APPEAL# I PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the September 9, 2014 reconsideration decision of the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (the "ministry") wherein the ministry determined that the appellant was ineligible for income assistance for a period of two calendar months as prescribed in section 29(3)(a)(i) of the Employment and Assistance Regulation ("EAR"). The basis for the ministry's decision was that the ministry determined that the appellant had been dismissed from employment for just cause within 60 days of applying for income assistance, as contemplated by section 13(1)(a)(iii) of the Employment and Assistance Act ("EAA"), and that the appellant's family unit did not include dependent children, as contemplated by section 13(2)(b) of the EAA. The ministry also found that the appellant's circumstances did not satisfy any of the exceptions to ineligibility set out in section 29(4) of the EAR. PART D -Relevant Legislation EAA section 13; EAR section 29 EAAT 003( 10/06/01)
P A R T E S u m m a r y o f F a c t s W i t h t h e c o n s e n t o f b o t h p a r t i e s , t h e h e a r i n g w a s c o 2 2 ( 3 ) o f t h e E A A . T h e 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 t h e t i m e o f r e c R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n f o r m , w i t h a t t a c h e d w r i t t e n r e c o n s i d a d v o c a t e . T h e e v i d e n c e i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s a d d e h i s c o m m o n l a w s p o u s e a s o f A u g u s t 1 , 2 0 1 4 . O n A a p p e l l a n t ' s f o r m e r e m p l o y e r t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d b T h e a p p e l l a n t h a d w o r k e d o n e d a y f o r t h e e m p l o y e r s h i f t s a n d w a s d i s m i s s e d b y t h e e m p l o y e r . I n h i s w r i t t e n r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n s u b m i s s i o n t h e a p p e l l a b u t s t a t e d t h a t " t h e r e a s o n s f o r t h e t w o a b s e n c e s w e h e w a s i l l a n d d i d n o t h a v e a c o n t a c t n u m b e r t o n o t i t h a t t h e p o w e r w e n t o u t a t h i s r e s i d e n c e s o h i s a l a r m I t i t s w r i t t e n a p p e a l s u b m i s s i o n t h e m i n i s t r y s t a t e d t h • s i g n e d p a r t 2 o f t h e a p p l i c a t i o n f o r m f o r i n c o m • w o r k e d a n d w a s p a i d f o r o n e d a y b y h i s e m p l • w a s s c h e d u l e d f o r a d d i t i o n a l s h i f t s b u t f a i l e d T h e a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d b y t h e m i n i s t r y i n a n d c o r r o b o r a t e s t h e i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t w a s b e f o r e t h e p a n e l h a s a d m i t t e d t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n a s w r i t t e n t e s t i m o f t h e E A A . T h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t s u b m i t a n y a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t EAA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # n d u c t e d i n w r i t i n g i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h s e c t i o n o n s i d e r a t i o n i n c l u d e d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s R e q u e s t f o r e r a t i o n s u b m i s s i o n p r e p a r e d b y t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s d a s a d e p e n d a n t t o t h e i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e f i l e o f u g u s t 1 3 , 2 0 1 4 t h e m i n i s t r y w a s a d v i s e d b y t h e e e n d i s m i s s e d f r o m e m p l o y m e n t i n J u l y , 2 0 1 4 . o n J u l y 1 7 , 2 0 1 4 , t h e n m i s s e d t h e f o l l o w i n g t w o n t a c k n o w l e d g e d t h a t h e m i s s e d t h e t w o s h i f t s r e j u s t i f i e d . " H e s t a t e d t h a t i n t h e f i r s t i n s t a n c e f y h i s e m p l o y e r . I n t h e s e c o n d i n s t a n c e h e s t a t e d d i d n o t g o o f f . a t t h e a p p e l l a n t : e a s s i s t a n c e o n A u g u s t 1 3 , 