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 D e v e 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 J u n e 2 5 , 2 0 1 4 w h i c h h e 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 ) a s s h e h a s n o t c o ( E P ) 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 9 ( 4 ) ( a ) a n d h a s n o t p r o v i d e d a n y m e d i c a l r e a s o n t o s u b p r o g r a m p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 9 ( 4 ) ( b ) o f t h e E m p l o y m e n t 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 i! 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 ( " t h e m i n i s t r y " ) l d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t i s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r i n c o m e m p l i e d w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f h e r e m p l o y m e n t p l a n 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 p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n s t a n t i a t e t h a t s h e i s u n a b l e t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e 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 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 ) a n E m p l o y m e n t P l a n ( E P ) d a t e d O c t o b e r 2 3 , 2 0 ( b ) a n E P A c t i o n P l a n ( A P ) s i g n e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t A c t i o n S t e p s : 1 . C o n t i n u e t o l o o k f o r w o r k a n d k e a s s c h e d u l e d , 3 . E x p l o r e p o s s i b l e s h o r t t e r m t r a c a s e m a n a g e r f o r t h e n e x t a c t i o n s t e p u p o n c o m i n d i c a t e d m a i n t a i n c o n t a c t w i t h c a s e m a n a g e r a n d a d v i s e c a s e m a n a g e r w h e n e m p l o y m e n t o u a c k n o w l e d g e d h e r r e s p o n s i b i l i t y w i t h h e r s i g n a t u ( c ) a M e d i c a l C e r t i f i c a t e w r i t t e n F e b r u a r y 1 4 , 2 0 1 4 i J a n u a r y 3 1 a s s h e t o l d t h e p h y s i c i a n t h a t s h e h a p r e s e n t e d w i t h p a i n o n h e r r i g h t r i n g f i n g e r a n d r m o v e m e n t s s h e h a d w o r k e d o n F e b r u a r y 2 b u t n o t i c e ; ( d ) a P a t i e n t A p p o i n t m e n t s l i s t d a t e d A p r i l 2 4 , 2 0 1 4 O c t o b e r 1 8 & 2 9 , N o v e m b e r 8 , a n d D e c e m b e r 1 ( e ) a S p e c i a l i s t R e f e r r a l A d v i c e N o t i f i c a t i o n d a t e d M ( f ) a C o u r t A p p e a r a n c e s L o g d a t e d M a y 6 , 2 0 1 4 w h r e p r e s e n t a t i v e i n c o u r t o n M a r c h 2 7 a n d A p r i l 2 9 ( g ) 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 ( h ) a l e t t e r h a n d w r i t t e n b y t h e a p p e l l a n t d a t e d M a y 2 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 e n t e r e d i n t o a n E P P a r t i c i p a t e f u l l y a n d t o t h e b e s t o f t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a b i l i t y a s s e t o u t : • M a k e c o n t a c t w i t h W o r k B C w i t h i n 5 b u s i n • A t t e n d a l l a p p o i n t m e n t s w i t h t h e e m p l o y m • P a r t i c i p a t e i n E P p r o g r a m m i n g r e g u l a r l y a • W o r k w i t h t h e c o n t r a c t o r t o a d d r e s s a n y i • C o m p l e t e a l l t a s k s a s s i g n e d i n c l u d i n g a n y • N o t i f y c o n t r a c t o r i f u n a b l e t o a t t e n d a s e s • D e c l a r e a l l i n c o m e , r e p o r t a n y c h a n g e s t o • A t t e n d a l l 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 • P r o v i d e j o b s e a r c h l i s t s i f r e q u i r e d . B y s i g n i n g h e r E P , t h e a p p e l l a n t a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t ; o i t i s a c o n