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 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 y 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 w h i c h a s s i s t a n c e p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 9 ( 1 ) ( b ) b e c a u s e h e m p l o y m e n t p l a n ( E P ) a n d b e c a u s e h e d i d n o t m a e m p l o y m e n t p r o g r a m u n d e r s e c t i o n 9 ( 4 ) ( a ) a n d d i d c o m p l i a n c e u n d e r s e c t i o n 9 ( 4 ) ( b ) o f t h e E m p l o y m e 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 . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )� A P P F A I " D e v e l o p m e n t a n d I n n o v a t i o n ( t h e m i n i s t r y ) 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 e d i d n o t c o m p l y w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f h i s k 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 n o t p r o v i d e a n y m e d i c a l r e a s o n s f o r n o n n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e A c t .
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s W i t h t h e c o n s e n t o f p a r t i e s , t h i s h e a r i n g w a s c o n d u c t e d 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 . 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 s i d a n E m p l o y m e n t P l a n ( E P ) d a t e d D e c e m b e r 7 , 2 0 1 2 , a 2 3 , 2 0 1 3 , a l e t t e r d a t e d N o v e m b e r 2 9 , 2 0 1 2 c o n c e r n i n r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d a t e d M a y 1 4 , 2 0 1 4 . A l e t t e r , d a t e d N o v e m b e r 2 9 , 2 0 1 2 t o t h e m i n i s t r y r e q u e e m p l o y m e n t s k i l l s p r o g r a m f r o m J a n u a r y 1 4 t o F e b r u a r a n d r e c e i v e d c o n f i r m a t i o n t o a t t e n d . O n O c t o b e r 8 , 2 0 1 3 , t h e c o n t r a c t o r r e p o r t e d t o t h e m i n i N o v e m b e r a s s i s t a n c e p a y m e n t w a s h e l d p e n d i n g a n e a O n O c t o b e r 2 3 , 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t i n f o r m e d t h e m i n i s t r y e a r s a g o , t h a t h e m e t w i t h h i s c a s e m a n a g e r , w a s a c t i r e p o r t . H e w a s a d v i s e d t o k e e p a r e c o r d o f s e a r c h e s a n m e e t i n g s . N o n c o m p l i a n c e c o n s e q u e n c e s w e r e a l s o d i s O n O c t o b e r 2 4 , 2 0 1 3 t h e a p p e l l a n t w r o t e t o t h e m i n i s t r y i n c a s e m a n a g e m e n t a n d s c h e d u l e d f o r a n a p p o i n t m e n O n A p r i l 1 4 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e c o n t r a c t o r r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e a p p e h a d n o t r e s p o n d e d t o m a n y a t t e m p t s t o c o n t a c t h i m . O n g o i n g i s s u e s o f c o m p l i a n c e : w o r k s e a r c h e s w e r e m i n i c o n t a c t w a s e x p e c t e d e v e v e r y f e w o f t h e w o r k s h o p s t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d h a v e a r e t h e m i n i s t r y w a s a b l e t o c o T h e c o n t r a c t o r d i d n o t g i v e a n e g a t i v e r e p o r t u n t i l A p r i l e t r y i n g t o h e l p a n d a l l o w t i m e t o s h o w p r o g r e s s . A f t e r s e v n u m b e r s w e r e n o l o n g e r i n s e r v i c e o n A p r i l 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 , t h i n f o r m a t i o n a n d E P r e v i e w w e r e r e q u i r e d , t h e y w e r e h o e l i g i b i l i t y w i l l b e d e t e r m i n e d o n c e a l l t h e d o c u m e n t a t i o n O n A p r i l 2 8 t h e a p p e l l a n t p h o n e d t h e m i n i s t r y a s k i n g a b p a y m e n t a n d w h e n a s k e d a b o u t h i s f a i l u r e t o a t t e n d a m f o r g o t " . H e s t a t e d t h a t h e h a d c o n t a c t e d t h e c o n t r a c t o r o 6 , 2 0 1 4 . I n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s 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 o h e h a s a t t e n d e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e d u r a t i o n o f t h e E r e s c h e d u l e d w h i c h h e f a i l e d t o a t t e n d d u e t o a m i s u n d e r o H e d i l i g e n t l y f o l l o w e d t h e E P a n d e v e n f o u n d a j o t h r o u g h d u e t o t h e c r i m i n a l r e c o r d c h e c k . o H e a t t e n d e d a n n o i n t m e n t s a n d m