APPEAL# I PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (the ministry) reconsideration decision dated April 1, 2014 which found that the appellant is not eligible for assistance, pursuant to Section 9 of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR), for the month of March 2014 as her net income in January 2014 exceeded her assistance rate. PART D -Relevant Legislation Employment and Assistance for Persons With Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR), Sections 1, 9, and 29, and Schedules A and B
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T h e m i n i s t D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 2 0 1 3 d i s b u r s e m e n t i n J a n u a r y d i s b u r s e m e n t f o r a t o t a l a m o u n t o f $ 8 3 6 . 2 2 i 2 ) P e r s o n a l / B u s i n e s s D e p o s i t A c c o u n t S t a t e m e D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 2 0 1 3 s h o w i n g a d e p o s i t f r o m $ 6 3 6 . 1 4 a n d n o o t h e r d e p o s i t s b y F M E P i n t h s t a t e m e n t ; 3 ) F a m i l y M a i n t e n a n c e P a y m e n t H i s t o r y d a t e d t h r o u g h A p r i l 2 0 1 4 , i n d i c a t i n g i n p a rt a p a y m $ 4 0 8 . 6 1 o n D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 2 0 1 3 a n d t h e s u m b e i n g f o r a r r e a r s a s o p p o s e d t o r e g u l a r p a y m 4 ) L e t t e r d a t e d M a r c h 1 9 , 2 0 1 4 f r o m t h e t h i r d p a a p p e l l a n t ' s s e c o n d R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a 5 ) R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n R e a s o n s d a t e d I n h e r R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d a t e d M a r c h 1 6 • S h e u s e s f u n d s w h e n s h e g e t s t h e m a n d d e p t h e ' n o w ' a n d s h e n e v e r h a s e n o u g h . • S h e n e e d s t h e m o n e y f o r M a r c h 2 0 1 4 s i n c e s • S h e n e e d s g a s f o r h e r c a r . • S h e f e e l s t h e f u n d s a r e w r o n g f u l l y t a k e n f r o m w o r k e d . • S h e i s h o m e l e s s b e c a u s e o f t h i s a n d n o t b e c g e t s i t , b u t r e n t n e e d s t o b e p a i d b y t h e 1 s t a • J a n u a r y w a s p a i d a n d t h e b u i l d i n g w a s s o l d w • P e o p l e n e e d r e l i a b l e a n d s t a b l e p a y t o d e a l w m a n a g e d t o g e t a l l u n d e r c o n t r o l a n d t h e m i n • S h e h a s n o t r e c e i v e d t h e a d e q u a t e a m o u n t o o n e m o n t h s i n c e s h e h a d a n y t h i n g . S h e w o u a n d s h e i s i n a b a d p l a c e f o r a n y f e m a l e . • S h e h o p e s t h e m i n i s t r y w i l l g i v e h e r t h e s u p p t h e m o n e y a n d d e p e n d s u p o n i t . • T h e a m o u n t p a i d i s a r r e a r s a n d n o t ' n o w ' m o n I n h e r R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d a t e d M a r c h 1 8 , • S h e i s g r a t e f u l t h a t t h e r e s p o n d e n t w i t h t h e F ( F M E P ) " a g a i n p u l l e d a f a s t o n e a n d q u i t " a n a g a i n e x p e c t a c e r t a i n a m o u n t a n d n o s u r p r i s • S h e n e v e r h a d h e r r e n t o n t i m e o r h a d a n v i d A P P E A L # I r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n c o n s i s t e d o f : n c e E n f o r c e m e n t P r o g r a m ( F M E P ) p r o v i d e d w a s i n r e c e i p t o f m a i n t e n a n c e a s p e r a c o u r t o r d e r D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 2 0 1 3 a n d $ 4 2 7 . 6 1 o n J a n u a r y 1 4 , 0 1 3 b a n k s t a t e m e n t s h o w i n g s h e r e c e i v e d a n 1 3 b u t s h e d i d n o t r e c e i v e t h e D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 2 0 1 3 r y 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 r e c e i v e d t h e 2 0 1 4 a l o n g w i t h t h e J a n u a r y 1 4 , 2 0 1 4 n m a i n t e n a n c e p a y m e n t s ; n t U p d a t e f o r t h e p e r i o d D e c e m b e r 1 t h r o u g h F M E P o n D e c e m b e r 1 3 , 2 0 1 3 i n t h e a m o u n t o f e m o n t h , w i t h h a n d w r i t t e n n o t e s a d d e d t o t h e M a r c h 1 2 , 2 0 1 4 f o r t h e p e r i o d N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 2 e n t a m o u n t o f $ 6 3 6 . 