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 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 d a t e d 9 J u l y 2 0 1 4 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 b e c a u s e s h e 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 E m p l o y m e n t P l a n ( E P ) a s r e q u i r e d u n d e r s e c t i o n 9 t o a t t e n d s c h e d u l e d a p p o i n t m e n t s a n d w o r k s h o p s . 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 )I A P P E A L o v a t i o n ( 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 a s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r c o n t i n u e d i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e r t s 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 e r 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 b y f a i l i n g
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s T h e f o l l o w i n g e v i d e n c e w a s b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t ry a t o T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s f a m i l y u n i t w a s a r e c i p i e n t o f i n c h i l d . • A n E P d a t e d 1 8 J u l y 2 0 1 3 , s i g n e d b y t h e a p p e a c c e p t e d : o W i l l a t t e n d a p p o i n t m e n t s w i t h t h e E m p l o o A s a c o n d i t i o n o f c o n t i n u e d e l i g i b i l i t y f o r r e g u l a r l y a n d a s d i r e c t e d b y t h e E P B C c o W i l l w o r k w i t h t h e E P B C c o n t r a c t o r t o a d e m p l o y a b i l i t y a n d w i l l c o m p l e t e a l l t a s k s o u t i n a n a c t i o n p l a n . o W i l l n o t i f y t h e c o n t r a c t o r [ n a m e a n d p h o w h e n s h e s t a r t s o r e n d s a n y e m p l o y m e n o S h e u n d e r s t a n d s t h a t i f s h e f a i l s t o c o m p i n e l i g i b l e f o r a s s i s t a n c e . o S h e w i l l d e c l a r e a l l i n c o m e a n d r e p o r t a n m i n i s t r y r e v i e w a p p o i n t m e n t s a s r e q u i r e d • S h e a t t e n d e d t h e f o l l o w i n g E m p l o y m e n t S t r a t e g 2 0 1 4 b u t d i d n o t a t t e n d t h e s c h e d u l e d s e s s i o n s • O n 4 M a r c h 2 0 1 4 , s h e d i d n o t a t t e n d a n a p p o i n h e r g r a n d f a t h e r w a s a l s o s i c k a n d s h e h a d t o g o • O n 2 5 M a r c h 2 0 1 4 s h e d i d n o t a t t e n d a n a p p o i n r e m i n d e r w a s s e n t t o h e r . • O n 1 5 A p r i l 2 0 1 4 , s h e d i d n o t a t t e n d a n a p p o i n t i m m e d i a t e f a m i l y h a d p a s s e d a w a y . • A l e t t e r d a t e d 1 6 A p r i l 2 0 1 4 b y t h e m i n i s t r y t o t h s o m e o f t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f h e r E P a n d w a s a s k e m a n a g e r i m m e d i a t e l y , w i t h a d d r e s s a n d p h o n e a p p o i n t m e n t w i t h E P B C , a t t e n d t h a t a p p o i n t m e c h e q u e i s s u e w h i c h i s M a y 2 3 , 2 0 1 4 o r y o u r f i l e h e l d a t t h e o f f i c e u n t i l y o u p r o v i d e p r o o f t h a t y o u • A n o t e d a t e d 2 4 A p r i l 2 0 1 4 i n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s f i l e r e v i e w e d m i s s e d a p p o i n t m e n t s , c o m p l i a n c e a n d a p p o i n t m e n t s s h e w i l l n o l o n g e r b e e l i g i b l e f o r a h e a l t h w a s b e t t e r a n d t h a t s h e w o u l d b e a t t e n d i r e p e r c u s s i o n s o f n o n c o m p l i a n c e . • O n 2 5 A p r i l 2 0 1 4 , t h e a p p e l l a n t c a l l e d t o b o o k a 2 J u n e 2 0 1 4 i n d i c a t e s s h e d i d n o t a t t e n d a n y E m • O n 8 M a y 2 0 1 4 , m i n i s t r y w o r k e r c a l l e d t h e a p p e d o c t o r t o g e t a m e d i c a l n o t e a n d s h e a l s o c a n c e • 2 9 M a y 2 0 1 4 , t h e a p p e l l a n t i s a d v i s e d t o r e c o n n t o b o o k , a t t e n d a n d b e i n f u l l c o m p l i a n c e w i t h t h • A n o t e o n f i l e b y t h e c o n t r a c t o r d a t e d 2 J u n e 2 0 n o t e t h a t d a v / n o c o o v p r o v i d e d ) a n d t h a t h e r f i l e E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L t h e t i m e o f r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n : c o m e a s s i s t a n c e f o r h e r s e l f a n d h e r d e p e n d e n t l l a n t w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g c o n d i t i o n s t h a