e e t i n a o b l i a a t i o E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )� A P P E A L # i n w r i t i n g p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 2 2 ( 3 ) ( b ) o f t h e e r a t i o n i n c l u d e d : l e t t e r f r o m t h e c o n t r a c t o r t o t h e m i n i s t r y d a t e d O c t o b e r g a t r a i n i n g c o u r s e , a n d t h e a p p e l l a n t s r e q u e s t f o r s t i n g p e r m i s s i o n f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t t o a t t e n d a p r e y 8 , 2 0 1 3 . H e w a s d i r e c t e d t o t h e m i n i s t r y t o d i s c u s s s t r y t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d f o u n d e m p l o y m e n t . T h e r n i n g i n c o m e r e v i e w . y t h a t h e w a s n o t h i r e d d u e t o a c r i m i n a l r e c o r d f r o m 2 0 v e l y s e a r c h i n g f o r w o r k b u t h a d n o t s u b m i t t e d a s e a r c h d s u b m i t i t w h e n a s k e d a n d t o a t t e n d r e g u l a r c o n t a c t c u s s e d . c o n f i r m i n g t h a t h e w a s n o t h i r e d . H e w a s p l a c e d b a c k t o n O c t o b e r 2 9 , 2 0 1 3 . l l a n t h a d n o t b e e n i n c o n t a c t s i n c e F e b r u a r y , 2 0 1 4 a n d c l a r i f i c a t i o n t h e c o n t r a c t o r r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e r e w e r e o n m a l , a n d s p o r a d i c r y c o u p l e o f w e e k s s c h e d u l e d i n J a n u a r y w e r e a t t e n d e d l i a b l e m e s s a g e n u m b e r b u t n e i t h e r t h e c o n t r a c t o r n o r n t a c t h i m . v e n a l t h o u g h h e h a d o n g o i n g c o n c e r n s a s h e w a s e r a l a t t e m p t s t o c o n t a c t t h e a p p e l l a n t b y p h o n e a s e m i n i s t r y w r o t e t o t h e a p p e l l a n t t h a t j o b s e a r c h l d i n g t h e M a y 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 a s s i s t a n c e p a y m e n t a n d f u t u r e w a s r e v i e w e d . o u t t h e l e t t e r h e r e c e i v e d h o l d i n g h i s a s s i s t a n c e e e t i n g o n A p r i l 1 1 , 2 0 1 4 r e p l i e d " I d o n ' t k n o w , I j u s t n A p r i l 2 5 , 2 0 1 4 a n d b o o k e d a n a p p o i n t m e n t f o r M a y y 1 4 , 2 0 1 4 h e w r i t e s t h a t : P o n l y m i s s i n g o n e a p p o i n t m e n t t h a t w a s t o b e s t a n d i n g . b t h r o u g h h i s h a r d w o r k b u t i t u n f o r t u n a t e l y f e l l n s , t h r i v i n a i n t h e e n v i r o n m e n t ; t h r o u n h h i s h a r d w o r k .
and dedication he found a j ob. o Missing o ne appoin t m ent sho uld not lead t o denial of i not be able to see his daughter . A re co nsid eration decision was comple t ed by the ministry The appellant f i l ed a N otice of Appeal Ju n e 5, 2014. A writ In his notic e of Ap peal, the appellant wrote that he has open custody live he won't be able to see her. He states t hat the cou wr ite it down and th at is why he missed the appointment, that he "will d assist ance " as he cannot live without be i ng a b le to see first time this has h ap pene d. Fin dings of Fact Th e appellant i s the sole r ecipien t of inco m e assi stance. Th e a p pell ant si gned an E P D ecember 7, 201 2 covering th ag reein g t o pa r ti cipate in the Emp l oyment Program of BC (E a tt end all app ointments, to address any b ar riers to employ s t ar t i ng and s to p pin g wo rk. Prog r am r eport i ng frequen cy c hecke d as "oth er". In s ig n ing th e EP p l an th e appellant acknowledge d that c ontinued inco me a s sis ta nce an d that f ailure t o comply w Th e a p pell ant di d not a t tend a sche du le d appointm en t wi EAAT 003(10/06/01) A PPEAL# I ncome assistance as he wil l b e on th e stre et and o n May 22 , 2014 deny i ng fur t her assistance. ten he aring was requ ested. o f h i s daughter and if he has no pl ace to ns e lor c h anged a n appointment da t e and he f orgot to o what ever it will take to get bac k on his daughter, that he ne eds anothe r chanc e as i t's th e e period N o vemb e r 27, 2012 to N o vember 27, 2 01 4 PBC) r eg ularl y, to co m pl ete all tasks assi gn e d, to ment, to notify them ii una bl e to a t tend and when a n d method of rep orting were not detailed b ut c omplying with th e EP conditions w as requir e d for il l result in loss of income as si stance. th the con tractor for A p ril 11, 2014.
