I APPEAL# PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (Ministry) Reconsideration Decision dated May 13, 2014, which denied the Appellant further income assistance due to non-compliance with his employment plan. Section 9 of the Employment and Assistance Act directs that a recipient must comply with the terms of an employment plan in order to maintain eligibility for income assistance. The Ministry found that the Appellant failed to make reasonable efforts to attend or participate in an employment related program which formed part of his employment plan and denied him further assistance. PART D -Relevant Legislation Employment and Assistance Act (EAA) Section 9 EMT 003( 10/06/01)
I APPEAL# PART E -Summary of Facts The Appellant was not in attendance at the hearing. After confirming that the Appellant was notified, the hearing proceeded under Section 86(b} of the Employment and Assistance Regulation. Information before the Ministry at reconsideration included: A copy of the Appellant's Employment Plan signed July 2, 2013, which includes a requirement to participate in programming as directed and to notify the contractor when unable to attend. A copy of the Appellant's attendance record at the employment service contractor, noting "no show" on 1 O occasions and attendance on 2 occasions during the period June 24, 2013 to April 8, 2014. The Appellant's Request for Reconsideration, signed April 29, 2014. The Appellant stated in his Notice of Appeal to the Tribunal that he has been dealing with drug addictions and bullying from drug dealers and other mental health problems. In his Request for Reconsideration, the Appellant stated that he has not been able to attend employment workshops due to a severe addiction issue which has now spiraled out of control, and that he is in the process of meeting with a new doctor. The Appellant requested a medical exemption rather than to be obligated to go to an employment program. At the hearing, the Ministry stated that the Appellant was denied income assistance due to non-compliance with the conditions of his employment plan. The Ministry stated that the Appellant had been reminded of his obligations on several occasions, but he missed many scheduled appointments for workshops. The Ministry referred to the attendance record contained in the appeal record, and noted that the Appellant failed to report for scheduled appointments on ten occasions. In response to questions from the Panel, the Ministry stated that the Appellant did not mention an addiction to them and never provided any medical documentation. The ministry stated that at the time the Appellant completed his application he did not provide any information regarding drug addiction or any other medical problems. The Ministry stated that the Appellant advised them that he was working part-time in March, 2014 and stated that he had medical issues that he would rather not discuss. The Ministry stated that they had a discussion with the Appellant, but he did not provide any proof of mitigating circumstances -in particular his alleged medical and drug-related problems -that would excuse his failure to attend his appointments with the employment service provider. The Panel makes the following findings of fact: The Appellant signed an Employment Plan on July 2, 2013, which included a requirement that he participate in programming as directed and to notify the contractor when unable to attend. The Appellant's attendance record shows that he failed to attend 1 O out of 12 scheduled appointments in one year. The appellant did not provide the ministry with any documentation that he had a medical or drug addiction related reason that precluded him from participating in his Employment related program. EAA T003(10/06/01) { "'
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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 h e h a s a m e d i c a l r e a s o n e m p l o y m e n t w o r k s h o p s a s r e q u i r e d . T h e M i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t d i d n o t p r o v s i g n e d t h e E m p l o y m e n t P l a n o r s u b s e q u e n t l y a n d t h a t d n u m b e r o f t i m e s , h e f a i l e d t o a t t e n d 1 o o u t o f 1 2 a p p o i n 2 0 1 3 t o A p r i l , 2 0 1 4 , t h e r e f o r e h e d i d n o t c o m p l y w i t h t h e T h e P a n e l n o t e s t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t s i g n e d a n E m p l o y m e a p p o i n t m e n t w i t h a s e r v i c e p r o v i d e r a n d t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n w i t h t h e s e r v i c e p r o v i d e r t o a d d r e s s a n y i s s u e s t h a t m a y t o c o m p l e t e a l l t a s k s a s s i g n e d . T h e e v i d e n c e p r o v i d e d a t t e n d h i s f i r s t a p p o i n t m e n t a n d w a s r e c o r d e d a s " n o s h t h e m o n t h o f A u g u s t , 2 0 1 3 , t h e n w a s r e c o r d e d a s " n o s h i n A p r i l , 2 0 1 4 . T h e A p p e l l a n t f a i l e d t o p r o v i d e a s u f f i c i e n a p p o i n t m e n t i n t h e f o l l o w i n g s e v e n m o n t h s , n o r d i d h e e m e d i c a l r e a s o n s , a s r e q u i r e d b y t h e e m p l o y m e n t p l a n . T h e P a n e l 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 t o d e n y t h e A h i s E m p l o y m e n t P l a n p u r s u a n t t o S e c t i o n 9 o f t h e E A A a E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 ) A P P E A L i i I , a n a d d i c t i o n , t h a t p r e v e n t s h i m f r o m a t t e n d i n g i d e p r o o f o f m e d i c a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s a t t h e t i m e h e e s p i t e h a v i n g b e e n r e m i n d e d o f t h e n e e d t o c o m p l y a t m e n t s w i t h t h e s e r v i c e p r o v i d e r o v e r t h e p e r i o d J u n e , 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 . n t P l a n r e q u i r i n g t h e A p p e l l a n t t o a t t e n d a n t h e i r p r o g r a m m i n g r e g u l a r l y a n d a s d i r e c t e d , t o w o r k i m p a c t e m p l o y a b i l i t y , t o n o t i f y i f u n a b l e t o a t t e n d a n d b y t h e M i n i s t r y s h o w 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 o w " f o r f o u r s u b s e q u e n t a p p o i n t m e n t s , a t t e n d i n g t w o i n o w ' ' f o r t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e t i m e p e r i o d , w h i c h e n d e d t e x p l a n a t i o n f o r h i s i n a b i l i t y t o a t t e n d a s i n g l e v e r a d v i s e t h e c o n t r a c t o r i f h e w a s u n a b l e t o a t t e n d f o r p p e l l a n t i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e f o r f a i l i n g t o c o m p l y w i t h 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 . -\ .... ...
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