. i APPEAL# PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision being appealed is the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (the "Ministry") May 15, 2014 reconsideration decision in which the Ministry determined that the Appellant was not eligible for income assistance because she did not meet any of the eligibility criteria or exemptions in section 8 of the Employment and Assistance Act and section 18 of the Employment and Assistance Regulation. PART D -Relevant Legislation Employment and Assistance Act ("EAA") Section 4 and 8. Employment and Assistance Regulation ("EAR") Section 18. EMT003(10/06/01)
: A P P E A L # PART E-Summary of Facts The Appellant did not appear at the hearing. The Panel confirmed that the Appellant was provided with notice of the hearing. Then, in accordance with section 86(b) of the EAR, the Panel proceeded with the hearing in the Appellant's absence. For its reconsideration decision, the Ministry had the following evidence: 1. Information from Ministry records that the Appellant: • Applied for income assistance as a sole applicant and completed a Two Year Independence Assessment. • On March 25, 2014, advised the Ministry that she received funding for school in 2013, which included a living allowance. • On April 3, 2014, provided to the Ministry her 2012 Income Tax Notice of Reassessment showing $11,686 net income, $6,430 deductions from net income and $5,256 taxable income. • Provided to the Ministry her 2013 Tax Return Summary showing $4,514.41 employment income and $6,137 other income which the Appellant stated was her funding for school. 2. Appellant's request for reconsideration, dated April 30, 2014 with the following documents: • The same 2012 Notice of Reassessment. • Her 2013 Tax Notice of Assessment showing $10,651 total net and taxable income. • Acceptance letter, dated March 24, 2014, from a local college accepting the Appellant into a health career program, starting September 2014. • Letter from the same college, dated April 7, 2014, stating that she completed a diploma program lo complete high school. It started April 2013 and ended March 2014. • Her work search activities record from March 18, 2014 to March 24, 2014 detailing types of activity, location of activity, contact name and phone number, and results. • Several examples of her application for various positions. • Contact information for an employer for whom she worked as a casual • Her written argument, which included information related to her circumstances. In her request for reconsideration, the Appellant referred to her 2012 notice of assessment showing total income of $11,686 and net income of $11,686 and to her 2013 notice of assessment showing total income of $10,651 and net income of $10,651. She also stated that she completed employment searches and submitted the required documents (attached to her submission). The Appellant wrote that she was never told that her employment search was not acceptable. She has had several job interviews but has not been successful in getting employment. The Appellant stated that she has done everything in her ability to seek employment. She added that she was working as a casual worker while attending school full time, but her employer was unable to provide her with work. She asked her employer for a letter to explain the circumstances of her employment or lack of employment due to a slow season. The Appellant stated that the employer was unable to comment. The Appellant also wrote that she attended school during the past year full time, working towards a degree in the health field. She needed to fulfill certain course requirements before being accepted into the degree program. The Appellant stated that she completed her first year and has been accepted into college to begin her second year in September 2014. She wrote that she needs funding for this degree and has made several attempts to get financial support. It is critical that she has stable housina and basic food suooort until she beains school in September 2014. EAAT 003(10/06/01)
