PA RT C D ec is io n und er Ap peal The decision under app ea l is the reconsideration decision o f the Ministr y of Social Developm ent and Social Innov a tion (Ministry ) dated Jul y 28, 20 14 in which the Ministry denied the Appellant's request for a crisis s upplem ent for clothing . T he M i nistry determined that the A ppellant's request w as n ot for a need that was unexpe c te d and th at there was no indication t hat failure to receive a supplement for clothing w ill res u l t in imminent danger to his physical heal th as required under Section 57 of the Empl o ym ent and Ass istanc e for Persons with Disabilitie s Regul ation (EAPWDR). In addition, the Ministry determined that the Ap pellant had rece ived the full entitlemen t for a crisis sup plement for clothing in Ma r ch , 2014, which is within the 12 month period preceding this requ est, as set out in Section 57(4) (c) of the EAPW D R. PART D -Relev a nt L eg islati o n Employment an d A ssist an ce for Person s wi th Disabiliti es Act ( E A PWD A) Section 5 Employme nt an d Assis t anc e fo r Pe rs on s wi th D i sab i l i t i es R egul atio n (EA P WDR) Sec t i o n 57 EMT003(10/06/01)
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s I n f o r m a t i o n b e f o r e t h e M i n i s t r y a t r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n i n c l u d 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 L e t t e r d a t e d J u l y 1 4 , 2 0 1 4 f r o m t h e a p p e l l a n t t o R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n . A t t h e h e a r i n g t h e A p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d a b o u n d p a c k a g e A p p e l l a n t a s k e d t h a t t h e m a t e r i a l u n d e r T a b s 5 a n d 6 , a t h e A p p e l l a n t h a s b e e n a d v i s e d t o l o s e w e i g h t o n a c a l o s w o r n A u g u s t 1 2 , 2 0 1 4 b y t h e A p p e l l a n t s t a t i n g t h a t h e w e i g h t a n d t h a t h e s h o u l d j u s t s t o p l o s i n g w e i g h t , b e a d b e r e g a r d e d a s p a r t o f h i s s u b m i s s i o n . T h e P a n e l d e t e r a d m i s s i b l e u n d e r s . 2 2 ( 4 ) o f t h e E A A a s t h e y w e r e i n s u r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n . T h e d o c t o r ' s n o t e a t T a b 5 s u p p o r t s t h R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h a t h i s p h y s i c i a n a d v i s e d h i m t o l o s e w e v i d e n c e r e l a t e d t o t h e a l l e g a t i o n i n h i s R e q u e s t f o r R e c j u s t s t o p l o s i n g w e i g h t . T h e P a n e l a c c e p t e d t h e A p p e l l a n r e g a r d e d a s a r g u m e n t , n o t e v i d e n c e . T h e M i n i s t r y h a d T h e A p p e l l a n t n o t e d t h a t t h e m a t e r i a l u n d e r T a b 1 o f h i s d a t e d J u l y 1 4 , 2 0 1 4 , a s k i n g t h a t c o r r e s p o n d e n c e b e d i r e a n d t h e M i n i s t r y c o n t i n u e d t o s e n d c o r r e s p o n d e n c e t o h r e c e i v e d n o a p o l o g y . T h e A p p e l l a n t a s k e d t h a t m a t e r i a l n o t i n c l u d e d i n t h e A p s u p p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h i n g w h i c h w a s g r a n t e d i n M a r c h , 2 0 M i n i s t r y s t a t e d t h a t t h e m a t e r i a l r e f e r s t o a n o t h e r r e q u e s d e c i s i o n m a d e o n t h e r e q u e s t u n d e r a p p e a l . T h e P a n e l p r o v i d e r e c o r d s a n d d o c u m e n t a t i o n t o s u p p o r t h i s c a s e a P a n e l h a s n o j u r i s d i c t i o n t o c o m p e l t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f d o c T h e A p p e l l a n t r e f e r r e d t o t h e n o t e f r o m h i s p h y s i c i a n d a t a d v i s e d t o l o s e w e i g h t f o r m e d i c a l r e a s o n s ; t h e r e f o r e h i s e x t r e m e l y o v e r w e i g h t c o u l d l e a d t o d e a t h . T h e a p p e l l a n l o s e w e i g h t i n 2 0 1 2 , a n d p o s s i b l y a s e a r l y a s 2 0 1 0 , a n d , l b s . p e r m o n t h . T h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t e v e r y o n e n e e d m a k i n g i t a n e c e s s i t y . H e n e e d s n e w , d e c e n t f i t t i n g c l o t h d o e s n o t k n o w e x a c t l y a t w h a t p o i n t i n t i m e h e w i l l n e e d a f f o r d t o " p u t a w a y " f u n d s t o p a y f o r n e w c l o t h i n g . T h e M i n i s t r y r e f e r r e d t o 