I A P P E A L 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 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 ' s ( t h e 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 d a t e d M a r c h 3 , 2 0 1 4 w h i c h h e l d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w 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 a i l u r e t o c o m p l y w i t h t h e t e r m s a n d c o n d i t i o n s o f h i s e m p l o y m e n t p l a n a s r e q u i r e d b y s e c t i o n 9 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f t h e 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 ( E A A ) . 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 l s o s t a t e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t f a i l e d t o d e m o n s t r a t e r e a s o n a b l e e f f o r t s t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n a n e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d p r o g r a m a s r e q u i r e d b y s e c t i o n 9 ( 4 ) o f t h e E A 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 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 ( E A A ) s e c t i o n 9 ( 1 ) ( b ) 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 ( E A A ) s e c t i o n 9 ( 4 ) E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s T h e e v i d e n c 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 r e c o n T h e 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 F e b r u a r y 2 8 , • a d o c t o r ' s n o t e d a t e d F e b r u a r y 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 e x p l i l l n e s s a n d i s n o t a b l e t o w o r k f o r t h e n e x t m o • a n e m p l o y m e n t p l a n s i g n e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t I n t h e N o t i c e o f A p p e a l , d a t e d M a r c h 7 , 2 0 1 4 t h e a p • h e i s s u f f e r i n g f r o m a m e n t a l i l l n e s s ; • h e w a s h o s p i t a l i z e d i n t h e p s y c h i a t r i c w a r d o n • h e h a s b e e n u n a b l e t o w o r k f o r t h e p e r i o d i n q T h e a p p e l l a n t a t t a c h e d a c o p y o f t h e r e c o r d o f h i s h o I n a f a x d a t e d M a r c h 2 4 , 2 0 1 4 , a n a d v o c a t e p r o v i d e d 1 ) a s e v e n p a g e w r i t t e n s u b m i s s i o n s t a t i n g : • t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s b r o u g h t t o a h o s p i t a • h e w a s c e r t i f i e d u n d e r t h e M e n t a l H e a l • a t d i s c h a r g e , t h e p s y c h i a t r i s t h a d a " w o a n d s u b s t a n c e a b u s e " ; • t h e a p p e l l a n t " r e f u s e d t r e a t m e n t w i t h a d i f f i c u l t i e s o r n e e d f o r t r e a t m e n t " ; • a f t e r d i s c h a r g e , t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s r e f e a s h e f e l t t h e g r o u p s e s s i o n s w e r e n o t • J u n e 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t b e g a n w o r k i n g • S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o p l a n ; • t h e a p p e l l a n t r e c e i v e d i n c o m e a s s i s t a n • t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t h a d a p h y s i c i a n o • t h e a p p e l l a n t a p p l i e d f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t h a d k n o w l e d g e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s • i t i s n o t c l e a r w h a t h a p p e n e d t o t h e r e q f r o m w o r k s e a r c h o b l i g a t i o n s ; • t h e a p p e l l a n t i s a w a r e o f t h e p o s s i b i l i t y b u t h a s n o t b e e n o f f e r e d a n y g u i d a n c e 2 ) A t t a c h m e n t A P s y c h i a t r i c C o n s u l t a t i o n R e p 3 ) A t t a c h m e n t B P s y c h i a t r i c D i s c h a r g e S u m m a 4 ) A t t a c h m e n t C N o t e s b y a s o c i a l w o r k e r a t t h " t h e w r i t e r w i l l p r o v i d e t h e i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t t o b e t e m p o r a r i l y e x c u s e d f r o 5 ) A t t a c h m e n t D N o t e f r o m a d o c t o r a t t h e w a l p a t i e n t s u f f e r s f r o m m e n t a l i l l n e s s a n d i s n o t a T h e m i n i s t r y r e l i e d o 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 E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 1 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # s i d e r a t i o n c o n s i s t e d o f : 2 0 1 4 ( R F R ) w h i c h i n c l u d e d : a i n i n g t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t s u f f e r s f r o m m e n t a l n t h ; a n d d a t e d J u n e 1 9 , 2 0 1 3 . p e l l a n t s t a t e s : A p r i l 3 0 , 2 0 1 3 ; u e s t i o n . s p i t a l i z a t i o n . : l b y p o l i c e o n A p r i l 3 0 , 2 0 1 3 ; t h A c t a n d h e l d u n t i l M a y 1 5 , 2 0 1 3 ; r k i n g d i a g n o s e s o f a p o s s i b l e d e l u s i o n a l d i s o r d e r n a n t i p s y c h o t i c a s h e h a s n o i n s i g h t i n t o h i s r r e d t o M e n t a l H e a l t h S e r v i c e s , b u t d i d n o t a t t e n d a p p r o p r i a t e f o r h i m ; a t a b u s i n e s s ; l o n g e r a b l e t o c o n t i n u e w i t h h i s e m p l o y m e n t c e i n D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 3 , b u t n o t i n J a n u a r y 2 0 1 4 ; r p s y c h i a t r i s t s i n c e M a y 1 5 , 2 0 1 3 ; a n c e w h i l e i n t h e h o s p i t a l ; t h e r e f o r e , t h e m i n i s t r y s u f f e r i n g f r o m m e n t a l h e a l t h p r o b l e m s ; u e s t f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t t o b e t e m p o r a r i l y e x c u s e d f o r a p p l y i n g f o r p e r s o n s w i t h a d i s a b i l i t y s t a t u s , w i t h t h e p r o c e s s . o r t d a t e d M a y 1 , 2 0 1 3 ry d i c t a t e d o n M a y 1 4 , 2 0 1 3 e h o s p i t a l d a t e d M a y 1 3 , 2 0 1 4 a n d s t a t i n g t h a t M e d i c a l C e rt i f i c a t e t o t h e p s y c h i a t r i s t t o c o m p l e t e m w o r k s e a r c h o b l i g a t i o n s . " k i n c l i n i c d a t e d F e b r u a r y 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 s t a t i n g " t h e b l e t o w o r k f o r t h e n e x t m o n t h . " n d s u b m i t t e d n o n e w i n f o r m a t i o n .