APPEAL# : The Appellant stated that denying her the basic safety support of income assistance puts her at great risk of homelessness and other safety issues if she has to live on the streets. She wrote that it is her understanding that income assistance is in place to support people like her who need immediate assistance and to support people transitioning to employment or school. The Appellant stated that she has done everything in good faith and completed every school course she has enrolled in to pursue higher goals. She is only asking for a helping hand for a short period of time. In her notice of appeal, the Appellant wrote that for section 8 she received income from a public/private program. She wrote that she was attending school full time and working part time. Under section 18(4), she was prevented from searching and accepting employment due to full time school and will experience undue hardship if not assisted. Because the Appellant did not appear at the hearing, the Panel will consider the Appellant's submissions with her request for reconsideration and for this appeal to be her submissions for the appeal. At the hearing, the Ministry reviewed and reaffirmed the reconsideration decision. The Panel makes the following findings of fact: 1. From April 2013 through March 2014, the Appellant attended school to complete her high school diploma, but not for post-secondary studies. 2. The Appellant was not employed for remuneration for at least 840 hours during 2012, 2013 or 2014. 3. The Appellant's income from employment for remuneration in 2013 was $4,514.41. 4. The Appellant's total taxable income in 2013 was $10,651, of which $6,137 was funding for school. EAAT003(10/06101)
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 i n t h i s 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 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 b e c a u s e s h e d i d n o t m s e c t i o n 8 o f t h e E A A a n d s e c t i o n 1 8 o f t h e E A R . T h e f o l l o w i n g s e c t i o n o f t h e E A A a p p l i e s t o t h i s a p p 4 S u b j e c t t o t h e r e g u l a t i o n s , t h e m i n i s t e r m a y p r o v i d 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 i t . 8 ( 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 h a v e ( a ) b e e n e m p l o y e d f o r r e m u n e r a t i o n f o r a t l e a s t t h e c o n s e c u t i v e y e a r s , ( b ) e a r n e d r e m u n e r a t i o n f o r e m p l o y m e n t i n a t l e a s t y e a r s , o r ( c ) b e e n e m p l o y e d f o r r e m u n e r a t i o n f o r a p o r t i o n o f t h o s e y e a r s e i t h e r ( i ) s e r v e d a w a i t i n g p e r i o d i n r e s p e c t o f , o r r e c e i v e d I n s u r a n c e A c t ( C a n a d a ) , o r ( i i ) r e c e i v e d i n c o m e u n d p r o g r a m o r p l a n . T h e f o l l o w i n g s e c t i o n o f t h e E A R a p p l i e s t o t h i s a p p e 1 8 ( 1 ) F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f s e c t i o n 8 ( 1 ) ( a ) o f t h e A c t , r e m u n e r a t i o n f o r a t l e a s t 8 4 0 h o u r s i n e a c h o f t h e 2 ( 2 ) F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f s e c t i o n 8 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f t h e A c t , a n e m p l o y m e n t o f a t l e a s t $ 7 0 0 0 i n e a c h o f t h e 2 c o n s ( 3 ) S e c t i o n 8 o f t h e A c t d o e s n o t a p p l y t o t h e f a m i l y ( a ) a p p l i c a n t s w h o h a v e n o t r e a c h e d t h e a g e o f 1 9 ; ( b ) a p p l i c a n t s w h o a r e p r e g n a n t ; ( c ) a p p l i c a n t s w h o h a v e a m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n t h a t , i n ( i ) w i l l p r e v e n t t h e a p p l i c a n t f r o m w o r k i n g f o r a t l e a s t a p p l i c a n t f r o m w o r k i n g f o r a t o t a l o f a t l e a s t s i x m o n t o f t h e a p p l i c a n t ' s s u b m i s s i o n o f t h e a p p l i c a t i o n f o r i n ( d ) a p p l i c a n t s w i t h d e p e n d e n t c h i l d r e n ; ( f ) a p p l i c a n t s w h o h a v e a f o s t e r c h i l d ; ( g ) a p p l i c a n t s w h o w e r e s u p p o r t e d b y a n e m p l o y e d ( h ) a p p l i c a n t s w h o w e r e s u p p o rt e d b y a n e m p l o y e d a r e q u i r e m e n t o f s e c t i o n 8 ( 1 ) o f t h e A c t f o r t h e b a l a n ( i ) a p p l i c a n t s w h o w e r e i n c a r c e r a t e d i n a l a w f u l p l a c e y e a r p e r i o d i m m e d i a t e l y p r e c e d i n g t h e d a t e o f a p p l i c U ) a p p l i c a n t s w h o w e r e i n t h e c a r e o f a d i r e c t o r u n d e a n d a n a g r e e m e n t w i t h a d i r e c t o r u n d e r s e c t i o n 1 2 . 