1 4 o n D e c e m b e r 1 2 , 2 0 1 3 , o f $ 4 2 7 . 6 1 o n J a n u a r y 1 4 , 2 0 1 4 , a l l p a y m e n t s e n t s ; r t y a d m i n i s t r a t o r t o t h e m i n i s t r y e n c l o s i n g t h e t i o n ; a n d , M a r c h 1 6 a n d M a r c h 1 8 , 2 0 1 4 . , t h e a p p e l l a n t w r o t e t h a t : e n d s u p o n g e t t i n g t h e n e x t a m o u n t . S h e l i v e s i n h e d i d n o t g e t a n y m o n e y f o r o v e r a m o n t h . h e r s i n c e t h e y a r e a r r e a r s f r o m w h e n s h e a u s e s h e d o e s n o t p a y . S h e d o e s p a y w h e n s h e n d i t d i d n o t c o m e u n t i l t h e 1 1 t h a n d w a s t o o l a t e . h i c h c r e a t e d a m i x u p . i t h t h e n o r m a l , d a i l y e x p e n s e s . S h e h a d i s t r y s a b o t a g e d h e r . f f u n d s s h e i s l e g a l l y e n t i t l e d t o g e t a n d i t i s o v e r l d n o t b e h o m e l e s s i f s h e h a d r e c e i v e d m o n i e s o r t o f $ 5 0 0 f o r t h e m o n t h o f M a r c h . S h e n e e d s e y . t h e a p p e l l a n t w r o t e t h a t : a m i l y M a i n t e n a n c e E n f o r c e m e n t P r o g r a m d t h e r e a r e n o m o r e f u n d s f r o m F M E P . S h e c a n e s . e a w h e n s h e w o u l d h a v e i t . S h e d i d n o t h a v e
F e b r u a r y 1 s r e n t o n t i m e a n d h a s n o t p a i d f o h e r o u t s i n c e s h e h a s b e e n t o l d ' n o s t o r a g e , • T h e r e i s n o p l a c e t o r e n t f o r $ 3 7 5 p e r m o n t h • T h i s h a s d e s t r o y e d h e r m o n t h l y a u t o p l a n . • T h e m i n i s t r y t o o k h e r s u p p o r t f r o m h e r " X " w • H e r c e l l p h o n e c o s t $ 3 5 p l u s t a x e s a n d c o s t s I n h e r N o t i c e o f A p p e a l d a t e d A p r i l 9 , 2 0 1 3 , t h e a p p m i n i s t r y 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 o t e t h a t t h e a c t u a l m o n i e s , d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e o r m a i n t e n a n c e 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 : • T h e l a s t m o n e y s h e r e c e i v e d w a s o n F e b r u a • T h e m o n e y f r o m F M E P w a s n o t r e g u l a r . I t w i t c h a n g e d t o o n c e p e r m o n t h . S o m e o f t h e a n y o f i t . • S h e d i d n o t h a v e e n o u g h m o n e y t o p a y h e r r t o o l a t e , a n d s h e g o t e v i c t e d . • S h e t h i n k s t h e s y s t e m s h o u l d b e c h a n g e d s o p a y m e n t s t o a p e r s o n . I t i s i m p o s s i b l e t o p l a m o n e y w i l l b e r e c e i v e d . B i l l s n e e d t o b e p a i d • T h e F M E P w a s g a r n i s h i n g h e r e x ' s p a y , b u t h • S h e d i d n o t g e t a s s i s t a n c e f o r M a r c h , w h i c h w t h e m o n e y f r o m F M E P w a s r e c e i v e d i n J a n u • T h e p a y m e n t s f r o m F M E P w e r e d e p o s i t e d d i s o m e t i m e s a d e l a y o f u p t o 3 d a y s f r o m t h e d • I t t o o k 3 d a y s f o r h e r t o g e t t h e f u n d s t h a t w e • S h e b e l i e v e s t h e F M E P p a y m e n t s s h o u l d n o t w o r k e d f u l l t i m e , r a i s i n g h e r k i d s a n d t h e s e p • S h e i s n o w l i v i n g i n h e r c a r . T h e m i n i s t r y r e l i e d o n t h e f a c t s a s s e t o u t i n i t s r e c o • T h e a p p e l l a n t i s a s i n g l e r e c i p i e n t o f d i s a b i l i t y • T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a s s i s t a n c e r a t e i s $ 5 6 1 . 4 2 , c o $ 3 0 f o r h e r a c t u a l s h e l t e r c o s t s . A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e m i n i s t r y c l a r i f i e d t h a t : • I f t h e a p p e l l a n t c a n s h o w t h a t h e r a c t u a l s h e l t m o r e t h a n $ 3 0 e a c h m o n t h , s h e c a n b e i n c o n i n c r e a s i n g h e r s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e .A P P E A L # I r M a r c h a n d s h e w i l l s t a y u n t i l t h e b a i l i f f m o v e s n o m o v i n g t r u c k . ' . h i c h w a s f o r " d e f a u l t f e e s . ' ' o v e r $ 4 0 f o r t h e m o n t h . e l l a n t e x p r e s s e d h e r d i s a g r e e m e n t w i t h t h e F M E P p a y m e n t s s t o p p e d a n d s h e h a s h a d n o , s i n c e F e b r