2 0 1 4 ; o y e r o n J u l y 1 7 , 2 0 1 4 ; a n d t o a t t e n d , s o w a s d i s m i s s e d f r o m h i s j o b . i t s a p p e a l s u b m i s s i o n s u b s t a n t i a l l y r e i t e r a t e s 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 e r a t i o n . T h e o n y i n s u p p o r t , 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 ) i o n o n 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 o n 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 d e c i s i o n w h e r e i n i t 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 a t w o c a l e n d a r m o n t h s a s p r e s c r i b e d i n s e c t i o n 2 9 ( 3 ) ( d e c i s i o n w a s t h a t 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 j u s t c a u s e w i t h i n 6 0 d a y s o f a p p l y i n g f o r i n c o m e a s s o f t h e E A A , a n d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s f a m i l y u n i t d i d n b y s e c t i o n 1 3 ( 2 ) ( b ) o f t h e E A A . T h e m i n i s t r y a l s o f o s a t i s f y a n y o f t h e e x c e p t i o n s t o i n e l i g i b i l i t y s e t o u t i n T h e r e l e v a n t l e g i s l a t i v e p r o v i s i o n s a r e a s f o l l o w s : E A A C o n s e q u e n c e s o f n o t m e e t i n g e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d o b l i g a t i o 1 3 ( 1 ) S u b j e c t t o t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f a n e m p l o y r e c i p i e n t i s s u b j e c t t o t h e c o n s e q u e n c e d e t h e a p p l i c a n t ' s o r r e c i p i e n t ' s f a m i l y u n i t i f ( a ) a t a n y t i m e w h i l e a r e c i p o r h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e o r w i t a p p l i e s f o r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c ( i ) f a i l e d t o a c c e p t s ( i i ) v o l u n t a r i l y l e f t e ( i i i ) b e e n d i s m i s s e d ( b ) a t a n y t i m e w h i l e a r e c i p o r h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e , t h e r s e a r c h f o r e m p l o y m e n t . ( 2 ) F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f s u b s e c t i o n ( 1 ) , ( a ) i f a f a m i l y u n i t i n c l u d e s d 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 p r e s c r i b e d a m o u n t f o r t h e p r ( b ) i f a f a m i l y u n i t d o e s n o t 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 ( 3 ) T h e L i e u t e n a n t G o v e r n o r i n C o u n c i l m r e c i p i e n t s t o w h o s e f a m i l y u n i t s t h i s s e c t i E A R C o n s e q u e n c e s o f f a i l i n g t o m e e t e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d o b l i g a t 2 9 . . . ( 3 ) F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f s e c t i o n 1 3 ( 2 ) ( b ) o b l i g a t i o n s ] o f t h e A c t , t h e p e r i o d o f i n e l i g ( a ) f o r a d e f a u l t r e f e r r e d i n t m o n t h s h a v e e l a o s e d f r o m t h E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )I A P P E A L # i n i s t r y ' s S e p t e m b e r 9 , 2 0 1 4 r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n s i n 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 f o r a p e r i o d o f a ) ( i ) o f t h e E A R T h e b a s i s f o r t h e m i n i s t r y ' s p p e l l a n t h a d b e e n d i s m i s s e d f r o m e m p l o y m e n t f o r i s t a n c e , a s c o n t e m p l a t e d b y s e c t i o n 1 3 ( 1 ) ( a ) ( i i i ) o t i n c l u d e d e p e n d e n t c h i l d r e n , a s c o n t e m p l a t e d u n d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c i r c u m s t a n c e s d i d n o t s e c t i o n 2 9 ( 4 ) o f t h e E A R . n s m e n t p l a n , t h e f a m i l y u n i t o f a n a p p l i c a n t o r a s c r i b e d i n s u b s e c t i o n ( 2 ) f o r a f a m i l y u n i t m a t c h i n g i e n t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t i s r e c e i v i n g i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e h i n 6 0 d a y s b e f o r e a n a p p l i c a n t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t