A P P E A L # '. 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 t h e r e a s o n a b l e n e s s o f 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 p p e l l a n t i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e b e c a u s e t h e a p p e l l a n t f a i l e d t o c o m p l y w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f h i s E P 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 . T h e p a n e l m u s t d e c i d e w h e t h e r 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 p p e l l a n t i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e d u e t o h i s n o n c o m p l i a n c e w i t h h i s E P i 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 i s 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 a p p l i c a b l e e n a c t m e n t i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e a p p e l l a n t . R e l e v a n t l e g i s l a t i o n S e c t i o n 9 o f t h e E A A p r o v i d e s : E m p l o y m e n t P l a n E A A d e t a i l s t h e m i n i s t r y ' s a u t h o r i t y t o s p e c i f y c o n d i t i o n s i n a n E P . 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 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 ) . 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 e n t e r e d i n t o a n d s i g n e d a n E P i n D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 2 r e q u i r i n g h i m t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e E P B C . B y s i g n i n g t h e E P t h e a p p e l l a n t a g r e e d t h a t h e u n d e r s t o o d t h e c o n d i t i o n s , a c t i v i t i e s , h i s r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s a n d t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f f a i l u r e t o c o m p l y . 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 e v i d e n c e r e p o r t e d b y t h e c o n t r a c t o r s h o w s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t c o m p l e t e a l l t a s k s a s s i g n e d b y t h e c o n t r a c t o r , d i d n o t a t t e n d a n a p p o i n t m e n t , d i d n o t k e e p a j o b s e a r c h r e c o r d n o r s u b m i t i t t o h i s c a s e m a n a g e r . H e m a d e n o c o n t a c t f r o m F e b r u a r y t o A p r i l 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 w h e n h e c a l l e d a b o u t t h e J u n e l e t t e r c o n c e r n i n g y o u r a s s i s t a n c e p a y m e n t . T h e c o n t r a c t o r a n d m i n i s t r y e f f o r t s t o c o n t a c t h i m f a i l e d b e c a u s e t h e p h o n e n u m b e r s h e p r o v i d e d w e r e n o t i n s e r v i c e . T h e m i n i s t 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 d i d n o t 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 , h e h a d n o m e d i c a l r e a s o n f o r n o n a t t e n d a n c e a n d h e w a s w e l l i n f o r m e d o f c o n s e q u e n c e s a n d h a d a c c e s s t o t h e c o n t r a c t o r i f h e h a d a n y q u e s t i o n s . E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )
: APPEAL# The appellants position, in a letter dated May 14, 2014 accompanying his appeal wrote that he was an active and successful participant in the EP that he had found a job but was rejected due to a criminal record, attended appointments, and the one missed appointment was due to a date change and a misunderstanding. He was diligent in searching for a job, had one lined up by his hard work and that his progress shows he was attending appointments and thriving in the environment, that missing one appointment should not mean loss of assistance. He asks that the totality of the situation be considered as it shows he was active and successful in participating in his EP and that missing one appointment was an anomaly, that his hard work and dedication be considered. Further, loss of assistance will affect being able to see his daughter regularly. Panel Decision In determining the reasonableness of the ministry's reconsideration decision, the panel finds that the appellant entered into an EP on December 7, 2012 agreeing to comply with its conditions to the best of his ability. Section 9(1) of the EAA, provides that when the ministry requires it a person must enter into an EP and comply with the conditions in order to be eligible for income assistance. In section 9( 4) of the act if an EP includes a condition requiring a person to participate in a specific employment program, that condition is not met if a person fails to demonstrate reasonable efforts to participate in the program or if the person ceases except for medical reasons to participate in the program. The panel finds that by signing the EP the appellant understood the conditions of the EP and that there is no evidence that he failed to comply for medical reasons. While the appellant argues that he was compliant, and was actively searching for work; the panel finds that the evidence does not support that he met the conditions of the EP. Though the appellant stated that he had attended throughout the duration of his EP requesting that the totality of his situation be considered. There is no evidence to support the appellant's claim that he undertook activities as specified in the EP and specifically he did not meet with the contractor regularly and as a result reported non-compliance in April 2014. The panel accepts the contractors report as credible, that the appellant had issues with ongoing compliance of the EP. It is clear to the panel that the appellant had adequate information and understood the consequences of non-compliance as he signed the original EP acknowledging his understanding, plus in a phone call with his case manager in October 23, 2013 non compliance was again discussed. He had adequate opportunity to question and clarify the non-compliance terms , and further in his letter of appeal he writes that he" will do whatever it takes to get it (income assistance) back" thereby admitting non-compliance and its consequences. Between February, 2014 and April 2014 the appellant failed to contact the contractor and did not respond to many efforts to contact him. He had not attended the program in over 2 months, missed an appointment in April and said he didn't know why he missed it. The panel finds that the appellant hadn't been in touch with the contractor or the ministry for over 2 months, does not explain what he misunderstood when he missed the appointment in April, and he only contacted the ministry when his payments were being held. The evidence shows that the appellant did not make reasonable efforts to participate in the EP. The panel also notes that the appellant did not report any medical reasons for non-compliance. The panel finds that the ministry reasonably determined that the appellant did not make a reasonable effort to participate in his EP pursuant to section 9(4) of the EAA to be eligible for income assistance pursuant to section 9(1). The panel therefore confirms the ministry's decision. EAAT 003(10/06/01)
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.