u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 4 . r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 4 a n d t h e p a y m e n t s h a v e s t o p p e d . a s O K w h e n t h e y p a i d e v e r y t w o w e e k s , b u t t h e n m o n e y w e n t t o ' d e f a u l t ' f e e s a n d s h e d i d n o t s e e e n t , b e c a u s e t h e F e b r u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 4 p a y m e n t w a s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y a n d F M E P e n s u r e r e g u l a r n w h e n a p e r s o n d o e s n o t k n o w h o w m u c h w h e n t h e y a r e d u e . e q u i t h i s j o b a n d n o w t h e r e i s n o m o r e m o n e y . o u l d h a v e b e e n p a i d a t t h e e n d o f F e b r u a r y y e t a r y 2 0 1 4 w h i c h d o e s n o t m a k e s e n s e t o h e r . r e c t l y i n t o h e r b a n k a c c o u n t b u t t h e r e w a s a t e o f t h e p a y m e n t u n t i l s h e r e c e i v e d t h e f u n d s . r e p a i d b y F M E P o n D e c e m b e r 3 1 , 2 0 1 3 . b e d e d u c t e d f r o m h e r a s s i s t a n c e s i n c e s h e a y m e n t s s h o u l d n o t b e t a k e n a w a y f r o m h e r . n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n . a s s i s t a n c e . m p o s e d o f s u p p o r t a l l o w a n c e o f $ 5 3 1 . 6 2 a n d e r c o s t s a r e h i g h e r , b e c a u s e h e r c e l l p h o n e b i l l i s t a c t w i t h t h e l o c a l m i n i s t r y o f f i c e t o s e e a b o u t
� I APP E A L # _ _ _ _ -----� ' _ _ -PART F -Reasons for Panel Decision The issue on appeal is whether the ministry's decision, which found that the appellant is not eligible for assistance, pursuant to Section 9 of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR), for the month of March 2014 as her net income in January 2014 exceeded her assistance rate, is reasonably supported by the evidence or is a reasonable application of the applicable enactment in the appellant's circumstances. Section 9 of the EAPWDR provides that: Limits on income 9 (1) For the purposes of the Act and this regulation, "income", in relation to a family unit, includes an amount garnished, attached, seized, deducted or set off from the income of an applicant, a recipient or a dependant. (2) A family unit is not eligible for disability assistance if the net income of the family unit determined under Schedule B equals or exceeds the amount of disability assistance determined under Schedule A for a family unit matching that family unit. Schedule A of the EAPWDR sets out the total amount of disability assistance payable as the sum of the monthly support allowance for a family unit matching the family unit of the applicant or recipient plus the applicable shelter allowance. In calculating the net income of a family unit under Schedule B, various exemptions from income are provided but, otherwise, all earned and unearned income must be included. Section 1 of Schedule B of the EAPWDR provides as follows: When calculating the net income of a family unit for the purposes of section 24 (b) [amount of disability assistance] of this regulation, (a) the following are exempt from income: ... (b) any amount garnished, attached, seized, deducted or set off from income is considered to be income, except the deductions permitted under sections 2 and 6, (c) all earned income must be included, except the deductions permitted under section 2 and any earned income exempted under sections 3, 3.1 and 4, and (d ) all unearned income must be included, except the deductions permitted under section 6 and any income exempted under sections 7, 7 .1 , 7 .2 and 8. Section 9 of Schedule B of the EAPWDR provides: Application of deductions and exemptions 9 (1) The deductions and exemptions in this Schedule apply only in the calendar month in which the income is actually received, despite any of the following: (a) the date the income is payable; (b) the period for which the income is payable; (c) the date the income is reported to the minister; (d) the date the minister receives notice of the income. (2) Despite subsection (1 ), income that is received before the date that subsection (1) comes into force is subject to the application of section 9 of this regulation as it read immediately before subsection (1) came into force.
