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 a p p e l l a n t a p p e a l s t h e M a y 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 r e c o n s i d 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 ( M i n i s t ry ) i n w f o r q u a l i f i c a t i o n a s a p e r s o n w i t h p e r s i s t e n t m u l t i p l 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 R e g u l a t i o n ( " E m e t t h e r e q u i r e m e n t o f s u b s . 2 ( 4 ) ( a ) o f t h e E A R o c o n f i r m e d t h a t h e r m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n h a s l a s t e d f o y e a r ) a n d i s e x p e c t e d t o l a s t a t l e a s t a n o t h e r 2 y e a t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n p r e c l u d e s h e e m p l o y m e n t , a s r e q u i r e d b y s u b s . 2 ( 4 ) ( b ) o f t h e 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 R e g u l a t i o n , s e c t i o n 2 E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # '. e r a t i o n d e c i s i o n o f t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l h i c h t h e M i n i s t r y d e n i e d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a p p l i c a t i o n e b a r r i e r s t o e m p l o y m e n t ( P P M B ) u n d e r s e c t i o n 2 A R " ) . 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 l l a n t h a d n o t n t h e b a s i s t h a t a m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r h a s n o t r a t l e a s t 1 y e a r ( o r o c c u r r e d f r e q u e n t l y i n t h e p a s t r s , a n d t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d d o e s n o t e s t a b l i s h r f r o m s e a r c h i n g f o r , a c c e p t i n g o r c o n t i n u i n g i n A R . ( " E A R " ) .
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s T h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t a t t e n d t h e h e a r i n g . T h e p a n t h e d a t e a n d t i m e o f t h e h e a r i n g . A c c o r d i n g l y , u n h e a r i n g i n t h e a b s e n c e o f t h e a p p e l l a n 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 r e c o n s i d e • C o p y o f 2 p a g e f o r m , M e d i c a l R e p o r t P e r a p p e l l a n t o n N o v e m b e r 2 9 , 2 0 1 3 a n d t h e p D e c e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 3 ( " P P M B F o r m " ) ; • C o p y o f 1 p a g e M i n i s t r y E m p l o y a b i l i t y S c r e s c o r e o f 1 1 ( " E S c r e e n " ) ; a n d • C o p y o f 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 I n t h e P P M B F o r m c o m p l e t e d D e c e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 3 , m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n a s " a n x i e t y / d e p r e s s i v e d i s o r d e r u n k n o w n . T h e t r e a t m e n t f o r t h e c o n d i t i o n i s m e d i c [ i l l e g i b l e ] u p , s o m e s i d e e f f e c t s n o t e d . " T h e p h y s i c a p p e l l a n t ' s c o n d i t i o n h a s e x i s t e d , a n d t h a t i t w a s e " p a t i e n t s e e n 3 X s i n c e 2 0 1 3 O C T -1 8 ( f i r s t c o n s u l d i v o r c e a n d r a i s i n g 3 c h i l d r e n ( 2 d i a g n o s e d w i t h A i n n a t u r e , b u t w r o t e " u n k n o w n " r e g a r d i n g t h e f r e q u p h y s i c i a n t o i n d i c a t e t h e n a t u r e o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s r r e s t r i c t i o n s . P a t i e n t ' s t i m e a n d e n e r g y a l l d i r e c t e d p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d h e h a d b e e n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m I n h e r N o t i c e o f A p p e a l , t h e a p p e l l a n t w r o t e t h a t t h a n d t h a t h e r e m p l o y a b i l i t y s c o r e " d o e s n o t a c c u r a t e m p l o y m e n t a t t h i s t i m e . " 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 n o t e s t h a t a s s i s t a n c e f o r a t l e a s t 1 2 o f t h e p a s t 1 5 m o n t h s a n E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # : e l c o n f i r m e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d b e e n n o t i f i e d o f d e r s u b s . 8 6 ( b ) o f t h e E A R , t h e p a n e l c o n d u c t e d t h e r a t i o n i n c l u d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g d o c u m e n t s : s o n s w i t h P e r s i s t e n t M u l t i p l e B a r r i e r s , s i g n e d b y t h e o r t i o n b y h e r p h y s i c i a n ( a p s y c h i a t r i s t ) o n e n f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t , n o t d a t e d , s h o w i n g a t o t a l e r a t i o n d a t e d A p r i l 1 5 , 2 0 1 4 . t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n d i a g n o s e d h e r p r i m a r y n o t o t h e r w i s e s p e c i f i e d " t h e o n s e t o f w h i c h w a s a t i o n a n d t h e p h y s i c i a n w r o t e , " s i d e e f f e c t s i a n i n d i c a t e d " u n k n o w n " f o r t h e l e n g t h o f t i m e t h e x p e c t e d t o c o n t i n u e f o r l e s s t h a n 2 y e a r s , w r i t i n g , t ) , n o p a s t p s y c h i a t r i c h i s t o ry . S t r e s s e s o f d i f f i c u l t D H D ) . " H e i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e c o n d i t i o n i s e p i s o d i c e n c y . I n h i s a n s w e r t o t h e q u e s t i o n a s k i n g t h e e s t r i c t i o n s , t h e p h y s i c i a n w r o t e , " n o p h y s i c a l t o w a r d s t a k i n g c a r e o f h e r 3 c h i l d r e n . " T h e e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r f o r l e s s t h a n 6 m o n t h s . e d o c t o r ' s r e p o r t s " a r e g r o s s l y i n a c c u r a t e o v e r a l l " e l y r e f l e c t [ h e r ] o b v i o u s i n a b i l i t y t o s u s t a i n t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s b e e n a r e c i p i e n t o f i n c o m e d t h a t o n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s E S c r e e n , s h e s c o r e d 1 1 .