2 A c t u n t i l t h e a p p l i c a n t ' s 1 9 t h b i r t h d a y ; ( k ) a p p l i c a n t s w h o ( i ) h a v e s e p a r a t e d f r o m a n a b u s i v e s p o u s e , o r ( i i ) c h r e l a t i v e , o t h e r t h a n a s p o u s e , w i t h i n t h e p a s t 6 m o n t h s i f , i n t h e m i n i s t e r ' s o p i n i o n , 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 t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t w a s n o t e e t a n y o f t h e e l i g i b i l i t y c r i t e r i a o r e x e m p t i o n s i n e a l : e i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e o r a s u p p l e m e n t t o o r f o r a n c e , a t l e a s t o n e a p p l i c a n t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t m u s t p r e s c r i b e d n u m b e r o f h o u r s i n e a c h o f t w o t h e p r e s c r i b e d a m o u n t i n e a c h o f t w o c o n s e c u t i v e t w o c o n s e c u t i v e y e a r s a n d f o r t h e b a l a n c e o f b e n e f i t s u n d e r , a c l a i m u n d e r t h e E m p l o y m e n t e r a p u b l i c o r p r i v a t e i n c o m e r e p l a c e m e n t a l : a n a p p l i c a n t m u s t h a v e b e e n e m p l o y e d f o r c o n s e c u t i v e y e a r s . a p p l i c a n t m u s t h a v e e a r n e d r e m u n e r a t i o n f o r e c u t i v e y e a r s . u n i t s o f t h e f o l l o w i n g c a t e g o r i e s o f a p p l i c a n t s : t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e m i n i s t e r , t h e n e x t 3 0 d a y s , o r ( i i ) h a s p r e v e n t e d t h e h s o f t h e 2 y e a r s i m m e d i a t e l y p r e c e d i n g t h e d a t e c o m e a s s i s t a n c e ( p a r t 2 ) f o r m ; s p o u s e f o r a t l e a s t 2 y e a r s ; s p o u s e f o r a p o r t i o n o f a t w o y e a r p e r i o d a n d m e t c e o f t h e t w o y e a r p e r i o d ; o f c o n f i n e m e n t f o r a t l e a s t 6 m o n t h s o f t h e 2 a t i o n f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e ; r t h e C h i l d F a m i l y a n d C o m m u n i t y S e rv i c e s A c t o f t h e C h i l d , F a m i l y a n d C o m m u n i t y S e rv i c e s a n g e d p l a c e o f r e s i d e n c e t o f l e e a n a b u s i v e t h e a o o l i c a n t ' s a b i l i t y t o w o r k i s c o n s e q u e n t l y
�APPEAL# impaired; (I) applicants who have been awarded a 2 year diploma or certificate, a bachelor's degree or a post graduate degree from a post-secondary institution; (m) applicants who have persistent multiple barriers to employment; (n) applicants who reside with and care for a spouse who has a physical or mental condition that, in the minister's opinion, precludes the applicant from leaving home for the purposes of employment; ( o) applicants who are providing care for a child under an agreement referred to in section 8 of the Child, Family and Community Services Act, (p) applicants who are providing care for a child under an agreement referred to in section 93 (1) (g) (ii) of the Child, Family and Community Services Act. (4) Section 8 of the Act does not apply to the family units of applicants if, in the minister's opinion, (a) the applicant, due to circumstances beyond the applicant's control, has been prevented from searching for, accepting or continuing employment, and (b) the family unit will otherwise experience undue hardship. The Panel will consider the parties' positions with respect to the sections of the EAA and EAR at issue in this appeal. Section 8(1)(a) and (c) EAA and Section 18(1) EAR The Ministry determined that the Appellant did not provide any information demonstrating that she worked 840 hours in each of 2 consecutive years. Therefore the Ministry determined that the Appellant did not meet the requirements in section 8(1 )(a) of the EAA and section 18(1) of the EAR. The Ministry also considered section 8(1 )(c) of the EAA and determined that the Appellant did not provide any information demonstrating that she worked and received El, or a public or private income replacement program or plan for a two consecutive year period. Therefore the Ministry found that the Appellant did not meet the requirements in this legislation. The Appellant's position is that she completed employment searches and