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 r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n d e c i s i o R e d u c t i o n ( t h e m i n i s t r y ) d a t e d J a n u a r y 2 9 , 2 0 1 9 , w h i c h p r o r a t e d s u p p o r t f o r N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 8 a n d n o s h e l t e r a l l o 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 e l i g i b i l i t y w a s e ff e c t i v e N o v m o n t h l y r e p o r t r e q u e s t i n g a s s i s t a n c e . T h e m i n i s t ry d e t e r m i n e d t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s n o t e n t i t l e d t o t h e a p p e l l a n t s u b m i tt e d a m o n t h l y r e p o rt r e q u e s t i n g a s s i b e e n p a i d . 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 f o r P e r s o n s w i t h D i s a b il i t i e s 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 D i s a b il i t i e s 2 4 8 1 2 0 1 8 , D e c e m b e r 1 , 2 0 1 8 , s e c t i o n s 2 6 , 3 3n o f t h e M i n i s t ry o f S o c i a l D e v e l o p m e n t a n d P o v e r t y h e l d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t w a s e n t i t l e d t o $ 1 8 9 . 3 3 fo r w a n c e f o r N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 8 . e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 8 , t h e d a t e t h e a p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d a a n y s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e f o r N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 8 , b e c a u s e w h e n s t a n c e t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 8 r e n t h a d a l r e a d y A c t ( E A P W D A ) , s e c t i o n s 1 1 R e g u l a t i o n ( EA P W D R ) , a s i t w a s p r i o r t o B C R e g
P A R T E S U M M A R Y O F F A C T S I n f o rm a t i o n B e f o re T h e M i n i s t ,y a t R e c o n s i d e ra tio n 1 . M o n t h l y R e p o r t , r e c e i v e d b y t h e m i n i s t r y o n N o v l o o k i n g f o r w o r k a n d t h a t h e h a d n o i n c o m e ; 2 . E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e R e v i e w , s i g n e d b y m o n t h l y r e n t w a s $ 4 2 3 . 8 0 a n d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t 3 . R e c e i p t s fo r r e n t , i n t h e a m o u n t o f $ 4 2 3 . 8 0 , f o r t 4 . A S a v i n g s A c c o u n t H i s t o ry f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t f o r t $ 2 , 7 9 3 . 2 4 a n d a c l o s i n g b a l a n c e o f $ 1 , 6 9 0 . 0 4 ; 5 . A S a v i n g s A c c o u n t H i s t o ry f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t fo r t $ 1 , 4 9 0 . 0 4 a n d a c l o s i n g b a l a n c e o f $ 1 , 0 4 6 . 8 4 ; 6 . A S a v i n g s A c c o u n t H i s t o r y f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t f o r t $ 9 4 6 . 8 4 a n d a c l o s i n g b a l a n c e o f $ 7 4 3 . 6 4 ; a n d 7 . A b a n k r e c o r d f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t , d a t e d N o v e m b e A r m y , t h a t h e w a s E m p l o y e d F u l l T i m e a s a C l e I n f o r m a t i o n P ro v i d e d o n A p p e a l 1 . T h e a p p e l l a n t s N o t i c e o f A p p e a l , d a t e d F e b r u a r y S u m m a ,y o f R e l e v a n t E v i d e n c e 1 . I t w a s p r e v i o u s l y 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 2 . T h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t p r o v i d e a m o n t h l y r e p o rt r e O c t o b e r 2 0 1 8 ; 3 . T h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t r e c e i v e i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e O c t o b e r 2 0 1 8 ; 4 . O n N o v e m b e r 1 , 2 0 1 8 , t h e a p p e l l a n t p a i d f o r h i s 5 . T h e a p p e l l a n t w a s a b l e t o p a y r e n t f o r N o v e m b e p u r c h a s i n g f o o d o r o t h e r i t e m s ; 6 . O n N o v e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 8 , t h e a p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d 7 . O n J a n u a r y 2 9 , 2 0 1 9 , t h e m i n i s t r y d e t e r m i n e d t h d e t e r m i n e d t h a t e n t i t l e m e n t w a s e f f e c t i v e N o v e m r e p o rt r e q u e s t i n g a s s i s t a n c e .e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 8 , i n w h i c h t h e a p p e l l a n t i n d i c a t e d h e w a s t h e a p p e l l a n t o n N o v e m b e r 2 7 , 2 0 1 8 , i n d i c a t e d t h a t h i s h a d $ 1 0 3 . 6 4 i n a b a n k a c c o u n t ; h e m o n t h s o f S e p t e m b e r , O c t o b e r a n d N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 8 ; h e m o n t h o f A u g u s t 2 0 1 8 w i t h a n o p e n i n g b a l a n c e o f h e m o n t h o f S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 8 w i t h a n o p e n i n g b a l a n c e o f h e m o n t h o f O c t o b e r 2 0 1 8 w i t h a n o p e n i n g b a l a n c e o f r 2 7 , 2 0 1 8 , s t a t i n g t h a t h i s e m p l o y e r w a s t h e S a l v a t i o n r k , a n d s h o w i n g a t o t a l b a l a n c e i n tw o a c c o u n t s o f $ 4 5 8 . 