e , t h e a p p l i c a n t o r r e c i p i e n t h a s u i t a b l e e m p l o y m e n t , m p l o y m e n t w i t h o u t j u s t c a u s e , o r f r o m e m p l o y m e n t f o r j u s t c a u s e , o r i e n t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t i s r e c e i v i n g i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e e c i p i e n t 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 e p e n d e n t c h i l d r e n , t h e i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e o r t o o r f o r t h e f a m i l y u n i t m u s t b e r e d u c e d b y t h e e s c r i b e d p e r i o d , a n d i n c l u d e d e p e n d e n t c h i l d r e n , t h e f a m i l y u n i t i s n o t f o r t h e p r e s c r i b e d p e r i o d . a y s p e c i f y b y r e g u l a t i o n c a t e g o r i e s o f a p p l i c a n t s o r o n d o e s n o t a p p l y . i o n s [ c o n s e q u e n c e s o f n o t m e e t i n g e m p l o y m e n t r e l a t e d 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 l a s t s o s e c t i o n 1 3 ( 1 ) ( a ) o f t h e A c t , u n t i l 2 c a l e n d a r e l a t e r o f t h e f o l l o w i n q d a t e s :
( i) the date of t he a a ssistance (p art 2) f orm u (ii) the date the defau (b) for a defa ult re ferred to in section 13 (1) (b) of the Act, u foll owi n g has occ u rred: (i) the family unit has bee cal end a r month; (ii) t he m inis ter is satisfie committed the def ault employment. (4) Section 13 [conseq uences of not meeting empl does not apply to a family unit of an appl categories: (a) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 116/200 (b) sol e ap pli can t s or s ole reci (i) has n ot reached (ii ) ha s a p hysical or p r eclud es t h e sole ap p urposes of employment; (c) Rep e aled. [B.C . R eg. 48/2010, (d) sole applicants o r s o l e recipients (i ) has no t reach ed (ii ) ha s a ph ys ical or p r eclud es t h e sole a pp p urpos es of em p loyment; (e) p e rsons who r e ceive acc pr ivate hos pit a l ; (f) app l ic ants or re c ipie nt s admitted to care; ( g) person s who reside with condition that, in the minister's opinion, pr home for the purposes of e mployment; (h) applic ants or recipients in a family unit that includes only applicants or r ec ip i e nts who a re (i) Rep ealed. [B.C. Reg. 160/2004, (ii) persons who are participating in a treatme pro gra m appro ved by the in the minister's opinion, interferes with their ability or continue in employment, (iii) persons who have separated from an abusive spouse or relative within the previous 6 months, if, in the minister's opinion, the abuse or the separation interferes with their ability to search for, accept or continue in employment, (iv) persons not describe ( v ) persons who ha v EAAT 003(10/06/01) �PPEAL # l pplicant's submission of the applic ation for inc ome n de r t his regulation; l t occ urr e d, and ntil the later o f t he n inelig i ble for i nco me assistanc e fo r o ne d that the applicant o r recipient who is demonstrating reasonab l e effo r ts to se arch for oy m e n t-related obligations] of th e A ct ica nt or recipie n t who is in any of the following 3, Sch. 1, s. 2 (a). ] pie nt s who ha v e at lea st on e dep e n dent child who 3 y ea rs o f age, or mental condition that, in the minis te r' s opinion , pli c a nt or r ecipi en t f rom leavi n g ho m e for t he Sch. 1, s . 1 (b).] who hav e a fo st er chi ld w h o 3 y e ars of ag e , or ment al condit ion that, in th e mini s t e r's o pi nion, l i cant or r ecip ient fr o m lea vi n g ho m e fo r th e omm odati on a nd care in a spec ial care fa c i l ity o r h o spital be c au se t hey requi re ext en d ed and care for a spouse who ha s a physical or mental e cludes the person from leaving s. 2.] nt or rehabilitat io n m inister , i f their participation in that program, to search for, accept d in section 7 (2) [citi z enship requirements]; e o ersistent mul tiple barriers to e m plo vment· or
