t i o n 1 1 ( 2 ) ( a ) s t a t e s t h a t a f a m i l y u n i t i s n o t e l i g i s o l e r e c i p i e n t h a s n o d e p e n d e n t c h i l d r e n a n d h a s a t h e E A R s t a t e s t h a t o n e m o t o r v e h i c l e i s e x e m p t i f 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 , t h e m i n h i s a s s e t s e x c e e d e d t h e l e g i s l a t e d l i m i t o f $ 2 , 0 0 0 . W t h a n $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 , t h e a p p e l l a n t o w n e d a t r u c k v a l u e d a v a l u e d a t $ 1 , 0 0 0 . T h e s e n o n e x e m p t a s s e t s t o t a l $ $ 2 , 0 0 0 . A l t h o u g h t h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e d h e g i f t e d t h e a t o t a l o f $ 1 , 0 0 0 , w h i c h i s u n d e r t h e a m o u n t a l l o w e p r o v i d e d e v i d e n c e t o e s t a b l i s h t h e n o n e x e m p t i t e m T h e p a n e l a d m i t t e d e v i d e n c e a t t h e h e a r i n g t h a t c o h i s m o t h e r o n J a n u a r y 3 0 , 2 0 1 4 a n d a l s o " g i f t e d " t h t w o s t a m p e d I C B C d o c u m e n t s n a m e d t h e m o t h e r a m i n i s t r y ' s a r g u m e n t t h a t i t i s t h e a s s e t v a l u e o n a n d i s s u e i s i n c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e f a c t t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y a a s s e t v a l u e a f t e r J a n u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 . F u r t h e r , t h e p a d e n y i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e f o r t h e e n t i r e m o n t h o f F e b t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s n o n e x e m p t a s s e t v a l u e f e l l b e l o w t h m i n i s t r y m a d e a n a s s e s s m e n t o f o v e r p a y m e n t t h a t a s s i s t a n c e . W h e t h e r t h e a p p e l l a n t d i s p o s e d o f t h e a t h a t i s b e f o r e t h i s p a n e l . T h e p a n e l c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t n o w o w n s o a t r a i l e r w i t h a v a l u e o f $ 1 , 0 0 0 t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t u s G M C t r u c k t o h i s m o t h e r , t h e a p p e l l a n t r e d u c e d h i s $ 8 , 5 0 0 t o $ 1 , 0 0 0 . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # y 2 0 1 4 i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e b e c a u s e h i s a s s e t s a r e d t h e C o r v e t t e , v a l u e d a t $ 4 , 5 0 0 . 0 0 t o h i s m o t h e r e p a s t y e a r , a n d h e h a s a l s o g i f t e d t h e G M C t r u c k , e i s n o t a b l e t o p a y h e r b a c k . O r i g i n a l l y h i s m o t h e r w o u l d p a y h e r b a c k . O n l y t h e t r a i l e r , v a l u e d a n u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s a s s e t s i n 1 ( 2 ) ( a ) o f t h e E A R a n d i s t h e r e f o r e n o t e l i g i b l e f o r u e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t p r o v i d e d e v i d e n c e t i t e m s a r e s t i l l i n h i s p o s s e s s i o n : p e l l a n t u s e s f o r w o r k ; 0 . 0 0 . T h e m i n i s t r y f i n d s t h a t t h e r e i s n o p r o o f t h a t t h i s c a r . t o t a l n o n e x e m p t v e h i c l e v a l u e d e m o n s t r a t e s a t h e l e g i s l a t e d l i m i t . A t t h e h e a r i n g t h e m i n i s t r y r v e t t e a n d t h e t r u c k t o h i s m o t h e r a f t e r t h e f a c t . b l e f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e i f a s o l e a p p l i c a n t o r s s e t s o f m o r e t h a n $ 2 , 0 0 0 . S e c t i o n 1 1 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f t h e v a l u e d o e s n o t e x c e e d $ 1 0 , 0 0 0 . i s t r y d e n i e d t h e a p p e l l a n t F e b r u a r y a s s i s t a n c e a s h i l e t h e C a m a r a w a s e x e m p t a s i t s v a l u e i s l e s s t $ 3 , 0 0 0 , a C o r v e t t e v a l u e d a t 4 , 5 0 0 a n d a t r a i l e r 8 , 5 0 0 , w h i c h i s i n e x c e s s o f t h e l e g i s l a t e d l i m i t o f s e 2 v e h i c l e s t o h i s m o t h e r , r e d u c i n g h i s a s s e t s t o d i n t h e l e g i s l a t i o n , t h e m i n i s t r y s t a t e d h e h a d n o t s w e r e n o t i n h i s p o s s e s s i o n . , n f i r m e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d " g i f t " t h e C o r v e t t e t o e G M C t r u c k t o h i s m o t h e r o n F e b r u a r y 3 , 2 0 1 4 : s t h e r e g i s t e r e d o w n e r o f b o t h v e h i c l e s . T h e p r i o r t o t h e J a n u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 r e v i e w t h a t i s a t d m i t t e d a n d i n t e r p r e t e d e v i d e n c e p e r t a i n i n g t o t h e n e l f i n d s i t t o b e u n r e a s o n a b l e o f t h e m i n i s t r y t o r u a r y i n l i g h t o f t h e f a c t t h a t o n F e b r u a r y 3 , 2 0 1 4 e l e g i s l a t e d l i m i t . T h e r e i s n o e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e w o u l d j u s t i f y t a k i n g a w a y t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s F e b r u a r y s s e t s f o r i n a d e q u a t e c o n s i d e r a t i o n i s n o t a n i s s u e n e v e h i c l e v a l u e d a t $ 2 , 3 0 0 , w h i c h i s e x e m p t , a n d e s f o r w o r k . B y " g i f t i n g " t h e C o r v e t t e a n d t h e n o n e x e m p t a s s e t s f r o m t h e t o t a l a s s e t v a l u e o f
I n l i g h t o f t h e a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n , t h e p a n e l f i n d s o n l a c k o f e v i d e n c e r e q u i r e d t o e s t a b l i s h t h e n o n e p o s s e s s i o n i s n o t r e a s o n a b l y s u p p o r t e d b y t h e e v i d E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 ): A P P E A L # 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 r a t i o n d e c i s i o n b a s e d x e m p t i t e m s w e r e s t i l l i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s e n c e a n d r e s c i n d s t h e d e c i s i o n .
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.