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 , n o t o p h y s i c a l h e a l t h , b u t n o t t h e f a i l u r e t o p r o v i d e c l o t h i n g . l e g i s l a t e d m a x i m u m f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h i n g f a p p l i c a t i o n . W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e l e g i s l a t i v e r e q u i r e m e n t t h t h e A p p e l l a n t i s f u l l y a w a r e t h a t h e i s l o s i n g w e i g h t , t h e r e q u e s t i o n f r o m t h e A p p e l l a n t , t h e M i n i s t r y s t a t e d t h a t t h e m m e n t i o n t h e e f f e c t o f n o t r e c e i v i n g c l o t h i n g ; i t r e f e r s t o h i s a n s w e r w h a t a u a l i f i e s u n d e r t h e l e a i s l a t i o n a s a n i m m i n e E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )e d : t e d J u n e 2 3 , 2 0 1 4 , w i t h A p p e n d i x A a t t a c h e d t h e m i n i s t r y , e n c l o s i n g t h e R e q u e s t f o r o f d o c u m e n t s u n d e r r e f e r e n c e t a b s 1 t o 6 . T h e d o c t o r ' s n o t e d a t e d A u g u s t 1 2 , 2 0 1 4 c o n f i r m i n g t h a t r i e r e s t r i c t e d d i e t f o r m e d i c a l r e a s o n s a n d a n a f f i d a v i t w a s t o l d b y t h e M i n i s t r y t h a t i t w a s h i s f a u l t f o r l o s i n g m i t t e d a s e v i d e n c e , a n d t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e m a t e r i a l m i n e d t h a t t h e i t e m s n u m b e r e d a s T a b s 5 a n d 6 w e r e p p o r t o f t h e r e c o r d s b e f o r e t h e m i n i s t e r a t e A p p e l l a n t ' s s t a t e m e n t i n h i s R e q u e s t f o r e i g h t . T h e s w o r n a f f i d a v i t a t T a b 6 i s t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s o n s i d e r a t i o n t h a t h e w a s a d v i s e d b y t h e M i n i s t r y t o t ' s s u b m i s s i o n t h a t i t e m s n u m b e r e d 1 t o 4 b e n o o b j e c t i o n t o t h e a d m i s s i o n o f t h e d o c u m e n t s . s u b m i s s i o n , a c o p y o f a l e t t e r h e s e n t t o t h e M i n i s t r y c t e d t o h i s o f f i c e r a t h e r t h a n h i s h o m e , w a s i g n o r e d i s h o m e , w h i c h c a u s e d h i m d i s t r e s s a n d f o r w h i c h h e p e a l R e c o r d r e l a t e d t o h i s p r e v i o u s r e q u e s t f o r a c r i s i s 1 4 b e p r o v i d e d b y t h e M i n i s t r y a t t h i s h e a r i n g . T h e t a n d e m p h a s i z e d t h a t t h e y a r e n o t r e l e v a n t t o t h e n o t e s t h a t i t i s t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e A p p e l l a n t t o n d t o p r o v i d e t h e m a t t h e h e a r i n g o r b e f o r e . T h e u m e n t s . e d A u g u s t 1 2 , 2 1 0 4 , w h i c h s t a t e s t h a t h e h a s b e e n r e q u e s t i s a m a t t e r o f m e d i c a l n e c e s s i t y , a s b e i n g t s t a t e d t h a t h e h a d b e e n a d v i s e d b y h i s d o c t o r s t o r e c e n t l y , h e h a s b e e n l o s i n g a p p r o x i m a t e l y 1 7 t o 2 0 s c l o t h i n g t o f u n c t i o n a p p r o p r i a t e l y i n t h e c o m m u n i t y , i n g f o r h i s m e n t a l a n d p h y s i c a l h e a l t h a l t h o u g h h e n e w c l o t h i n g . T h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t h e c o u l d n o t t i n g t h a t f a i l u r e t o l o s e w e i g h t m a y p r e s e n t a d a n g e r T h e M i n i s t r y n o t e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a s r e a c h e d t h e o r t h e 1 2 m o n t h p e r i o d p r e c e d i n g t h e d a t e o f h i s a t t h e n e e d b e u n e x p e c t e d , t h e M i n i s t r y s t a t e d t h a t f o r e t h e n e e d i s n o t u n e x p e c t e d . I n r e s p o n s e t o a e d i c a l n o t e p r o v i d e d b y t h e A p p e l l a n t d o e s n o t w e i g h t l o s s . T h e M i n i s t r y s t a t e d t h a t t h e y c o u l d n o t n t d a n a e r t o o h v s i c a l h e a l t h a n d s t a t e d t h a t a c r i s i s
supplement is for emer gency needs, such as when th ere sud den ly left without a needed item . EM T003(10/06/01) has been a fire or robb er y and the person i s