t s h e y m e n t P r o g r a m o f B C ( E P B C ) c o n t r a c t o r . a s s i s t a n c e , w i l l p a rt i c i p a t e i n E P B C p r o g r a m m i n g o n t r a c t o r . d r e s s a n y i s s u e s t h a t m a y i m p a c t h e r a s s i g n e d i n c l u d i n g a n y a c t i v i t i e s t h a t m a y b e s e t n e n u m b e r ] i f s h e i s u n a b l e t o a t t e n d a s e s s i o n o r t . l y w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f h e r E P , s h e w i l l b e y c h a n g e s t o t h e m i n i s t r y a n d w i l l a t t e n d a l l . y s e s s i o n s : 1 3 -1 4 & 2 7 J a n u a r y , 1 0 & 2 4 M a r c h o n 2 4 F e b r u a r y a n d 7 A p r i l 2 0 1 4 . t m e n t a n d c a l l e d t o s a y t h a t h e r c h i l d w a s s i c k a n d t o a n o t h e r c o m m u n i t y . t m e n t a n d c a l l e d t o r e b o o k . A n a p p o i n t m e n t m e n t a n d c a l l e d t o c a n c e l a s a m e m b e r o f h e r e a p p e l l a n t s t a t i n g t h a t s h e h a d n o t c o m p l i e d w i t h d t o s e t u p a n a p p o i n t m e n t w i t h a n E P B C c a s e n u m b e r . I t a l s o s t a t e s : " Y o u n e e d t o b o o k a n n t a n d b e i n f u l l c o m p l i a n c e b y c u t o f f d a t e o f n e x t w i l l b e c l o s e d . " I t c o n c l u d e s : " Y o u r c h e q u e w i l l b e a r e w o r k i n g w i t h E P B C . " m e n t i o n s t h a t a m i n i s t r y w o r k e r s p o k e w i t h h e r , a d v i s e d h e r t h a t i f s h e m i s s e d m o r e s s i s t a n c e . I t s t a t e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d h e r n g h e r a p p o i n t m e n t s a n d t h a t s h e u n d e r s t o o d t h e n a p p o i n t m e n t f o r 1 6 M a y . A n o t e o n h e r f i l e d a t e d p l o y m e n t S t r a t e g y S e s s i o n s i n A p r i l a n d M a y . l l a n t w h o a d v i s e d t h a t s h e w a s g o i n g t o s e e a l l e d t h e a p p o i n t m e n t s e t f o r 1 6 M a y . e c t w i t h t h e c o n t r a c t o r a n d h a s u n t i l 2 0 J u n e 2 0 1 4 e p r o g r a m o r a s s i s t a n c e w i l l b e d e n i e d . 1 4 i n d i c a t e s t h e a p p e l l a n t d e l i v e r e d a m e d i c a l i s c l o s e d d u e t o l a c k o f p a r t i c i o a t i o n .
o A let ter dated 2 June 2014 by the mi n i stry to the appel conditions of he r EP: o Partic ipate in the E P BC o Attend appointments wi t h EPBC. o Complete all tasks assigne d , including activities in he • She is asked to set up an appo intment with an EPBC c and phone number. It also states she mu st b e the next cheque issue whi c h is on 20 June 2014 or • On 4 June 2014, the appellant booked a pp ointments for e On 12 June 2 0 14, the ap pe l lant d id not attend her appointment. • On 1 3 June 20 1 4, a n ote in her file states that a worker tried to call her th a ns wer. • A letter dated 16 June 2014 by the ministr y to the appell with 3 con dition s of her EP an d that co nse quent assis t a nce. • A d octor's ce rtifi c a t e d at ed 27 June 2014, si gn ed by u nder medical care + u nfit for employm ent fo r next • I n h er request for recon sidera t i o n date d 2 July 20 and her s ide an d had to t a ke pain kill ers a nd s tay home to heal to go to a ttend the program. She stated sh e and be en able t o lo ok aft er h im as we l l as she shoul ne eded ano ther c ha nc e to show that s h e ca n an I n her N otic e of A ppeal da te d 15 Ju ly 2014, the appellant indic and tha t she d i d lik e going to t he e mpl oym ent ce n tr her chi ld. She w rote: " I am will ing to do whateve r is to g e t c o uns el i n g . At th e hearing th e appellant tes t i f ie d t hat she was in a diff atte nd a ny a p poin tment s b e ca use o f ha v in g hu rt her and it has been hard on her and she advised she needed help and counse she co u ld no t at tend t he ap pointments, she c alled suggest her EP should be put on ho l d. Sh e testified she the EP but that she thought it could work nonetheless and she did not advise the mini condition. She also presented a doctor's note dated 31 July 2014 stating that she had chronic addi c ti on probl e m an d s he is unable t o work. Th e d a n d get some c ou n seling a n d lo ng term support . She is also in an abusive relationship and very fragile." The ministry did not object to the admissibility of that new evidence. The panel determined the additional oral evidence, problem, was admissible under s. 22(4) of the EAA as in support of the reconsideration. However, the panel determined that the additional oral evidence at the hearing about her addiction p r o blem as well as the additional documentary evidence by the appella dated 31 July 2014 were not admissible under s . 