6 9 . 6 , 2 0 1 9 , w h i c h d i d n o t i n c l u d e a n y a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n . a s 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 a n d s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e ; q u e s t i n g a s s i s t a n c e f o r t h e m o n t h s o f S e p t e m b e r a n d o r s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e f o r t h e m o n t h s o f S e p t e m b e r a n d r e n t fo r t h e m o n t h o f N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 8 ; r 2 0 1 8 b e c a u s e h e p r i o r i t i z e d t h a t e x p e n s e o v e r a m o n t h l y r e p o r t r e q u e s t i n g a s s i s t a n c e ; a n d e a p p e l l a n t w a s e l i g i b l e fo r i n c o m e a s s i s t a n c e a n d b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 8 , t h e d a t e t h e a p p e l l a n t s u b m i tt e d a m o n t h l y
PART F -REASONS FOR PANEL DECISION Issue on Appeal The issue on appeal is whether the ministry's decision to provide assistance for only part of November and to deny the appellant shelter allowance for November 2018 was reasonably supported by the evidence or was a reasonable application of the applicable enactment in the circumstances of the appellant. Relevant Legislation At the time of the ministry's decision, the EAPWDR section 26(2) stated: Effective date of eligibility 26(2) A family unit becomes eligible (a)for a support allowance under sections 2 and 3 of Schedule A on the income assistance application date, (b)for a shelter allowance under sections 4 and 5 of Schedule A on the first day of the calendar month that includes the income assistance application date, but only for that portion of the month's shelter costs that remains unpaid on the date of that submission, and Ministry Position Because the appellant had not filed monthly reports requesting assistance for the months of September and October and the Ministry had no contact with the appellant since August, eligibility had to be re-established and the appellant's request for November processed as a new request. Consequently, the "income assistance application date" was November 14, 2018 and that was the effective date for an entitlement to support allowance. Additionally, the EAPWDR limits eligibility to a shelter allowance to that portion of the month's shelter costs that remain unpaid on the date of submission, in this case November 14, 2018. However, the appellant's rent was paid prior to the income assistance application and were therefore the appellant was not eligible. Appellant Position The appellant's submissions were that he should not be penalized by prioritizing the payment of his rent instead of other expenses. He said he would have been entitled to a shelter allowance if he had been less responsible and that it was not appropriate that he was denied shelter allowance for November 2018. Panel Decision The EAPWDR section 26(2)(a) states that eligibility for support allowance occurs on the income assistance application date. The panel finds that it was November 14, 2018, that the appellant applied for income assistance and consequently confirms the ministry decision to provide support allowance pro-rated to November 14, 2018. The EAPWDR section 26(2)(a) states that eligibility for a shelter allowance is dependent on there being shelter costs that remain unpaid for the month during which an income assistance application is made. The panel finds
that the appellant had no unpaid shelter costs for the month of November 2018 on the date of he applied for income assistance. Consequently, the panel concludes that the ministry's decision to deny the appellant a shelter allowance for November 2018 was reasonably supported by the evidence and a reasonable application of the EAPWDR in the circumstances of the appellant. Consequently, the panel confirms the ministry decision that the appellant was not eligible for shelter allowance in November 2018. Accordingly, the panel confirms the ministry's reconsideration decision.
PART G -ORDER THE PANEL DECISION IS: (Check one) [:gjUNANIMOUS □BY MAJORITY THE PANEL [:gjCONFIRMS THE MINISTRY DECISION □RESCINDS THE MINISTRY DECISION If the ministry decision is rescinded, is the panel decision referred back to the Minister for a decision as to amount? □Yes □No LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY FOR THE DECISION: Employment and Assistance Act Section 24(1)(a) [:g] or Section 24(1)(b) D and Section 24(2)(a) [:g] or Section 24(2)(b) D PART H -SIGNATURES PRINTN AME Trevor Morley SIGNATURE OF CHAIR DATE (YEAR/MONTH/DAY) 2019/Mar/11 PRJNTNAME Wesley Nelson SIGNATURE OF MEMBER DATE (YEAR/MONTH/DAY) 2019/Mar/11 PRINT NAME Donald Storch SIGNATURE OF MEMBER DATE {YEAR/MONTH/DAY) 2019/Mar/11
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.