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 i n t h i s 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 c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h i n g . T h e M i n i s t r y d e t e r m i n e d w a s u n e x p e c t e d a n d t h a t t h e r e w a s n o i n d i c a t i o n t h a t f a d a n g e r t o h i s p h y s i c a l h e a l t h a s r e q u i r e d u n d e r S e c t i o n D i s a b i l i t i e s R e g u l a t i o n . I n a d d i t i o n , t h e M i n i s t r y d e t e r m i f o r a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t f o r c l o t h i n g i n M a r c h , 2 0 1 4 , w h i c a s s e t o u t i n S e c t i o n 5 7 ( 4 ) ( c ) o f t h e E A P W D R . . L e g i s l a t i o n E A P W D A D i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e a n d s u p p l e m e n t s 5 S u b j e c t t o t h e r e g u l a t i o n s , t h e m i n i s t e r m a y p r o v i d e d u n i t t h a t i s e l i g i b l e f o r i t . E A P W D R C r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t 5 7 ( 1 ) T h e m i n i s t e r m a y p r o v i d e a c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t t o 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 i f ( a ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t o r a p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n a n i t e m u n e x p e c t e d l y n t h e i t e m b e c a u s e t h e r e a r e n o r e s o u r c e s ( b } t h e m i n i s t e r c o n s i d e r s t h a t f a i l u r e t o m ( i ) i m m i n e n t d a n g e r t o t h e p h y s i c ( i i ) r e m o v a l o f a c h i l d u n d e r t h e C ( 2 } A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t m a y b e p r o v i d e d o n l y f o r f o r t h e s u p p l e m e n t i s m a d e . ( 3 ) A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t m a y n o t b e p r o v i d e d f o r t h ( a ) a s u p p l e m e n t d e s c r i b e d i n S c h e d u l e C ( b ) a n y o t h e r h e a l t h c a r e g o o d s o r s e r v i c e ( 4 ) A c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t p r o v i d e d f o r f o o d , s h e l t e r ( a } i f f o r f o o d , t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t t h a t m p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t ; ( b } i f f o r s h e l t e r , t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t t h a o f ( i ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s a c t u a l s h e l t e r ( i i } t h e m a x i m u m s e t o u t i n s e c t i o a p p l i c a b l e , f o r a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t m a ( c ) i f f o r c l o t h i n n , t h e a m o u n t t h a t m a v b e E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n d e n y i n g t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t f o r a t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e q u e s t w a s n o t f o r a n e e d t h a t i l u r e t o r e c e i v e c l o t h i n g w o u l d r e s u l t i n i m m i n e n t 5 7 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 f o r P e r s o n s w i t h n e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t h a d r e c e i v e d t h e f u l l e n t i t l e m e n t h i s w i t h i n t h e 1 2 m o n t h p e r i o d p r e c e d i n g t h i s r e q u e s t , i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e o r a s u p p l e m e n t t o o r f o r a f a m i l y o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t t h a t i s e l i g i b l e f o r d i s a b i l i t y u n i t r e q u i r e s t h e s u p p l e m e n t t o m e e t a n u n e x p e c t e d e e d e d a n d i s u n a b l e t o m e e t t h e e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n a v a i l a b l e t o t h e f a m i l y u n i t , a n d e e t t h e e x p e n s e o r o b t a i n t h e i t e m w i l l r e s u l t i n a l h e a l t h o f a n y p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t , o r h i l d , F a m i l y a n d C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e A c t . t h e c a l e n d a r m o n t h i n w h i c h t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o r r e q u e s t e p u r p o s e o f o b t a i n i n g , o r s . o r c l o t h i n g i s s u b j e c t t o t h e f o l l o w i n g l i m i t a t i o n s : a y b e p r o v i d e d i n a c a l e n d a r m o n t h i s $ 2 0 f o r e a c h t m a y b e p r o v i d e d i n a c a l e n d a r m o n t h i s t h e s m a l l e r c o s t , a n d n 4 o f S c h e d u l e A o r T a b l e 2 o f S c h e d u l e D , a s t c h e s t h e f a m i l y u n i t ; p r o v i d e d m u s t n o t e x c e e d t h e s m a l l e r o f