2 2( records before the minister at reconsideration since the oanel finds the evidence shows t EMT 003(1 0/06101) I APPEAL lant indicating she d id not comply with 3 r action plan . ase m anager imm ed ia tel y with address in f ull c o m p lia n c e with her EP by the cut-off date o f her file will be c l os ed. 1 2 , 1 3 and 1 6 Ju ne 2014. a t d a y b ut th ere w a s n o a n t advising her that she failed to comply ly she i s not eligib l e anymore f or inc o m e a p h ys icia n , states that t he app el lan t " is 3 wee ks ." 1 4, t he app ellant i n dicated she h ur t her kn e e . She then fel t b e tt e r and was r ea dy he r chi ld n e ed foo d a nd fe lt aw f ul for not h aving d. She spent her child tax benef i t o n ren t and d w i l l do it. S he st ill owed mo ne y on her rent. a ted th at s he could no t help b ei n g hur t e and hoped to find em pl oym ent for her se lf an d r equire d o f m e to fin d a jo b" a nd t hat she p lann ed ic ult si tu ation an d that i t was hard f or her to leg and st omach. S he su f fe rs fr om addi c ti ons ling . She stated that when t he fron t de sk to let t h e m know but she did n ot had this addictions proble m when s h e signed st r y of that octor wrote: "She will need he l p to pay her rent othe r than the evidence about her addiction reco r d s bef ore the mini st er a t n t's physician 4) of the EA A as they were not in support of the h at a t no
t i m e b e f o r e t h e a p p e a l t h e i s s u e o f a d d i c t i o n h a d b n o o p p o r t u n i t y t o c o n s i d e r i t a n d t h e r e f o r e i s n o t i n m i n i s t r y w h e n t h e d e c i s i o n b e i n g a p p e a l e d w a s m E A A T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L e e n r a i s e d w i t h t h e m i n i s t r y a n d t h e m i n i s t r y h a d s u p p o r t o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d r e c o r d s b e f o r e t h e a d e .
PA R T F Re aso ns for Panel Decis ion The i s sue unde r appea l is whet her t he ministry's d c on t inued incom e a ssista n ce becau se she fail ed to demonstrat the condi ti o ns of he r E P a s req uired u n de r section 9 ap point m en ts and workshops, w as a reas o na b l e applicat sup ported b y the ev id e nce. T he appli c a b l e leg is lati o n in thi s m a tte r is s. 9 of the 9 (1) Fo r a fa m ily unit to be e ligi ble for income assista reci pi e nt in t he family unit, w hen requ ired to do so by (a) enter into an em ployment p l an, and ( b) comply with t h e c ondi t ions in the emp loyment plan . ( 3 ) T he min is ter may spec ify the c on dit io ns in an employ con d itio n req uiri n g the app l icant, rec ip ient or depen relat e d pro gra m that , in the mini st e r ' s opinio n , wi ll to (a) f ind em p loym e nt , o r (b) be c ome mo re em p loyabl e. ( 4 ) If an employm e nt pl an inclu des a co n di tio n r eq ui you t h to part ic ipat e i n a speci fi c em ployment -r e la ted ( a ) fa ils to demonstrate reasonable eff orts to p a rticip ( b) ceases , e xcep t fo r me d ical reason s, to p articipat (6 ) T he m in is ter m ay ame nd, sus pe nd or can ce l a n (7) A de ci sion under this se c tion ( a ) requ iri n g a person to e nter i nto an emplo yment pl ( b) ame ndi n g, suspe nd ing or cancel ling an e mpl o yme (c) spe c ify ing t he co n di tions of an employ ment pla n is final and conclusive and is not open to review by a court on any grou section 1 7 (3) [ rec onsideration and ap pe a l rights]. The ministry argued that despite the fact th at the ap important atten d an ce wa s, she nonetheless missed a number of a contractor and on occasions the contractor was unable to reach her. The only doctor's note the minist ry acknowledged having rece ived was dated for work for the fol l owing 3 we eks and t hat on 2 J uly knee and sid e but was t he n better and ready to participate. appellant did not make any efforts to work with the contractor participation and employment. The ministry indicated that it did not have any previous