d i t i o n o f e l i g i b i l i t y f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e o s h e m u s t c o m p l y w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n s a s s e t o u t i n 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 , o t h e c o n t r a c t o r s h a v e t h e a b i l i t y t o r e p o r t b a c k o n o s h e m a y b e r e q u i r e d t o p r o v i d e v e r i f i c a t i o n o f h e r p r o o f o f a c t i v e w o r k s e a r c h a n d / o r r e c o r d s o f a t t e p r o g r a m a s r e q u i r e d b y t h e m i n i s t r y , 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 l y w i t h t h a s s i s t a n c e u n d e r t h e A c t . I n t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s l e t t e r d a t e d M a y 2 8 , 2 0 1 4 , s h e w r o t e t h • s h e c o n t i n u e s t o n e e d a s s i s t a n c e d u e t o m e d i c a l • s h e h a s b e e n c o m o l i a n t c o n s i d e r i n a h e r c i r c u m s t 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 i n c l u d e d : 1 3 ; d a t e d N o v e m b e r 8 , 2 0 1 3 w h i c h o u t l i n e d t h e f o l l o w i n g e p a j o b s e a r c h r e c o r d , 2 . A t t e n d a l l E S S w o r k s h o p s i n i n g f o r F o o d S a f e a n d S e r v i n g I t R i g h t , a n d 4 . C o n t a c t p l e t i o n o f t h e w o r k s h o p s ; t h e A P f o l l o w u p s c h e d u l e t o u p d a t e j o b s e a r c h p r o g r e s s a t l e a s t o n c e a m o n t h t c o m e h a s b e e n a c h i e v e d t h e a p p e l l a n t r e ; 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 d b e e n g i v e n a n o t e o n d b e e n u n w e l l s i n c e J a n u a r y 2 , 2 0 1 4 a n d s h e i g h t s h o u l d e r w i t h r e s t r i c t i o n o f r i g h t s h o u l d e r l e f t d u e t o p a i n a d v i s e d t o s t a y o f f w o r k u n t i l f u r t h e r w h i c h s h o w e d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a p p o i n t m e n t s o n 0 , 2 0 1 3 , a n d J a n u a r y 3 a n d M a r c h 1 3 , 2 0 1 4 ; a y 1 , 2 0 1 4 ; i c h 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 a p p e a r e d w i t h h e r l e g a l , 2 0 1 4 ; e d M a y 2 3 , 2 0 1 4 ; a n d 8 , 2 0 1 4 . w i t h c o n d i t i o n s a s f o l l o w s : i n t h e a c t i v i t i e s r e q u i r e d b y t h e m i n i s t r y o r c o n t r a c t o r e s s d a y s ; e n t c o n t r a c t o r ; n d a s d i r e c t e d b y t h e c o n t r a c t o r ; s s u e s t h a t m a y i m p a c t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s e m p l o y a b i l i t y ; a c t i v i t i e s t h a t m a y b e s e t o u t i n a n a c t i o n p l a n ; s i o n o r w h e n s t a r t i n g o r e n d i n g a n y e m p l o y m e n t ; t h e m i n i s t r y ; n d , t h i s p l a n i n c l u d i n g a n y c o n d i t i o n t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n a t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s a c t i v i t i e s , c o m p l i a n c e w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f t h i s p l a n , i n c l u d i n g n d a n c e a n d p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n a n e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d e c o n d i t i o n s o f h i s E P , s h e w i l l b e i n e l i g i b l e f o r a t ; r e a s o n s , a n c e s , a l w a v s c o o p e r a t e d a n d c o m o l i e d w i t h e v e r v