submitted the required documents to the Ministry. She had several job interviews but has not been successful in getting employment. The Appellant stated that she has done everything in her ability to seek employment and has worked as a casual employee. The Panel's Findings The Panel finds that, although the Appellant submitted evidence that she worked part-time, there is no evidence that she worked 840 hours in each of 2 consecutive years. Therefore, the Panel finds that the Ministry reasonably determined that the Appellant did not meet the requirements in section 8(1 )(a) of the EAA and section 18(1) of the EAR. The Panel also finds that there is no evidence that the Appellant was receiving El or any income under a public or private income replacement program or plan. Therefore the Ministry reasonably determined that the Appellant did not meet the requirements in section 8(1) (c) of the EAA. Section 8(1)/b) EAA and Section 18(1) EAR With respect to section 8(1) (b), of the EAA and section 18(2) of the EAR, the requirement to earn at least $7000 from employment in each of two consecutive years, the Ministry noted that the information from the Appellant showed that in 2013 she earned $4,514.41 from employment, but her 2012 Notice for Reassessment did not indicate what income was from em lo ment. Therefore, the EAAT003(10/06/01)
M i n i s t ry 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 d i d n o t d e m o T h e A p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d t h a t s h e m e t t h i s r e q u i r e m a s s e s s m e n t s a n d n o t i c e s t o s h o w t h a t h e r 2 0 1 2 i n c $ 1 0 , 6 5 1 . S h e s u b m i t t e d t h a t s o m e o f h e r i n c o m e w f u n d i n g f o r s c h o o l . T h e P a n e l ' s F i n d i n g s T h e P a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e o n l y e v i d e n c e a b o u t t h e A p i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m 2 0 1 3 ; t h a t i s , t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a e a r n e d $ 4 , 5 1 4 . 4 1 . T h e r e i s n o e v i d e n c e t o i n d i c a t e w a s r e m u n e r a t i o n f r o m e m p l o y m e n t . T h e r e f o r e , t h e 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 d i d n o t m e e t t h e s e l e S e c t i o n 1 8 ( 3 ) E A R T h e M i n i s t ry 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 d i d n o t m E A R , b a s e d o n t h e T w o Y e a r I n d e p e n d e n c e A s s e s s y e a r o f s t u d y t o o b t a i n a n A d u l t G r a d u a t i o n D i p l o m a m e e t t h e e x e m p t i o n c r i t e r i a f o r p e r s o n s a w a r d e d a T h e A p p e l l a n t ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t s h e a t t e n d e d s c h o o l p r o g r a m a n d w i l l b e e n t e r i n g a c o l l e g e p r o g r a m i n S w o r k w h i l e g o i n g t o s c h o o l f u l l t i m e . T h e P a n e l ' s F i n d i n g s T h e P a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e r e i s n o e v i d e n c e t o e s t a b l i s e x e m p t i o n s s e t o u t i n s e c t i o n 1 8 ( 3 ) o f t h e E A R , w h i c s e c t i o n 1 8 ( 3 ) ( 1 ) , t h e P a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e r e i s n o e v i d y e a r d i p l o m a o r c e r t i f i c a t e , a b a c h e l o r ' s d e g r e e o r a i n s t i t u t i o n . T h e r e f o r e , 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 e x e m p t i o n s i n s e c t i o n 1 8 ( 3 ) o f t h e E A R . S e c t i o n 1 8 ( 4 ) E A R T h e M i n i s t r y c o n s i d e r e d t h e i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m t h e A p s h e f o u n d o n e j o b f o r 1 d a y a w e e k , a s w e l l a s i n f o r e f f o rt s t o f i n d a j o b . T h e M i n i s t r y f o u n d t h a t t h e A p p e a c c e p t i n g o r c o n t i n u i n g i n e m p l o y m e n t a n d t h e r e f o r 1 8 ( 4 ) ( a ) . T h e M i n i s t r y a l s o c o n s i d e r e d t h e a p p l i c a t i c i r c u m s t a n c e s a n d i t c o n c e d e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t m h o m e l e s s n e s s i f s h e i s n o t a s s i s t e d ; h o w e v e r , t h e M e x e m p t i o n i n s e c t i o n 1 8 ( 4 ) o f t h e E A R b e c a u s e s h e a c c e p t i n g o r c o n t i n u i n g i n e m p l o y m e n t . T