medical report to show that she had a medical condition in the past several months when she failed to participate in her EP and that there was not enough evide n ce to show that she participating in her EP. EAAT 003(10/06/01) I APPE A L ecisi on that t he appell ant was not el i gi bl e for e rea sonable ef fo rts to comply w i t h of the EAA by failing to attend the schedu l ed i on of the le g is lat io n or r e aso nably E A A: nce o r ha r ds h i p as sist ance , each app l icant or t h e min ist er, must .. ment pla n i n cludi n g , without limi tat i on, a d ent yo ut h to p ar ticip ate in a specific em pl oyme nt  a ss ist th e applic ant, re c ipie nt o r depe nden t y o u th r i ng an app lic a nt, a reci pient or a d epend ent p r ogram, that c onditio n i s n ot met i f t he pe rson a te in th e pro g r a m , or e in the pr ogram. .. employm ent plan. a n , nt plan , or n d or to a ppeal under pellant was advised a number of times of how p pointments without contact ing the 27 June 2014, indicating the appellant was unfit the appellant indicated that she had hu r t her The min istr y f urt her arg u ed tha t the to address barriers that impacted had med ica l reasons for not
T h e a p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t s h e h u r t h e r k n e e a n d s p a i n k i l l e r s a n d c o u l d n o t w o r k . S h e c l a i m e d s h e n e h e r a n d h e r c h i l d . S h e a r g u e d t h a t s h e f o u n d t h e p c o n t i n u e b u t h e r h e a l t h c o n d i t i o n d i d n o t a l l o w h e r t h e E P . T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t t h e o n l y m e d i c a l e v i d e n c e p r i n d i c a t i o n t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d h u r t h e r k n e e a n d f o l l o w i n g 3 w e e k s a f t e r 2 7 J u n e 2 0 1 4 . T h i s d o e s n 2 0 1 4 , i n p a r t i c u l a r w h e n s h e m i s s e d h e r a p p o i n t m e W h i l e t h e J u n e d o c t o r ' s n o t e i n d i c a t e s s h e s h o u l d t h e a p p e l l a n t m e n t i o n e d i n h e r r e q u e s t f o r r e c o n s i d a n d w a s " r e a d y t o g o t o t h e e m p l o y m e n t p r o g r a m " , n o t w o r k a t t h a t t i m e . T h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t c h a l l e n a t t e n d e d t h e a p p o i n t m e n t s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y c l a i m e m a n y o p p o rt u n i t i e s t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n h e r E P a n d t h e t o i t . T h u s , t h e p a n e l f i n d s t h e m i n i s t r y r e a s o n a b l y 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 a n d s u p p o r t i n g a n y v a l i d m e d i c a l r e a s o n s n o t t o p a r t i c i 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 r y ' s d e c i s i o n w c o n f i r m s t h e d e c i s i o n . E A A T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A l i d e a n d t h a t s h e h a d t o s t a y h o m e a n d t a k e e d e d t h e a s s i s t a n c e t o p a y h e r r e n t a n d f o o d f o r r o g r a m i n t e r e s t i n g a n d w o u l d h a v e l i k e d t o t o d o s o a n d t h a t s h e d i d h e r b e s t t o c o m p l y w i t h o v i d e d a t t h e t i m e o f r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n w a s a n s i d e a n d t h a t s h e w o u l d n o t b e a b l e t o w o r k f o r t h e o t a d d r e s s t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s s i t u a t i o n p r i o r t o J u n e n t s d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d F e b r u a r y t o J u n e 2 0 1 4 . n o t w o r k f o r t h e f o l l o w i n g 3 w e e k s , a f e w d a y s l a t e r e r a t i o n d a t e d 2 J u l y 2 0 1 4 t h a t s h e t h e n f e l t o k a y c o n t r a d i c t i n g t h e d o c t o r ' s o p i n i o n t h a t s h e s h o u l d g e t h e m i n i s t r y ' s e v i d e n c e t h a t s h e h a d n o t d s h e m i s s e d . T h e p a n e l f i n d s s h e w a s g i v e n e v i d e n c e s h o w s s h e d i d n o t r e q u e s t a n y c h a n g e s d e t e r m i n e d t h a t s h e h a d n o t d e m o n s t r a t e d r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h e r e w a s n o e v i d e n c e p a t e i n i t . 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 a n d
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.