P AR T F R easons for Pa nel Decisi on The issu e on this appeal i s the reasonableness o f 2 0 1 4, den y ing the a ppe l lant's applicatio n for qual ification ("P PMB ") to e mp l oy me nt under sectio n 2 of the Emp the basis that her physician h as n ot c onfirmed th at (or occurr e d frequently i n the past year) and is expecte information provided does not establish that the appella s e a rching for, a ccepting or c ontinuing in employ men Se ction 2 of th e EA R governs th e r equirements t o qua (PPMB) to employment. Und er subsection 2(1 ) , i n p e rso n must m e et the requirements set out in subsecti Su bse ction 2( 2 ) req u i res t hat t he applicant must be a recipient for at least 12 pr e c e ding 1 5 cal endar months of income assistance o a nd Assi stance A ct ( sub s. 2( 2)(a)) . Subs ection s 2(3) ( 3) The fol lowi ng requirement s ap ply (a ) t he m ini ster (i) has d etermi ned that the person s c ores at Sched ul e E , an d ( i i) based o n the res ult of that e mp lo yabi lity ser ious l y imp ede t he person' s abilit y to search for, a (b) the pers o n h as a medi ca l c ond ition, o t h er t han practit ioner a n d t ha t (i) in t h e o pin io n of the medi c al pr a ct itioner , ( A) h as co ntin ued for a t leas t o n e year or ( B) h as occurred fr eq uent l y in the p ast years, and ( ii) in t he op in ion of the min ister , is a ba rrie r s e a rch for, a ccept or continue in em pl oy men (c) t he p er so n ha s taken all steps that the mi n i ster the barriers referred to in para graph ( a). (4) The person has a medical condition, other than an addiction, that is confirmed by a medical practitioner and that (a) in the opinion o f the medica l pr actitione r, (i) has continued for at least 1 year and is likely to (ii) has occurred frequently in the past year and is likely to continue for at least 2 more years, a nd (b) in the opinion of the minister, is a barr ie r that precludes the person from search or continuing in employment. The Ministry found that the appellant met the requirement of subs. 2(2) as she had been receiving income assistance for at least 12 of the immediately preceding 15 months. Given that the appellant did not qualify for c onsi d er ation under subs. 2( 3) of on the E Screen), the Ministrv considered her aoolication for PPMB desiqnation under subs. 2(4) of EAA T003(10/06/01) I APPEAL# the Ministry 's reconside ra tion d ec ision of M ay 2 8, as a person with persi stent mul t ipl e barriers loyment and Assistance Regul ation ( "EA R") on h e r medical condition has l asted f or at least 1 year d to last at le a st another 2 y e ar s, and that t he n t' s medical conditions pre clude h e r from t . lify as a person wi th persistent m u ltip le barriers order to qualif y as a PPM B to employmen t, a on 2(2) and su bsection 2(3) or 2(4). o f th e immediately r hardship a ssi stan ce under the Employment and 2(4) p r ovid e the fo l lo wing: l e a s t 1 5 on t he employabi l i t y screen set out in sc r e en, con siders t h at the p erson h as barriers tha t ccept o r continue in emp l o yment, an a ddi ction , tha t i s c onfirmed by a medi c al an d is li kely to c o ntinu e fo r at l e a s t 2 mo r e y ears, y ear and is likely to co n tinue for at l east 2 more that se r i o usly imp edes t he p erso n' s abilit y to t , and co n siders re as onable for the perso n t o ov er c ome co nt in ue f o r at l e as t 2 more years, or ing fo r , accepting t he E AR (which requires a score of 15 o r higher
t h e E A R . S u b m i s s i o n s I 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 , t h e M i n i s t r y n o t e d m i n i s t e r m u s t b e s a t i s f i e d o f t h r e e t h i n g s : 1 ) t h e a a d d i c t i o n t h a t , 2 ) i n t h e o p i n i o n o f a m e d i c a l p r a c t i 1 y e a r a n d i s l i k e l y t o c o n t i n u e f o r a t l e a s t 2 m o r e c o n d i t i o n p r e s e n t s a b a r r i e r t h a t p r e c l u d e s t h e a p p e m p l o y m e n t . I 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 , t h e M i n i s t r y n o t e d i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s a c o n d i t i o n o t h e r t h P P M B F o r m 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 t h e m e o t h e r w i s e r e p o r t e d . " A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r h a s c o n f i r m e d s h e s u f f e r s f r o m I 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 , t h e M i n i s t r y n o t e d o n t h e P P M B F o r m t h a t t h e p r o g n o s i s f o r t h e a p p e t h a n 2 y e a r s . A s n o t e d i n t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i n o t m e t t h e s e c o n d c r i t e r i a s e t o u t i n s u b s . 