APPEAL. I PART C -Decision under Appeal The decision under appeal is the reconsideration decision of the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation (the ministry) dated 25 September 2014 that found that the appellant was not eligible for income assistance pursuant to section 9 of the Employment and Assistance Act. The ministry determined that the appellant has not demonstrated that she has made a reasonable effort to participate in her employment related program and has therefore not complied with the conditions of her employment plan (EP) and did not demonstrate that she has a medical condition that has prevented her from complying with those conditions. PART D -Relevant Legislation Employment and Assistance Act (EAA), section 9. EAAT 003(1 0/06/01)
PA RT E -Su mmary o f F a c t s The a ppellant did no t a ppe ar a t t h e he aring. Aft er c o h e a ring, t h e h ea ring procee ded in ac cor dance with Regul a tion. The ev idenc e b e for e the ministry a t re consi dera tion 1. An empl oym e n t plan (EP) si g n ed by the ap pellan agr e ed to th e f ollo wi n g c o n ditions: • attend a p point ment with t he E mplo yment 2 0 1 4 , • p a rtic ip a t e i n EP BC prog r amm ing r e gularly and as • wor k with the contrac tor to ad dre ss any i • co mpl e te al l tasks a ss igned inclu ding any plan, • notify the contract or if u n able to a ttend a e m ploymen t . • declar e al l inc ome a n d repo rt a n y chang app ointment s as re q ui red. By s ig n i n g her EP, the app e ll ant ac kno wledge • it is a con dition o f eli gibili ty f o r incom e • s he must c om ply with the conditions a partici pa te in a s pecif ic employm e nt -rel • s he may be req uired to pr o vid e ver i fication plan , incl u ding proo f of active work search and/o p articipatio n in an em ploy m ent-r e lated • s he und erstan ds that i f she fa ils to comply with the cond inelig ible for assistance u n der the A c t. 2 . From t h e ministry's fi les, as s ummar iz ed in t h • 16 April 2014: the app el lant' s EP BC ca from the m inistry. The C M left t h e a p pella contact to boo k appointme n t s. • 22 Apr il 2014 : the CM cal led t he a p pellant wa s not able to le ave a message . The CM advises the minist not participating. The ministry sent the appe complying with the con diti on s o f he r EP and appointments with the EPBC contractor and participate as required or she would no longer b e e ligible f or a ssi st an ce. • 09 June 2014: the appellant advised the ministry that she had booked appointments with th e EPBC contractor. • 11 June 2014: the EPBC contractor confirmed with the ministry that the appellant has attended and booked appointments for 18 June, 19 June and 20 June 2014. • 18 June, 19 June and 20 June 2014: the appellant did not attend her appointments with the EPBC contractor. • 02 July 2014: the EPBC contractor, noting that reasonable attempts have been made to enoaoe the appellant and that she had not made any further contact, closed the EAAT003{10/06/01) I APP EAL# n firmin g that the a p pellan t was n otif ied of the section 86( b ) of the E m pl oym e nt and Ass i s tanc e includ e d th e f ol lo wing: t on 0 1 Apri l 2014. In her E P, t h e app el lant Program of BC ( EPBC) contractor by Ap r il 07 d i r e c ted by the co nt r actor, s sues tha t may i m pact her employ a b ility, activities that m ay be set ou t in a n a ction sessi o n or wh en start i n g or e n di n g any e s to the min is t r y and attend al l m inistr y revie w d tha t: a s si stanc e, s s et ou t in t his plan i nc ludi ng any co ndi tion to ated p rogram, of her compl ian ce wit h the con dit i ons of this r records of att en dance and p ro g ram a s required by the m inis try, i tions of h er EP, s he will be e r e c onsiderat ion de c i sion: s e manag er (CM) re ceived th e pro gram refe rra l nt a vo ice me s sage req uest ing that sh e ma ke ag a in. He r voicemail was fu l l and the CM ry t h at t h e app ellant was llant a lett er to a d vi se h e r that s he wa s not had until 23 May 2014 to book and attend