r e q u e s t g i v e n w h i l e b a l a n c i n g h e r f r a g i l e h e a l t • s h e i s c o n f u s e d w h y t h i s d e c i s i o n w a s n ' t m a d e b • s h e a l s o h a d t o m e e t p e r s o n a l d e m a n d s f r o m d o o f f i c e , e t c . , a n d • s h e a r g u e s t h a t s h e w a s n ' t i n f o r m e d a b o u t h e r d A p p e a l R e c o r d C h r o n o l o g y A c h r o n o l o g i c l i s t o f i n t e r a c t i o n s r e g a r d i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t c o u r s e o f t i m e f r o m N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 3 t o A p r i l 2 0 1 4 n o t e d a n d m i s s e d n u m e r o u s w o r k s h o p s w i t h o u t o f f e r i n g m i t i g a a n d J a n u a r y 1 6 , 2 0 & 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 . T h e m i n i s t r y n o t e d o n f i l e t h a t a l l a p p o i n t m e n t s i n c l u d i n g a p p e a r a n c e s w e r e c h e c k e d a g a i n s t c o m m i t m e n t s w i t h t s c h e d u l e d a p p o i n t m e n t s o r w o r k s h o p s e x c e p t f o r N o v e m b o t h o f t h e m . O r a l T e s t i m o n y b y t h e A p p e l l a n t A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e a p p e l l a n t t e s t i f i e d t h a t : • s h e h a d i n t e n d e d t o a t t e n d s c h o o l i n M a r c h W o • h e r m o t h e r p a s s e d a w a y i n M a r c h ; • s h e i s a w a i t i n g s u r g e r y o n S e p t e m b e r 2 9 a n d a n • b u s f a r e w a s n o t p r o v i d e d f o r p l a c e s t h a t s h e h a d • s h e h a d w o r k e d a t a l o c a l c h a r i t y ; • s h e h a d d e c l a r e d a l l i n c o m e a n d r e c e i v e d l e t t e r s i n h e r i t a n c e ; • s h e w a s b a c k a n d f o r t h t o t h e m i n i s t r y o f f i c e ; • s h e n e e d e d t o g e t r e n t r e c o r d s a n d p e r s o n a l d o c • s h e h a s a l w a y s k e p t g o o d w o r k r e c o r d s ; • s h e u s e s t h e f o o d b a n k ; • s h e i s w a i t i n g f o r h e r t a x a s s e s s m e n t ; • s h e w a s t o l d t h a t i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e w o u l d n o t s u • s h e h a s b a r r i e r s t o e m p l o y m e n t ; • s h e r e c e i v e d s u p p o r t f r o m h e r s i s t e r f o r h e r c e l l p • h e r b r o t h e r w i l l p u r c h a s e a t i c k e t f o r h e r t o r e t u r n • s h e a d m i t s t h a t s h e d i d n ' t c o m p l y w i t h t h e m i n i s t r S e r v i n g I t R i g h t t r a i n i n g t h a t s h e h a d b e e n p r o m i a p p o i n t m e n t s -" I c h o s e n o t t o a t t e n d E P b e c a u s O r a l T e s t i m o n y b y t h e M i n i s t r y T h e m i n i s t r y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e t e s t i f i e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t a t t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y ' s e f f o r t s t o k e e p t h e a p p e l l a n t i n t h e p r o i n d i c a t e d t h a t i t w a s t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c a s e w o r k e r w h o w o u a n d n o t t h e i n t a k e w o r k e r o r a n y o n e e l s e a n d t h a t t h e a p r e a u i s i t e f o r t h e o r o a r a m w a s t o c o m o l e t e t h e w o r k s h o p s E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 ): A P P E A L # h i s s u e s a n d l a c k o f m o n e y , a c k i n J a n u a r y r a t h e r t h a n 5 m o n t h s l a t e r , c t o r s , s u r g e o n s , c o u r t , w o r k s h o p s , a n d t h e m i n i s t r y e n i a l o f i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e . ' s o b l i g a t i o n s t o t h e e m p l o y m e n t c o n t a c t o r o v e r t h e t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t a t t e n d e d 2 s c h e d u l e d w o r k s h o p s t i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n c l u d i n g N o v e m b e r 1 8 -1 9 , 2 0 1 3 t h o s e a t t h e m e d i c a l c l i n i c , s u r g e r y c l i n i c a n d c o u r t h e c o n t r a c t o r t o c o n