2 ( 4 ) ( a ) c o n d i t i o n s h a v e l a s t e d f o r a t l e a s t o n e y e a r a n d a r e I 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 , t h e M i n i s t r y n o t e d t h e a p p e l l a n t f r o m s e a r c h i n g f o r , a c c e p t i n g o r c o n t 2 ( 4 ) ( b ) o f t h e E A R ) w h e n , a s a r e s u l t o f t h e m e d i c a a n y t y p e o f e m p l o y m e n t f o r a n y l e n g t h o f t i m e , e x c e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e M i n i s t r y f o u n d i n t h e r e c o n s i d e r a e s t a b l i s h t h a t h e r m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n s p r e s e n t e d a b 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 M i n i s t r p h y s i c i a n i n t h e P P M B F o r m i n w h i c h h e i n d i c a t e d [ h e r ] t i m e a n d e n e r g y a l l d i r e c t e d t o w a r d s t a k i n g c a I n h e r n o t i c e o f a p p e a l t h e a p p e l l a n t w r o t e , " d o c t o r s h e r " e m p l o y a b i l i t y s c o r e d o e s n o t a c c u r a t e l y r e f l e c t t h i s t i m e . " T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t a l t h o u g h t h e a p p e h e a r i n g b e c a u s e s h e w r o t e s h e n e e d e d m o r e t i m e t h e h e a r i n g o r p r o v i d e a n y a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n t o i n f o r m a t i o n b e f o r e t h e p a n e l i s t h e P P M B F o r m a n d D e c i s i o n S u b s e c t i o n 2 ( 4 ) ( a ) r e q u i r e s t h a t a m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o a p p l y i n g f o r P P M B d e s i g n a t i o n h a s a m e d i c a l c o n d a t l e a s t 2 y e a r s a n d i s l i k e l y t o c o n t i n u e f o r a t l e a s t p a s t y e a r a n d i s l i k e l y t o c o n t i n u e f o r a t l e a s t 2 m o r P P M B r e p o r t t h a t t h e e x o e c t e d d u r a t i o n o f t h e a o o e E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / D 1 )I A P P E A L # t h a t i n o r d e r t o s a t i s f y s u b s . 2 ( 4 ) o f t h e E A R , t h e p p e l l a n t h a s a m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n o t h e r t h a n a n t i o n e r h a s l a s t e d o r o c c u r r e d f r e q u e n t l y f o r a t l e a s t y e a r s , a n d , 3 ) i n t h e M i n i s t r y ' s o p i n i o n , t h e m e d i c a l e l l a n t f r o m s e a r c h i n g f o r , a c c e p t i n g o r c o n t i n u i n g i n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r h a d a n a n a d d i c t i o n n o t i n g t h e i n f o r m a t i o n i n t h e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n o f " a n x i e t y / d e p r e s s i v e d i s o r d e r n o t m e t t h e f i r s t c r i t e r i a s e t o u t u n d e r s u b s . 2 ( 4 ) t h a t a a m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n , o t h e r t h a n a n a d d i c t i o n . t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r h a d w r i t t e n l l a n t ' s c o n d i t i o n ( i t s e x p e c t e d d u r a t i o n ) w a s l e s s s i o n , 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 a p p e l l a n t h a s t h a t i n t h e o p i n i o n o f a m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r , h e r l i k e l y t o c o n t i n u e f o r a t l e a s t 2 m o r e y e a r s . t h a t a m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n i s c o n s i d e r e d t o p r e c l u d e i n u i n g i n e m p l o y m e n t ( t h e c r i t e r i a s e t o u t i n s u b s . l c o n d i t i o n , t h e r e c i p i e n t i s u n a b l e t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n e p t i n a s u p p o rt e d o r s h e l t e r e d t y p e w o r