a p p e l l a n t ' s f i l e . • 0 1 A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 : a m i n i s t r y w o r k e r a d 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 E P o • 0 8 A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 : t h e m i n i s t r y s e n t t h e t h e E P B C c o n t r a c t o r a n d b e i n f u l l c o m p l a n b y 2 2 A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 o r s h e w o u l d • 1 3 A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 : t h e E P B C c o n t r a c t o r m i n i s t r y . • 2 0 A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 : t h e m i n i s t r y s e n t t h 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 s o f h e r E e l i g i b l e f o r a s s i s t a n c e . 3 . 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 t h a t s h e w a s u n d e r t h e i m p r e s s i o n t h a t s h e w p r e g n a n t . S h e s t a t e s t h a t s h e i s 2 7 w e e k s p r i n c l u d i n g g e t t i n g h e r y o u n g c h i l d b a c k , d i f f i c u r e l i a b l e a n d s h e d o e s n ' t a l w a y s h a v e m o n e y a l r e a d y s t a r t e d . S h e s t a t e s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y ' s s e n t t o h e r o l d a d d r e s s a n d s h e d i d n o t k n o w 2 0 1 4 . I n h e r N o t i c e o f A p p e a l , d a t e d 1 6 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 4 , t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n b e c a u s e W o r k B C w o n ' t c a s e m a h i r e d s o f a r i n t o p r e g n a n c y . S h e s t a t e s t h a t t h e l e t t e a n o l d a d d r e s s t h e f a u l t o f t h e m i n i s t r y , n o t h e r , a s h a d r e c e i v e d t h e s e l e t t e r s a t h e r p r o p e r a d d r e s s , s h d e n i e d a s s i s t a n c e . S h e i s 3 2 w e e k s p r e g n a n t a n d n A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e m i n i s t r y s t o o d b y i t s p o s i t i o n a t r E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # I v i s e d t h e a p p e l l a n t t h a t s h e w a s r e q u i r e d t o r w o u l d b e d e n i e d a s s i s t a n c e . a p p e l l a n t a l e t t e r a d v i s i n g h e r t o r e c o n n e c t w i t h 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 h e r e m p l o y m e n t n o t r e c e i v e S e p t e m b e r a s s i s t a n c e . r e t u r n e d t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s E P s e r v i c e r e q u e s t t o t h e a p p e l l a n t a l e t t e r a d v i s i n g h e r t h a t s h e h a d f a i l e d P a n d a s a c o n s e q u e n c e s h e w a s n o l o n g e r d a t e d 0 5 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 4 . T h e a p p e l l a n t w r i t e s o u l d n o l o n g e r b e r e q u i r e d t o l o o k f o r w o r k w h i l e e g n a n t a n d h a s a l o t o n h e r p l a t e a t t h e m o m e n t l t i e s w i t h t r a n s p o r t a t i o n a s h e r r i d e s a r e n ' t a l w a y s f o r t h e b u s , a n d d e a l i n g w i t h c h a r g e s w i t h t h e t r i a l l e t t e r s o f 0 8 A u g u s t a n d 2 0 A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 w e r e t h a t s h e w a s d e n i e d a s s i s t a n c e u n t i l 2 7 A u g u s t a p p e l l a n t w r i t e s t h a t s h e d i s a g r e e s w i t h t h e n a g e h e r a s i t ' s v e r y u n l i k e l y t h a t s h e w o u l d b e r s s e n t o n 0 8 A u g u s t a n d 2 0 A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 w e r e t o t h e m i n i s t r y h a d h e r n e w a d d r e s s o n f i l e . I f s h e e w o u l d h a v e t a k e n t h e s t e p s n e c e s s a ry t o n o t b e e e d s h e l p . e c o n s i d e r a t i o n .