I APPEAL# Section 1(1) of the EAPWDR defines "unearned income" to mean: any income that is not earned income, and includes, without limitation, money or value received from any of the following: (a) money, annuities, stocks, bonds, shares, and interest bearing accounts or properties; (b) cooperative associations as defined in the Real Estate Development Marketing Act; (c) war disability pensions, military pensions and war veterans' allowances; ( d) insurance benefits, except insurance paid as compensation for a destroyed asset; (e) superannuation benefits; (f) any type or class of Canada Pension Plan benefits; (g) employment insurance; (h) union or lodge benefits; (i) financial assistance provided under the Employment and Assistance Act or provided by another province or jurisdiction; U) workers' compensation benefits and disability payments or pensions; (k) surviving spouses' or orphans' allowances; (I) a trust or inheritance; (m) rental of tools, vehicles or equipment; (n) rental of land, self-contained suites or other property except the place of residence of an applicant or recipient; (o) Interest earned on a mortgage or agreement for sale; (p) maintenance under a court order, a separation agreement or other agreement; (q ) education or training allowances, grants, loans, bursaries or scholarships; (r) a lottery or a game of chance; (s) awards of compensation under the Criminal Injury Compensation Act or awards of benefits under the Crime Victim Assistance Act, other than an award paid for repair or replacement of damaged or destroyed property; (t) any other financial awards or compensation; (u) Federal Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement payments; (v) financial contributions made by a sponsor pursuant to an undertaking given for the purposes of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) or the Immigration Act (Canada); (w) tax refunds. Ministry's position The ministry's position is that the appellant is a single recipient of disability assistance with her shelter allowance currently set at $30 as her actual shelter costs and she is, therefore, eligible for a total allowance of $561.42 per month under Schedule A of the EAPWDR. The ministry argued that in determining net income under Schedule B, all unearned income must be included, which has been defined in Section 1 of the EAPWDR to include, without limitation, money or value received from maintenance under a court order, a separation agreement or other agreement. The ministry argued that the total net amount of the appellant's income calculated under Schedule B is $836.22 in maintenance payments received by her in January 2014. At the hearing, the ministry clarified that the relevant date for calculating net income is the date that the money is received and not the date that it is payable. The ministry argued that there are not any permitted exemptions for or deductions from maintenance payments. The ministry pointed out that income is to be reported by the 5 th day of the month followina the month the income is received and the income is calculated for the following month
APPEAL# I of assistance, so that income received in January 2014 is applied to March 2014 assistance. As the monthly net income of the appellant's family unit ($836.22) exceeded the disability assistance rate ($561.42), the appellant was not eligible for assistance for the month of March 2014, pursuant Section 9 of the EAPWDR. Appellant's position The appellant does not dispute that she was in receipt of maintenance payments in January 2014 in the total amount of $836.22 but argued that the payments from FMEP were irregular and caused hardship to her as she defaulted on her rent and was evicted and is now "in a bad place for any female." The appellant argued that the FMEP payments should not be deducted from her assistance since she worked full-time raising her kids and these are arrears payments because her ex-spouse defaulted in his payments and these should not be "taken away" from her by being deducted from her assistance entitlement. The appellant did not dispute that her disability assistance amount is currently $561.42 but she argued that her cell phone bill is actually $35 per month plus the applicable taxes and that this amount should, therefore, be higher. The appellant argued that she has not received any income since February 11, 2014 and it is unfair