h e A p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d t h a t s h e c o m p l e t e d e m p l o y w o r k e r w h i l e g o i n g t o s c h o o l f u l l t i m e . S h e s u b m i t t e d a v a i l a b l e w o r k , b u t s h e h a s b e e n l o o k i n f o r o t h e r w E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )� A P P E A L # n s t r a t e t h a t s h e m e t t h e s e r e q u i r e m e n t s . e n t b y p r o v i d i n g e v i d e n c e i n t h e f o r m o f t a x o m e w a s $ 1 1 , 6 8 6 a n d h e r 2 0 1 3 i n c o m e w a s a s f r o m a p r o g r a m w h i c h p r o v i d e d h e r w i t h p e l l a n t ' s i n c o m e f r o m e m p l o y m e n t i s t h e t a x d i n c o m e f r o m e m p l o y m e n t i n t h e a m o u n t o f w h e t h e r a n y o f t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s i n c o m e i n 2 0 1 2 P a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e M i n i s t ry r e a s o n a b l y g i s l a t e d r e q u i r e m e n t s . e e t a n y o f t h e e x e m p t i o n s i n s e c t i o n 1 8 ( 3 ) o f t h e m e n t s h e c o m p l e t e d a n d o n t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s 1 . T h e M i n i s t r y f o u n d t h a t t h e s e s t u d i e s d i d n o t 2 y e a r d i p l o m a f r o m a p o s t s e c o n d a r y i n s t i t u t i o n s . f u l l t i m e , h a s b e e n a c c e p t e d i n t o a h e a l t h c a r e e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 4 . S h e a l s o h a s b e e n l o o k i n g f o r h t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t m e t a n y o f t h e s p e c i f i c h a r e c i t e d a b o v e . S p e c i f i c a l l y , w i t h r e s p e c t t o e n c e t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a s b e e n a w a r d e d a 2 p o s t g r a d u a t e d e g r e e f r o m a p o s t s e c o n d a r y i n e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t d i d n o t m e e t a n y o f t h e p e l l a n t a b o u t h e r e f f o rt s t o f i n d e m p l o y m e n t , t h a t m a t i o n a b o u t h e r e m p l o y m e n t i n t h e p a s t a n d l l a n t h a d n o t b e e n p r e v e n t e d f r o m s e a r c h i n g f o r , e d i d n o t m e e t t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s o f s e c t i o n o n o f s e c t i o n 1 8 ( 4 ) ( b ) i n t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s a y e x p e r i e n c e u n d u e h a r d s h i p f r o m p o s s i b l e i n i s t r y f o u n d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t d i d n o t m e e t t h e h a d n o t b e e n p r e v e n t e d f r o m s e a r c h i n g f o r , m e n t s e a r c h e s a n d a l s o w o r k e d a s a c a s u a l t h a t s h e w a s u n a b l e t o w o r k d u e t o l a c k o f o r k . 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assistance she is at gr eat r isk of home less ness and The Pa n el' s Fin d i ngs Th e Panel f inds th at the App e llant pro vi ded evidence, suc th a t sh e h a s bee n looking for e mploy ment. S h e was f ind s th a t the Mi n i s try re as o n ably d e term ine d that t h be yond the Ap pell ant's c o ntrol prev enti n g h er fro m sea em ploy me n t ; that i s , she d i d not meet the first requirem T he App el lant sta ted t h at sh e i s at risk of bei n g home e xp e rie nce undue ha rdship f rom poss i ble homeles sn rea so n ab ly dete rmin ed th at the App e l lan t did no t mee because s h e was n ot pr e vented f r om search i ng f or, Co n clus ion H a v i n g considered a ll of the e v i dence and rele v a n t legislat deci sion as re asonab ly suppo rt ed by th e evid e nce . decisi o n. EAA T003(10/06/01) �APPEAL# o the r s afety is su e s. h as h er job applicatio ns, d e mons trating al so workin g p a r t t ime . T herefore, the Pa ne l e r e is no evi d e nce that there a r e ci rcumstan ce s rc h i ng f or, acceptin g or co n t inuing ent for an e xem p t io n under section 18 ( 4 ) . less an d t he Ministry c on c e d ed that s he may ess. How ever, the P a nel fi n ds that t h e M i nis try t the exe mpti o n in section 18( 4 ) bf the E AR a c ce p t ing or c ont inuing in employ men t. ion, the Panel fi n ds th a t the Mi nis try' s The Pane l th e refore confi rm s the r econs i der at ion
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.