T h e p a n e l h a s a d m i t t e d t h e w r i t t e n s u b m i s s i o n o f t h e v i d e n c e a s i t i s i n s u p p o r t o f i n f o r m a t i o n a n d r e c o r d r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n , 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 ) o f r e l a t e s t o t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m e n t a l h e a l t h s i n c e A p r i l 2 e m p l o y a b i l i t y . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L I e a p p e l l a n t a n d t h e a d d i t i o n a l d o c u m e n t a t i o n i n t o s 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 t h e E A A . I n p a r t i c u l a r , t h e n e w i n f o r m a t i o n 0 1 3 a n d i n c l u d e s i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g h i s
A P P E A L I 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 t o b e d e t e r m i n e d a t 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 ' s r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n w h i c h f o u n d t h e a p p e l l a n t i n e l i g i b l e f o r f u r t h e r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e d u e t o n o n c o m p l i a n c e w i t h h i s e m p l o y m e n t p l a n u n d e r s e c t i o n 9 ( 1 ) ( b ) a n d s e c t i o n 4 o f t h e E A A w a 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 e v i d e n c e o r a r e a s o n a b l e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e l e g i s l a t i o n i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c i r c u m s t a n c e s . T h e r e l e v a n t l e g i s l a t i o n i s a s f o l l o w s : E A A E m p l o y m e n t p l a n 9 ( 1 ) F o r a f a m i l y u n i t t o b e 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 o r h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e , e a c h a p p l i c a n t o r r e c i p i e n t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t , w h e n r e q u i r e d t o d o s o b y t h e m i n i s t e r , m u s t ( a ) e n t e r i n t o a n e m p l o y m e n t p l a n , a n d ( b } c o m p l y w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n s i n t h e e m p l o y m e n t p l a n . ( 2 ) A d e p e n d e n t y o u t h , w h e n r e q u i r e d t o d o s o b y t h e m i n i s t e r , m u s t ( a ) e n t e r i n t o a n e m p l o y m e n t p l a n , a n d ( b ) c o m p l y w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n s i n t h e e m p l o y m e n t p l a n . ( 3 ) T h e m i n i s t e r m a y s p e c i f y t h e c o n d i t i o n s i n a n e m p l o y m e n t p l a n i n c l u d i n g , w i t h o u t l i m i t a t i o n , a c o n d i t i o n r e q u i r i n g t h e a p p l i c a n t , r e c i p i e n t o r d e p e n d e n t y o u t h t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n a s p e c i f i c e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d p r o g r a m t h a t , i n t h e m i n i s t e r ' s o p i n i o n , w i l l a s s i s t t h e a p p l i c a n t , r e c i p i e n t o r d e p e n d e n t y o u t h t o ( a } f i n d e m p l o y m e n t , o r ( b } b e c o m e m o r e e m p l o y a b l e . ( 4 ) I f a n e m p l o y m e n t p l a n i n c l u d e s a c o n d i t i o n r e q u i r i n g a n a p p l i c a n t , a r e c i p i e n t o r a d e p e n d e n t y o u t h t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n a s p e c i f i c e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d p r o g r a m , t h a t c o n d i t i o n i s n o t m e t i f t h e p e r s o n ( a ) f a i l s t o d e m o n s t r a t e r e a s o n a b l e e f f o r t s t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e p r o g r a m , o r ( b } c e a s e s , e x c e p t f o r m e d i c a l r e a s o n s , t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e p r o g r a m . ( 5 ) I f a d e p e n d e n t y o u t h f a i l s t o c o m p l y w i t h s u b s e c t i o n ( 2 ) , t h e m i n i s t e r m a y r e d u c e t h e a m o u n t o f i n c o m e 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 p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r t h e f a m i l y u n i t b y t h e p r e s c r i b e d a m o u n t f o r t h e p r e s c r i b e d p e r i o d . ( 6 ) T h e m i n i s t e r m a y a m e n d , s u s p e n d o r c a n c e l a n e m p l o y m e n t p l a n . ( 7 ) A d e c i s i o n u n d e r t h i s s e c t i o n ( a ) r e q u i r i n g a p e r s o n t o e n t e r i n t o a n e m p l o y m e n t p l a n , ( b } a m e n d i n g , s u s p e n d i n g o r c a n c e l l i n g a n e m p l o y m e n t p l a n , o r ( c ) s p e c i f y i n g t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f a n e m p l o y m e n t p l a n i s f i n a l a n d c o n c l u s i v e a n d i s n o t o p e n t o r e v i e w b y a c o u r t o n a n y g r o u n d o r t o a p p e a l u n d e r s e c t i o n 1 7 ( 3 ) [ r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n a n d a p p e a l r i g h t s ]. E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )
The m in i stry's reconsi derat i on decision states that secti must comply with the terms of an employme n t plan to maintain elig The ministry's position is that on June 19, 2013 the appell that he had read, understood and agreed to the conditions listed in the employm the mi n i stry r eviewed with th e appel lant the re quirement empl o yment plan a nd the consequences of not comp The min is tr y 's p osit ion is that the employme n t pla n stipulates contract or and advise them of any issues that may imp not co m municate an y mental health concerns that would impact employability. The appellant's pos i tio n is that he was r e qui red to ent a fter hi s r elease from the p sychiatri c un it, d espite the fact that his men tre a te d and th at t h e s o c i al wo rker at the ho spit a l ha d assist a nce M ed i cal Certificate to complete so that h e obl igat ions. The minis tr y 's re consideration deci sio n st ated that unde c onsidere d n ot t o hav e met the c ond i tio n s o f an employmen reasons, to demon s trat e r easonabl e efforts to a t ten d as st ipul ated in the e m ploym e nt p l an. The mi n i s t ry 's p osit ion is t ha t it is the res po n sib ilit y o ci rcums tances tha t interfe r e with t h e abi lit y to m eet emplo was n o t aware t ha t the a p pellant was not g oing t o work un J anu a r y 24, 2014. T he minis try's p osit ion is tha t the doct or's note dated Febr not able t o w o r k fo r the foll o wi ng m o nth, but t his i nforma suffering from mental illne ss months earlier when he quit his job. The note does not confirm that this was the reason the appellant quit hi s job and did no t The a ppellant's p osi tion is t ha t the rea sons for q u itting his job are share those reasons with the ministry. When the appellant was reminded of the requirement to comply with hi s e m p loyment p lan in order to rema i n eligible for income assist whatever you people do" a nd h un g up the phone. The appellant's position is that the intake and discharge notes written by his psychiatrist dated May 2013 is evidence of his mental health problems and his inability to comply with this employment plan. The appellant's position is that it is reasonable to assume that the ministry knew of his hospi t a lization for ment al health concerns in May of 2013 si that time. EAA T003( 10/06/01) APPEAL I on 9(1) (b)of t he EAA di rects t h a t an individ u al ibili ty for in come as sistanc e . ant signed an empl o yment plan confirmi ng ent plan. At that time to comply wi th the condi tions of the ly i n g . that the appellant is to work with his act hi s emp loyab ility and that th e appellant d id er int o an e mployment p lan a bout on e mo n th t al illness was not being prov id ed t he psych ia tris t wit h the inco m e c o ul d be te mporarily excused fr o m w o r k se a r ch r secti on 9(4) of the EA A an individu al is t plan i f t h ey fail , exce p t f o r medic al or par ti ci pate in a n employmen t rel a t ed pr o gr am f the client t o prov ide i n format ion r egardi n g a ny yment-related obl iga t ions. Th e ministry til t h ey wer e co n ta cte d b y the cont racto r o n u ary 20, 2014 ex pl ains tha t the appell a nt i s t ion doe s no t confirm that the appell a nt was co m p ly with hi s employment p l a n. his ow n busi ne ss and he will not ance he replied, "do n ce he applied for income assistance at
The app e llant's p o s ition i s that the no te fr om the doct m ental il lne s s and is not able to w ork for the next m no t parti cipating in hi s e mplo ym ent pr ogr a m. Panel Decision The pane l no te s that its jur isdicti on i s limite d to a d eterm decis ion was reasonable. Th e recon s idera tion decis ineligi ble for further in c om e ass i sta n ce due to n on-compliance with h Under se ction 9 ( 1)(b) of the EAA a n in divi dual must co m ai n tai n e li gibil ity f or income assi stanc e . While the app ella nt w a s under the i m pre ssi o n t ha t the psyc excus e hi m from w o rk s e arc h obligations; the pa nel ps y c h iatrist c omplet ed or sub mi t ted the Med i cal Certificate to t em ploymen t plan the a p pell ant was to ad vise t h e c ontract employa bi li t y . Th e appe lla nt signe d the employment with t he condi t i ons. T h e