( vi) p e rson s wh o have (i ) R epealed. [B.C. Reg. 4 8 (j) sole a ppl ic ants or sol e recip r ef e rred to i n sec tion 8 [ag re F a mily and C omm u nity Service Act f (i) has not r eached (i i) has a p hysical or m precl ud e s t he sole a pur poses of e mploym (k) sol e app licants or so le re ag re ement ref erred to in se di r ec t or s] of th e Ch ild, Fam ( i) ha s not reac h e d (i i) h a s a p hy sic al or me preclude s the s o le app purpo ses of e m ploy men * * T he appe llant' s pos ition, as s et out in his r econsid era m inistry's decision was unfair since he had not be en w a s d ismissed f r om hi s employ ment . T he appellant mis sing the two shifts were "justifie d". The appellant p re g n a n t so s he needs in come assis t a n ce. The ministry ' s positio n, a s set ou t in i ts reconsideration app ellan t sig n ed t he ap pl i c at i o n form for i n come a ssis days of the appe llan t' s di smissa l for c a u s e in July, 201 appe llant's famil y un it do es n ot incl ude a d epende n the months of A ugus t an d Sept e mbe r , 2 014. Final ly, cir cumstance s do not fall within any of the e x ce pt ions EAR. Panel Decision The basic facts are not in dispute -the appellant acknowledged that he miss was dismissed from empl oyment. The a ppellant argued that In the panel's view it is a normal and reasonable condition of employment that an employee notifies his employer if he is going to miss a shift due to illness, and that he makes every effor on time, particularly in ci rcum st a nc es where the evidence indicates the appellant had only put in one shift with his empl oyer. I n the panel's vie w, the eviden c o nc l usion that the app e l l a nt was dismissed from employment for just cause. The appellant also argued that the ministry's decision was "unfair" since he was not receiving income assistance at the time of his employment and dismissal. period of ineligibility is triggered by an application for income assistance within 60 days of being dismissed from employment with cause. The appellant's application on August 13, 2014 occurred within 60 da s of his dismissal from em lo ment in Jul . EAAT 003(10/06/01) l A PPE AL -Ji. reached 65 year s of a ge; /2 0 10, Sch. 1, s. 1 ( b) .] ien t s who are pro vidin g care un der an agreement eme n ts with chi ld 's kin a nd othe rs] of the Child, or a chi ld w h o 3 ye a r s of age, o r e nta l con diti on tha t, in th e mi nister's op inion, pplica nt or re cipie nt from lea vi n g hom e f or the ent ; cipi ents who are p r ovi ding ca re u nder an ct ion 93 (1) (g) (ii ) [ot her power s a nd d u tie s of ily and C o m mu n i ty S er v ice Act for a c hild who 3 years of a ge , or ntal c ondit ion that, in the minis ter's opinion, lic ant or r ecipi en t fr om leav in g ho m e f o r t he t . * ti on subm i ssion and Notice of Appe a l, i s t h at the a r ec ipi ent o f i n com e assis t a n ce at t he tim e he a rgued t ha t , in any even t , his reasons for a l s o arg ued that his co mmo n-l a w s p ou se is deci s io n an d app eal submission, is that the t a n c e on Au g u st 13 , 2014, which was wi t h in 60 4. Th e ministry argued that s ince the t child, he is i n elig ible fo r i ncom e a ssi stance fo r the minis t ry a rgued th at t h e app el lant's to ine lig ibility set out in se ction 29( 4 ) of t he ed two day's work and his abs ences f r om work were "justifi ed". t to attend work c e reasonably supports the ministr y' s Section 13 of the EAA is clear that the The a ellant's circumstances are reflected
APPEAL# I in the legislation, and the ministry's decision to apply the legislation in those circumstances was reasonable. There is no evidence that any of the exceptions to ineligibility set out in EAR section 29(4) apply in the circumstances of the appellant. His spouse's pregnancy is not an exception recognized by the legislation. For these reasons, the panel finds that the ministry's reconsideration decision was a reasonable application of the legislation in the appellant's circumstances, and confirms the decision. EAAT 003(10/06/01)
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