k t i o n d e c i s i o n t h a t t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d d i d n o t a r r i e r t h a t p r e v e n t e d h e r f r o m s e a r c h i n g , o r y r e l i e d o n t h e e v i d e n c e o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d " n o p h y s i c a l r e s t r i c t i o n s r e o f h e r 3 c h i l d r e n . " r e p o r t s a r e g r o s s l y i n a c c u r a t e o v e r a l l " a n d t h a t [ h e r ] o b v i o u s i n a b i l i t y t o s u s t a i n e m p l o y m e n t a t l l a n t h a d a d j o u r n e d t h e o r i g i n a l d a t e o f t h i s t o g a t h e r d o c u m e n t s , t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t a t t e n d t h e p a n e l p r i o r t o t h e h e a r i n g . T h e o n l y t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s E S c r e e n . n e r c o n f i r m t h a t , i n h i s o r h e r o p i n i o n , ! h e p e r s o n i t i o n ( o t h e r t h a n a d d i c t i o n ) t h a t h a s c o n t i n u e d f o r 2 m o r e y e a r s o r h a s o c c u r r e d f r e q u e n t l y i n t h e e y e a r s . T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n i n d i c a t e d i n t h e l l a n t ' s m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n i s l e s s t h a n 2 v e a r s a n d
t h a t h e r c o n d i t i o n i s e p i s o d i c i n n a t u r e , b u t t h e f r e q l i k e l y t o r e c u r i s u n k n o w n . T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r c o n f i r m i n g t h a t h e r m e d i c a l c o o c c u r r e d f r e q u e n t l y i n t h e p a s t y e a r a n d i s l i k e l y t o f i n d s r e a s o n a b l e b a s e d o n t h e e v i d e n c e t h e M i n i s t h e c r i t e r i a o f s u b s . 2 ( 4 ) ( a ) ( t h a t h e r m e d i c a l c o n d i t o c o n t i n u e f o r a t l e a s t 2 m o r e y e a r s ) . F u r t h e r , s u b s e c t i o n 2 ( 4 ) ( b ) r e q u i r e s t h a t t h e m i n i s t p e r s o n s e e k i n g P P M B d e s i g n a t i o n h a s a m e d i c a l s e a r c h i n g f o r , 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 w r o t e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o p h y s i c a l r e s t r i c t i o n t a k i n g c a r e o f h e r 3 c h i l d r e n . " T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a d e s c r i b i n g h o w t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n o f o r , 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 p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e M i n i s t r y ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n p r e c l u d e s h e r f r o e m p l o y m e n t a s r e q u i r e d b y s u b s e c t i o n 2 ( 4 ) ( b ) o f t h A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e p a n e l c o n f i r m s t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # u e n c y w i t h w h i c h t h e e p i s o d e s o c c u r r e d a n d a r e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t p r o v i d e d e v i d e n c e f r o m a n d i t i o n h a s c o n t i n u e d f o r a t l e a s t 2 y e a r s o r h a s c o n t i n u e f o r 2 m o r e y e a r s . A c c o r d i n g l y , t h e p a n e l t r y ' s d e t e r m i n a t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t m e t t i o n h a s c o n t i n u e d f o r a t l e a s t 2 y e a r s a n d i s l i k e l y e r b e s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n o f t h e c o n d i t i o n w h i c h p r e c l u d e s t h e p e r s o n f r o m n t . I n t h e P P M B F o r m , t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p h y s i c i a n s a n d h e r t i m e a n d e n e r g y " a r e a l l d i r e c t e d t o w a r d s t t h e r e i s n o i n f o r m a t i o n i n t h e P P M B F o r m f a n x i e t y / d e p r e s s i o n p r e c l u d e s h e r f r o m s e a r c h i n g a t t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d d i d n o t e s t a b l i s h t h a t m s e a r c h i n g f o r , a c c e p t i n g o r c o n t i n u i n g i n e E A R 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 . n d e c i s i o n o f M a y 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 .
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.