APPEAL :/1 I PART F -Reasons for Panel Decision The issue in this appeal is whether the ministry was reasonable in finding that the appellant was not eligible for income assistance pursuant to section 9 of the EAA. More specifically, the issue is whether the ministry determination, that the appellant has not demonstrated that she has made a reasonable effort to participate in her employment related program and has therefore not complied with the conditions of her EP and did not demonstrate that she has a medical condition that has prevented her from complying with those conditions, was reasonably supported by the evidence or was a reasonable application of the legislation in the circumstances of the appellant. The relevant legislation is from the EAA: Employment plan 9 (1) For a family unit to be eligible for income assistance or hardship assistance, each applicant or recipient in the family unit, when required to do so by the minister, must (a) enter into an employment plan, and (b) comply with the conditions in the employment plan. (2) A dependent youth, when required to do so by the minister, must (a) enter into an employment plan, and (b) comply with the conditions in the employment plan. (3) The minister may specify the conditions in an employment plan including, without limitation, a condition requiring the applicant, recipient or dependent youth to participate in a specific employment-related program that, in the minister's opinion, will assist the applicant, recipient or dependent youth to (a) find employment, or (b) become more employable. (4) If an employment plan includes a condition requiring an applicant, a recipient or a dependent youth to participate in a specific employment-related program, that condition is not met if the person (a) fails to demonstrate reasonable efforts to participate in the program, or (b) ceases, except for medical reasons, to participate in the program. (5) If a dependent youth fails to comply with subsection (2), the minister may reduce the amount of income assistance or hardship assistance provided to or for the family unit by the prescribed amount for the prescribed period. (6) The minister may amend, suspend or cancel an employment plan. (7) A decision under this section (a) requiring a person to enter into an employment plan, (b) amending, suspending or cancelling an employment plan, or (c) specifying the conditions of an employment plan is final and conclusive and is not open to review by a court on any ground or to appeal under section 17 (3) [reconsideration and appeal rights]. The position of the ministry, as set out in the reconsideration decision, is that under section 9(1) (b) of the EAA a person must, when required to do so by the Minister, a) enter into an EP, and b) comply with the conditions in the EP in order to be eligible for income assistance. The ministry held that the information before the ministrv establishes that the appellant did not attend all of her appointments EAAT 003(1 0/06/01)
w i t h t h e E P B C c o n t r a c t o r a n d h e r f i l e w a s c l o s e d d u a p p e l l a n t h a s n o t i n d i c a t e d t h a t s h e w a s u n a b l e t o p m e d i c a l r e a s o n s . F u r t h e r s h e h a s n o t p r o v i d e d a n y E P B C c o n t r a c t o r t h a t s h e w o u l d b e u n a b l e t o a t t e n d m i n i s t r y f u r t h e r n o t e s t h a t s h e d i d n o t h a v e a n o p e n A t t h e h e a r i n g , 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 n o t e d t h a c l i e n t n o t o n l y f i n d e m p l o y m e n t b u t a l s o t o b e c o m e p a r t i c i p a t i o n w i t h t h e E P B C c o n t r a c t o r i n v o l v e s c l a s c l i e n t p r o v i d e s t h e m i n i s t ry w i t h c o n f i r m a t i o n f r o m a r i s k o r s h e r e q u i r e s b e d r e s t , t h e m i n i s t r y e x p e c t s p p r o g r a m m i n g u p t o t h e e n d s t a g e o f p r e g n a n c y . T h e h a d n o t p r o v i d e d t h e m i n i s t r y w i t h a n y d o c u m e n t a t i o t h a t h e r c o n d i t i o n p r e c l u d e d E P B C p r o g r a m p a rt i c i p A s t o t h e 0 8 A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 l e t t e r s e n t t o t h e w r o n g a d t h e E P B C c o n t r a c t o r 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 A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 o r s h e w o u l d n o t r e c e i v e S e p t e m b e r a t h i s l e t t e r w a s s i m p l y a r e c o n f i r m a t i o n o f t h e t e l e p h o b e f o r e , o n 0 1 A u g u s t , t o t h e s a m e e f f e c t . T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p o s i t i o n , a s t h e p a n e l u n d e r s t a n d s f o f A p p e a l , i s t h a t s h e i s p r e g n a n t a n d t h a t a s a r e s u n o e m p l o y e r w o u l d h i r e h e r , g i v e n t h a t s h e w o u l d h a h e r b a b y . M o r e o v e r , s h e h a d p r e s s i n g p e r s o n a l i s s u p r e c l u d e d h e r a t t e n d a n c e a t t h e E P B C c o n t r a c t o r . T w r o n g a d d r e s s i f s h e h a d r e c e i v e d i t s h e w o u l d h a P a n e l d e c i s i o n T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t u n d e r s e c t i o n 9 ( 7 ) o f t h e E A A , i n t o a n E P a n d s p e c i f y i n g t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f t h e E P i T