c l u d e t h a t n o n e c o n f l i c t e d w i t h b e r 8 , 2 0 1 3 w h e n t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s a b l e t o a t t e n d m e n i n T r a d e s P r o g r a m ; M R I o n N o v e m b e r 2 6 ; t o g o ( s c h o o l , m e d i c a l a n d c o u r t a p p o i n t m e n t s ) ; f r o m t h e M i n i s t r y i n A u g u s t r e g a r d i n g h e r f i n a n c e s a n d u m e n t a t i o n ; p p o r t a f u l l t i m e s t u d e n t ; h o n e ; h o m e i n o r d e r t o s e t t l e h e r m o t h e r ' s e s t a t e ; a n d y b e c a u s e s h e w a s n ' t g e t t i n g t h e F o o d S a f e a n d s e d o r t h e b u s f a r e s h e n e e d e d t o m a k e h e r e t h e m i n i s t r y w a s n o t c o m p l i a n t s o w h y s h o u l d I . " t e n d e d 2 a p p o i n t m e n t s o v e r a 7 m o n t h p e r i o d , a n d g r a m w e r e c o n s i s t e n t . T h e m i n i s t r y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e l d h a v e t h e k n o w l e d g e a b o u t t h e f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t p e l l a n t ' s r e c o r d s w e r e w e l l d o c u m e n t e d . A p r e  b e f o r e F o o d S a l e a n d S e r v i n q I t R i a h t t r a i n i n a w o u l d
b e a v a i l a b l e . T h e o n g o i n g i s s u e s i n c e 2 0 1 3 h a s b e e n t h T h e m i n i s t r y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s t a t e d t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y h a s c o m p l i a n t . T h e m i n i s t r y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e c o n f i r m e d t h a t c o m e d i c a l c e r t i f i c a t e a b o u t n o t w o r k i n g ; h o w e v e r , t h a t d i d w o r k s h o p s / c o u r s e s . A d m i s s i b i l i t y o f E v i d e n c e T h e p a n e l h a s a d m i t t e d t h e t e s t i m o n y f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n a n d r e c o r d s t h a t w e r 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 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 . F i n d i n g s o f F a c t T h e a p p e l l a n t i s a s i n g l e , e m p l o y a b l e r e c i p i e n t . O n N o v e m b e r 2 3 , 2 0 1 3 , 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 E t h e a p p e l l a n t a g r e e d t h a t s h e a c k n o w l e d g e d a n d u n d e r s c o m p l i a n c e . T h e a p p e l l a n t f a i l e d t o s h o w f o r t h e f o l l o w i n g s c h e d u l e d N o v e m b e r 1 8 -1 9 , 2 0 1 3 , J a n u a r y 1 6 , 2 0 , a n d 2 2 , 2 0 1 4 a O n , A p r i l 3 0 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e a p p e l l a n t s p o k e w i t h t h e m i n i s t r y d e n i e d a s s i s t a n c e f o r f a i l u r e t o c o m p l y w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # e a p p e l l a n t ' s m a k i n g a n d b r e a k i n g o f a p p o i n t m e n t s . d o n e i t s d u e d i l i g e n c e a n d t h e a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t b e e n n s i d e r a t i o n w a s g i v e n t o t h e a p p e l l a n t c o n s i d e r i n g h e r n o t a p p l y t o a t t e n d i n g a p p o i n t m e n t s o r t a n d t h e m i n i s t r y a s b e i n g i n s u p p o r t o f i n f o r m a t i o n r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n , i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h s e c t i o n 2 2 ( 4 ) o f t h e P w i t h s p e c i f i c r e q u i r e m e n t s a n d b y s i g n i n g h e r E P , t o o d c o m p l i a n c e w i t h t h e E P a n d a c t i o n s f o r n o n  a p p o i n t m e n t s ; n d M a r c h 2 4 , 2 5 a n d 2 6 , 2 0 1 4 . w o r k e r b y t e l e p h o n e w h o a d v i s e d t h a t s h e w a s s o f h e r E P .