(i) $100 for each person in the family unit in the 12 calendar month period preceding the date of application for the crisis supplement, and (ii) $400 for the family unit in the 12 calendar month period preceding the date of application for the crisis supplement. (5) The cumulative amount of crisis supplements that may be provided to or for a family unit in a year must not exceed the amount calculated under subsection (6). (6) In the calendar month in which the application or request for the supplement is made, the amount under subsection (5) is calculated by multiplying by 2 the maximum amount of disability assistance or hardship assistance that may be provided for the month under Schedule A or Schedule D to a family unit that matches the family unit. (7) Despite subsection (4) (b) or (5) or both, a crisis supplement may be provided to or for a family unit for the following: (a) fuel for heating; (b) fuel for cooking meals; (c) water; (d) hydro. The Appellant's position is that the Ministry has an obligation to supply the requested crisis supplement as an accommodation under the B.C. Human Rights Code. The Appellant argued that his physical and mental health is in imminent danger, that his need is unexpected because although he is losing weight, he does not know when he will need clothes and that the Ministry should provide the supplement regardless of the legislated maximum of $100 as an accommodation of his obesity disability under the B.C. Human Rights Code. The Appellant argued that although the doctor's note did not specifically address the effects of not receiving clothing, his own submission with his Request for Reconsideration did and he needs new, decent fitting clothing for his mental and physical health. The Appellant argued that it is impossible to save money on disability assistance of $906.00 per month, and that his previous request in March, 2014 had been approved under the same criteria and nothing has changed with his situation since that time. The Ministry's position is that the Appellant's request is not unexpected, that there is no indication that failure to receive clothing will result in imminent danger to his physical health and that the Appellant has already received the maximum crisis supplement for clothing in the relevant 12 month period. The Ministry made no submission with respect to the B.C. Human Rights Code. With respect to the Appellant's argument concerning the provisions of the B.C. Human Rights Code, the Panel notes that section 19.1 of the Employment and Assistance Act states that section 46.3 of the Administrative Tribunals Act applies to the tribunal. Section 46.3 of the Administrative Tribunals Act states that the tribunal does not have jurisdiction to apply the B.C. Human Rights Code. The applicable legislation, Section 57 of the EAPWDR, states in sub-section (4)(c) that the amount for a crisis supplement for clothing must not exceed $100 for each person in the family unit in the 12 calendar month period preceding the date of application for the crisis supplement; the Appellant did not dispute that he applied for this crisis supplement in June 2014 and that he previously received $100 for a crisis supplement for clothing in March, 2014, therefore the Panel finds that the Ministry reasonably determined that he is not eligible at this time. In addition, the Panel finds that the Ministry reasonably determined that the Aooellant's request EAAT 003(10/06/01)
for clothing is not an unexpected expense or an item that is unexpectedly needed. The evidence shows that the Appellant was previously aware that weight loss was medically necessary, being advised by his doctors to lose weight in 2012, and he is continuing to lose weight monthly. The Panel finds that the Ministry reasonably determined that the Appellant's request does not meet the legislative requirement that failure to obtain the item or meet the expense will result in imminent danger to his physical health. While the appellant provided a note from his doctor indicating that the appellant has been advised to lose weight, and he argued that he needs new, decent fitting clothing for his mental and physical health, the appellant did not provide evidence that going without new clothing items poses a serious threat to a medical condition or some other issue that will result in imminent danger to his physical health. The Panel therefore confirms the Ministry's decision as a reasonable application of the applicable enactment in the circumstances of the person appealing the decision. EAAT003(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.