to expect anyone to go without income for that long. Panel decision The appellant does not dispute that, in January 2014, she was in receipt of maintenance payments by direct deposit to her bank account in the total sum of $836.22, paid pursuant to a court order, a separation agreement, or other agreement filed with the FMEP. Under Section 1( d) of Schedule B of the EAPWDR, all unearned income "must" be included in the calculation of net income unless it is specifically exempted and, given the directory language of the Section 1 (i.e. the use of the word "must"), the ministry does not have the discretion to do otherwise. According to Section 1( 1 )(p) of the EAPWDR, "unearned income" is defined to mean any income that is not earned income and includes, without limitation, money or value received from any of the following: " ... maintenance under a court order, a separation agreement or other agreement." The appellant argued that the FMEP payments should not be deducted from her assistance since.she worked full-time raising her kids and these are arrears payments because her ex-spouse had earlier defaulted in his payments and should not be "taken away" from her assistance entitlement. As.stated by the appellant, the Family Maintenance Payment History for the period November 2012 through April 2014, indicates that both payment amounts of $408.61 on December 31, 2013 (deposited in her bank in January 2014) and the sum of $427.61 on January 14, 2014, were for "arrears" as opposed to regular, ongoing maintenance payments. However, the wording in Section 1( 1 )(p) of the EAPWDR includes "maintenance" and there is no distinction provided in the current legislation between maintenance from ongoing payments or from arrears, and the panel finds that the ministry reasonably determined that the maintenance payments received by the appellant are, therefore, specifically included within the definition of "unearned income." The panel finds that the relevant date for calculating net income is the date that the money is "actually received," as set out in Section 9(1) of Schedule B of the EAPWDR and not some other date such as the date that it is payable or when it is sent. The panel finds that the ministry was reasonable in considering the December 31, 2013 payment for $408.61 as shown on the FMEP History to have been received by the appellant in January 2014 as it did not appear on her December bank statement, and the appellant admitted at the hearing that it was deposited into her account in January 2014. Combined with a payment of $427.61 on January 14, 2014, the total FMEP amount is $836.22. The aooellant did not an:iue that there are any specific deductions permitted or income exempted under
the legisl ation a nd , h aving r eviewed the deduction exe mpted under secti o ns 7 , 7 .1, 7 .2 a n d 8 o f Schedul con cl uded that there are n o t any permitt e d e xe mptions T herefor e , the pan el fin ds that t he m i nistry rea sonab income for Jan u ary 2014 ($836. 22 ) ex ceeded t h e and the ap pell ant w as n o t e ligible for a ss i s tance for the month o the EAPWDR. The appe llant r a ised a coupl e of is sues that we re b appeal, incl udi ng that t h e paymen ts fro m FM EP wer def a ul t ed on her rent a nd w as evicted and is now "in a bad place for any s helt er c osts a re higher. The mi n i stry cla r i f i ed at the act u al sh e lter c ost s ar e higher t h a n the $3 0 as cu rre local ministry office to reque s t an i ncr e a se in her shelt C onc lusio n The Pa nel f i nds t hat the min i s try decisio n w a s re aso d ec isio n pur s uant to Sec t i on 24( 2)(a) of t h e Emp l oyme A PPEAL # I s per mi tted under s e cti on 6 an d t h e income e B, the p a nel finds tha t t he mini st r y reaso n a bly for or d e du c ti o ns from ma i ntenance pa ym ents. l y conclud ed t hat t h e appe llant's m o n t hly net disabili ty a s sis tanc e rat e for t h e month ($5 6 1 . 42) f Marc h 2014, pursuant Sectio n 9 of e yond the s cope of th e p ane l 's jurisdiction on this e irreg ul a r and ca u s ed hardship to her a s she female," and tha t her actual he ar i ng that if the a p pellant can show th at her ntl y e s tablis h ed, s h e can be i n co n ta ct wit h t h e e r a l lowan ce. nabl y su ppo r ted by th e ev i d enc e a n d c o nfir ms t he nt and Assistance Act .
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.