PA RT F -Rea son s f o r P a n e l Dec ision Th e issue u n der appeal is the reaso n a blene s s of the mini a ssi stance becaus e t he appell ant fa il ed to comply with the condit E A A. R elevant Legi slati o n Secti on 9(1) o f t h e EAA sta tes that for a f amily unit to be el igi ble app licant or recip ient i n the f amily un it wh e n required t o do s o a nd (b ) c o mp l y with the co n ditions in the employment pl a n . Secti an em pl o ymen t p lan i n cludi n g, withou t l i m i t a t io n , a condition re participate i n a spec i f i c em p l oym ent related pro gr am th a t , in the depe nden t you th t o (a) find e mpl oyme n t , o r ( b) b ec ome more em i ncl ud e s a c ondition req uiring an a p plican t, a recipient or a depen related program, th at condition is not met if the pers o n (a) fails t pr o gra m, or (b) c eases except for med ical rea sons , t o p a rtici pat amend sus pe nd or c a ncel a n em plo yment pla n. T he legisl ation, Se ct ion 9(1) of t h e EAA pro vi d es th a t , w EP and com p ly with i ts con ditions i n orde r to be eligible f th e mi n i s try h as the authority to speci fy th e cond i t ions in the E e mployme nt-rela ted pro gram. Under S ection 9(4) of the person to pa r tic ipate in a specific empl o yment r e lated pr fail s t o demons tra te re a sonable effo rts t o parti c ipat e in th reasons (b) to pa r ticipate i n t he pr o gr am a n d i ts c ond itions. Based on t he appeal reco rd , the mi nis try m ain tains that th parti c i p a te i n t he E P . Between Nov e m be r 201 3 and A pril 2014, the app wo r k sh o ps an d miss ed nu me rou s w or ksho p s with o ut off 1 8 -19, 2 013 a n d J a n u ary 16, 2 0 & 2 2, 2014. Whi le t he appel January 2 014 du e t o right f inger and should e r pain , th e inf sub stan tiate th at he r medical c ond ition w ould severely impac not dee med medically ex emp t fr om e mplo y m e n t obligations. appellant not e lig ib le for income as sistance due to non-co The appellan t's position is that she has been compliant considering her circumstances, always cooperated and complied with every request given, while balancing her fragile health issues and lack of money. She also argues that she had to me et personal demands as well as those from doctors, surgeons, court, workshops, and the ministry office, and is confused w hy this decis ion later. The appellant ar g u e s that her doctor has told her to stay off work until further notice and that the ministry was not compliant with her EP. Panel's Findings In determining the reasonableness of the ministry's decision, the panel finds that the appellant entered into an EP on October 23, 2013 which required her to participate fully and to the best of her ability in t required by the contractor. While the appellant argues that she was compliant considering her circumstances and other personal demands from doctors, suraeons and court; the oanel finds that the evidence does not EAAT003(10/06/01) : APPEAL # stry's d ecis ion to deny the appella nt i nc ome ions o f he r EP pur s ua nt to sect i on 9 o f t he for i nco m e assi stan c e or hardship a ssista nce , each b y the m i ni s te r, must ( a) ente r i nto an employment p lan , on 9(3) states t he m inist er may s pecif y the con diti on s in quirin g t h e a p plican t, re c i p ien t or de pende nt youth t o mini ste r's opin ion, w i ll assi st the app l i can t, recip ie nt or p l oyable . Sect ion 9 (4) s tate s, if an employment plan den t you th to partic i p ate i n a specific employment o d e monstrate r eason abl e efforts t o partici pate in the e in t he pr ogr am. S ec t ion 9(6) st ate s the ministe r m ay hen the m i nistry requires , a person must enter into an o r income as si stance. Und er section 9 (3) of the EAA P incl ud ing that a person mus t partic ipa te i n an EAA, if an EP includes a c o nditio n req uiring a o gr am, tha t condition woul d no t b e m et (a ) if a pe rson e pr o gram o r if the pe rson ceases, e xcept for medi ca l e appell ant f a iled to m ake rea sona ble eff o r ts to e l lan t atten ded only 2 s c h eduled e r i n g mitigating c ircumstances i ncl udi ng Nov e m be r lant may not have been e mp loya b le on or about orm a t ion prov i d e d by h er physicia n does no t t h er compl ia n c e wi t h the EP. The a ppel lant was F or t hese re as ons the ministry foun d th e mpliance wit h her E P. wasn't made back in January rather than 5 months he ac tivities
I APPEAL# support that she demonstrated reasonable efforts to participate in the program by attending all the appointments scheduled with the contractor or notifying the contractor each time she was unable to attend. The panel accepts that the appellant had been restricted with her right finger and shoulder pain; however, this would not have prevented her from attending scheduled workshops or maintaining contact with her case manager to update job search progress or explore possible short term training for Food Safe and Serving It Right, as specified in the Action Plan. By signing the EP, the appellant acknowledged that she understood the conditions as set out and agreed to them; however the panel finds that she failed to comply. The evidence is that the appellant was aware of the consequences of not complying with the conditions of her EP and there is no evidence that she did not comply due to medical reasons. Therefore, the panel finds that the ministry reasonably determined that the appellant had not made a reasonable effort to participate in her employment program pursuant to section 9(4) of the EAA, to be eligible for Income assistance pursuant to section 9(1 ). The panel finds that the ministry's reconsideration decision was reasonably supported by the evidence and confirms the decision. EAAT 003(10/06/01)
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