r i b u n a l . T h u s t h e p a n e l d o e s n o t h a v e t h e j u r i s d i c t m i n i s t r y ' s r e q u i r e m e n t a s s e t o u t i n t h e E P t h a t s h e 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 . T h e p a n e l ' s j u r i s d i c t i o r e a s o n a b l e i n d e t e r m i n i n g t h a t s h e w a s i n e l i g i b l e f o c o m p l y w i t h t h e c o n d i t i o n s s e t o u t i n t h e E P . T h e e v i d e n c e i s t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t s i g n e d a n E P o n p a r t i c i p a t e i n E P B C p r o g r a m m i n g r e g u l a r l y a n d a s d 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 . S h e d i d n o t m a k e i n 2 0 1 4 a s r e q u i r e d i n t h e E P . A f t e r s e v e r a l w e e k s , w h w i t h E P B C c o n t r a c t o r a n d t h e c o n t r a c t o r h a d n o t b e a d v i s e d t h e m i n i s t r y t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t p a r t i l e t t e r a d v i s i n g h e r t h a t s h e h a d u n t i l 2 3 M a y 2 0 1 4 t o c o n t r a c t o r a n d p a r t i c i p a t e a s r e q u i r e d o r s h e w o u l d 2 0 1 4 , t h e c o n t r a c t o r a d v i s e d t h e m i n i s t ry t h a t t h e a p E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )A P P E A L # I e t o n o n p a r t i c i p a t i o n a n d n o n c o n t a c t . T h e a r t i c i p a t e w i t h t h e E P B C c o n t r a c t o r d u e t o i n f o r m a t i o n t o e s t a b l i s h t h a t s h e n o t i f i e d t h e a n y o f t h e a p p o i n t m e n t s s h e m i s s e d . T h e f i l e w i t h E P B C . t E P B C p r o g r a m m i n g i s a i m e d a t h e l p i n g t h e m o r e e m p l o y a b l e . T h u s t h e i n i t i a l s t a g e o f s r o o m t i m e a s a p p r o p r i a t e . U n l e s s a p r e g n a n t m e d i c a l p r a c t i t i o n e r t h a t t h e p r e g n a n c y i s h i g h r e g n a n t c l i e n t s t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n E P B C m i n i s t r y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e n o t e d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t n f r o m a p h y s i c i a n t h a t s h e w a s p r e g n a n t a n d a t i o n . d r e s s a d v i s i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t t o r e c o n n e c t 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 b y 2 2 s s i s t a n c e , 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 n o t e d t h a t n e c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h t h e a p p e l l a n t t h e w e e k r o m h e r 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 a n d N o t i c e l t s h e s h o u l d n o t b e e x p e c t e d t o l o o k f o r w o r k a s v e t o q u i t w o r k s o o n a f t e r s t a r t i n g w o r k t o h a v e e s a n d d i f f i c u l t i e s w i t h t r a n s p o r t a t i o n t h a t h e l e t t e r o f 0 8 A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 w a s s e n t t o t h e v e t a k e n s t e p s t o n o t b e d e n i e d a s s i s t a n c e . a m i n i s t r y d e c i s i o n t o r e q u i r e t h e c l i e n t t o e n t e r s n o t o p e n t o r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o r a p p e a l t o t h e i o n t o m a k e a d e t e r m i n a t i o n r e s p e c t i n g t h e p a r t i c i p a t e i n E P B C p r o g r a m m i n g r e g u l a r l y a n d n i s l i m i t e d t o w h e t h e r t h e m i n i s t r y w a s r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e b e c a u s e o f h e r f a i l u r e t o 1 1 A p r i l 2 0 1 4 . I n d o i n g s o , s h e c o m m i t t e d t o i r e c t e d b y t h e c o n t r a c t o r a s a c o n d i t i o n o f i t i a l c o n t a c t w i t h t h e E P B C c o n t r a c t o r b y 1 8 A p r i l e n t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d n o t m a d e a n a p p o i n t m e n t e n a b l e t o c o n t a c t t h e a p p e l l a n t , t h e c o n t r a c t o r c i p a t i n g . T h e m i n i s t r y t h e n s e n t t h e a p p e l l a n t a b o o k a n d 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 P B C n o l o n g e r b e e l i g i b l e f o r a s s i s t a n c e . I n e a r l y J u n e p e l l a n t h a d b e e n i n c o n t a c t a n d a r r a n q e d
I APPEAL# appointments for 18 June, 19 June and 20 June. However, she failed to attend any of these appointments, with no record that she contacted the contractor giving reasons for her non attendance. In light of this chronology of missed appointments and non-participation with the EPBC contractor, the panel finds the ministry was reasonable in determining that the appellant had failed to comply with the conditions of her appointment plan requiring her to participate in EPBC programming as directed by the contractor. As compliance with her EP is a condition for continued eligibility for income assistance, the panel finds the ministry was reasonable in determining that the appellant was not eligible for income assistance. Conclusion Based on the foregoing, the panel finds that the ministry's decision that the appellant was not eligible for income assistance because of her failure to comply with the conditions of her EP was reasonably supported by the evidence. The panel therefore confirms the ministry's decision. EMT 003(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.