cond i tions of the pla n and the consequences of were expl a i ned to the app el lant by the mini stry . There is c ommuni ca ted any ment a l h eal th con c erns t o the co informed the m i n istr y of his ho sp it al izat io n or mad e a h ealth probl ems th at could impac t his employa b i lity. j ob fro m Jun e 2013 until S eptem ber 2013 indi c a t i ng Th e pan el finds the minis try's d e term ination that the app emp l o yment p lan t o maintain eli gibility for i ncom e ass was r eason a b ly sup ported by t h e evidenc e. Under section 9(4) of the EAA, an indi vidual is con sider emp l o yment plan if they fail, excep t f or m ed ical r eason or particip ate in an emp loymen t related program as stipulated in the employme The panel finds that there is no evidence that the appellant made any attempt to inform the contractor or the ministry that he was not able to go to work. In fact, the ministry did not know that t was not at work until the ministry was contacted by the contractor on January 24, 2014. evidence tha t t he appellant p rovided a reason for quitt situation with the ministry. The medical evidence provided in the Notice 2013 the appellant had a "working diagnoses of a possible delusional disorder and substance abuse" is not supportive of his mental health condi t i on f or the per that shortly aft er this diagno sis, the ap pel la nt was able to go to work in June and mainta employment for a period of time. The medical note dated February 20, 2014 addresses employability for the next month; however, there is no medical evidence to address the tim appellant was out of work prior to February and after quitting his job in September. While the appel lant assumed the ministry should know about his hospitalization due to mental health problems, under the legislation, it is his responsibility to inform the ministry of his circumstances and provide a reason for auittina his emplovment. There is no evidence that the annellant did so. EMT003(10/06/01) I AP PEAL o r d ated Feb r u ary 2 0 , 2014 stating t h at h e has a onth i s s u f ficient e vid e nce of a medic a l re as o n fo r inat i on o f w he t her the reconsideration ion relates to the fi n di n g th a t the appel lant i s is employment plan. m ply with t h e te rms o f an e mploy m ent p la n to hiatris t sub mitt ed a Med i cal C ertificate to finds that th e re is no ev idence that the h e minis t r y. U nder the ter ms of the or of any is sues that m ay imp a c t his pl an in dicating t hat he under stoo d an d agre ed non c ompliance with t he plan n o evi dence th a t t h e a p pellant ntractor. There is no e v idence that the appell a nt n in q uir y i f t h e minist ry w a s aw a r e of the mental There is e vi d ence that the appe ll ant did work a t a that he w a s a b l e t o wor k. ell an t di d n ot com ply with the ter ms of the istance purs u an t to se ction 9(1)(b)of the EA A ed not to ha v e me t the c o nditio ns o f an s, to d e m ons t r at e reas on a b l e effo rts to att end nt plan. h e appellant There is no ing his job or made an attempt to discuss the of A ppeal stating that i n May i o d aft er he quit working. There is evidence in e perio d that the
T h e r e f o r e , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h e m i n i s t ry ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o c o n d i t i o n s o f h i s e m p l o y m e n t p l a n b e c a u s e h e f a i l e d p a r t i c i p a t e i n h i s e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d p r o g r a m p u r s u s u p p o r t e d b y t h e e v i d e n c e . A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h e m i n i s t r y ' s r e c o n s i d e f o r f u r t h e r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e d u e t o n o n c o m p l i a n c s e c t i o n 9 ( 4 ) , o f t h e ( E A A ) w a s r e a s o n a b l y s u p p o r t e d t h e l e g i s l a t i o n i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c i r c u m s t a n c e s . T h e p a n e l t h e r e f o r e c o n f i r m s t h e m i n i s t r y ' s r e c o n s i d E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t t o m e e t t h e t o d e m o n s t r a t e r e a s o n a b l e e f f o r t s t o a t t e n d o r a n t t o s e c t i o n 9 ( 4 ) o f t h e E A A w a s r e a s o n a b l y r a t i o n d e c i s i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t e l i g i b l e e w i t h h i s e m p l o y m e n t p l a n u n d e r s e c t i o n 9 ( 1 ) ( b ) , b y t h e e v i d e n c e a n d a r e a s o n a b l e a p p l i c a t i o n o f e r a t i o n 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.