I APPEAL NUMBER PART C -DECISION UNDER APPEAL The decision under appeal is the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (the ministry) reconsideration decision dated March 12, 2019, which found that $100 must be deducted from the appellant's disability assistance each month as a deduction for debts owed. The ministry determined that the appellant is liable to repay an offence overpayment as the result of a criminal code offence of which the appellant was convicted, as stated in section 19(3) of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act and section 7 4(3) of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation. PART D -RELEVANT LEGISLATION Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act (EAPWDA) sections 18 and 19. Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR) section 74 .
I PART E -SUMMARY OF FACTS Information before the minister at reconsideration included: A letter from the ministry to the appellant dated January 14, 2019 advising him that he is subject to a repayment of $100 per month as a result of his conviction of an offence under the Criminal Code, with Overpayment Charts for the period September 2008 to December 2016. A letter from the ministry to the appellant dated January 14, 2019 advising him that he was overpaid assistance in the amount of $131,534.00. A copy of a Conditional Sentence Order in the appellant's name for a charge of fraud dated December 11, 2018. A Probation Order in the appellant's name, dated December 11, 2018. A Conditions Attachment in the appellant's name. A Restitution Order dated December 11, 2018 ordering the appellant to pay restitution of $50,000 to the benefit of the ministry. The appellant's Request for Reconsideration, date illegible, in which the appellant wrote $100 a month is too much for him due to other expenses. The appellant wrote in his Notice of Appeal that he is at high risk of becoming homeless and due to his rent, Hydro and vet bills he is barely making ends meet. He requested that his $100 deduction be reduced to $50.00 per month. The ministry, in the Reconsideration Decision, wrote that the appellant has provided no evidence that he is at risk of becoming homeless or that the $100 deduction would result in danger to his physical health nor that he resides in a special care facility, therefore the exemptions in section 74.1(3) of the EAPWDR do not apply to him.
I APPEAL NUMBER PART F -REASONS FOR PANEL DECISION The issue in this appeal is the reasonableness of the ministry's decision which found that $100 must be deducted from the appellant's disability assistance each month as a deduction for debts owed. The ministry determined that the appellant is liable to repay an offence overpayment as the result of a criminal code offence of which the appellant was convicted, as stated in section 19(3) of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act and section 74(3) of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation. Legislation EAPWDA Overpayments 18 (1 )If disability assistance, hardship assistance or a supplement is provided to or for a family unit that is not eligible for it, recipients who are members of the family unit during the period for which the overpayment is provided are liable to repay to the government the amount or value of the overpayment provided for that period. (2)The minister's decision about the amount a person is liable to repay under subsection (1) is not appealable under section 16 (3) [reconsideration and appeal rights]. Liability for and recovery of debts under Act 19 (1 )An amount that a person is liable to repay under this Act is a debt due to the government that may be (a)recovered in a court that has jurisdiction, or (b)deducted, in accordance with the regulations, from any subsequent disability assistance, hardship assistance or supplement for which the person's family unit is eligible or from an amount payable to the person by the government under a prescribed enactment. (2)Subject to the regulations, the minister may enter into an agreement, or accept any right assigned, for the repayment of an amount referred to in subsection (1). (3)An agreement under subsection (2) may be entered into before or after the disability assistance, hardship assistance or supplement to which it relates is provided. (4)A person is jointly and separately liable f o r a debt referred to under subsection (1) that accrued in respect of a family unit while the person was a recipient in the family unit. EAPWDR Deductions for debts owed 74 (1)In this section and section 74.1: "Act offence" means an offence under the Act or the Employment and Assistance Act, "benefit month", in relation to a family unit, means a calendar month for which the family unit is eligible for an amount of assistance under the Act or the Employment and Assistance Act, and, for certainty, consecutive benefit months need not be consecutive calendar months; "criminal code offence" means an offence under the Criminal Code in relation to obtaining money, under the Act or the Employment and Assistance Act, by fraud or false or misleading representation; "offence overpayment" means an overpayment that is or was provided to or for a family unit as a result of a criminal code offence or Act offence for which a recipient in the family unit has been or is convicted, whether the conviction occurred before or after the date this section came into force; "overpayment" means (a)an overpayment described in section 18 (1) [overpayments] of the Act or section 27 (1) [overpayments] of the Employment and Assistance Act, {b)an amount of assistance provided under the Act to or f o r a familyunit on a repayable basis, other than a surmlement under section 56 (21 fsunnlement to nav a securitv deoositl or 56.1 (2\ fsunnlement
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E x e m p t i o n s f r o m m i n i m u m d e d u c t i o n s 7 4 . 1 ( 1 ) S e c t i o n s 5 6 ( 3 ) a n d 5 6 . 1 ( 3 ) d o n o t a p p l y t o a f ( a ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t r e c e i v e s d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c a r e ] o f S c h e d u l e A f o r t h e b e n e f i t m o n t h , o ( b ) s e c t i o n 7 4 ( 3 ) a p p l i e s t o t h e f a m i l y u n i t f o ( 2 ) S e c t i o n 7 4 ( 2 ) d o e s n o t a p p l y t o a f a m i l y u n i t / a l t h e f a m i l v u n i t r e c e i v e s d i s a b i l i t v a s s i I A P P E A L N U M B E R t i o n , t h e Em p l o y m e n t a n d A s s is t a n c e A c t t o o r f o r a fa m i l y u n i t n t u n d e r s e c t i o n 5 8 ( 2 ) [ s u p p l e m e n t t o p a y a s e c u r i t y l it y s e c u r i t y d e p o s i t] 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 n e s s u n d e r fo r m e r A c t] o f t h e A c t o r s e c t i o n 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 . w h o a r e l i a b l e f o r o n e o r m o r e o v e r p a y m e n t s , t h e m i n i m u m n 1 9 ( 1 ) ( b ) [ l i a b il i t y f o r a n d r e c o v e ry o f d e b t s u n d e r A c t ] o f w h o a r e l i a b l e f o r o n e o r m o r e o f f e n c e o v e r p a y m e n t s , t h e o f s e c t i o n 1 9 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f t h e A c t f o r a b e n e f i t m o n t h i s n i t w h o s e c o n v i c t i o n f o r a c r i m i n a l c o d e o ff e n c e o r A c t e n t , o r c e o v e r p a y m e n t s i n r e l a t i o n t o a r e c i p i e n t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t n t o t h a t r e c i p i e n t . n c e o v e r p a y m e n t p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t a s a r e s u l t w i n g t h e d a t e t h e r e c i p i e n t i s c o n v i c t e d o f t h e c r i m i n a l c o d e f i t m o n t h u n t i l t h e a m o u n t o f t h e o ff e n c e o v e r p a y m e n t i s n c e o v e r p a y m e n t p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t a s a r e s u l t w i n g t h e d a t e t h e r e c i p i e n t i s c o n v i c t e d o f t h e A c t o ff e n c e , f f e n c e o v e r p a y m e n t i s e a r l i e r r e p a i d , c i p i e n t f o r a n A c t o f f e n c e , u n t i l t h e d e d u c t i o n h a s b e e n t m o n t h s i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e f i r s t o f f e n c e o v e r p a y m e n t , h a t r e c i p i e n t f o r a n A c t o f f e n c e , u n t i l t h e d e d u c t i o n h a s e n e fi t m o n t h s i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e s e c o n d o ff e n c e n v i c t i o n o f t h a t r e c i p i e n t f o r a n A c t o f f e n c e , u n t i l t h e n t o ff e n c e o v e r p a y m e n t i s r e p a i d . n c e f o r w h i c h a f a m i l y u n i t i s e l i g i b l e fo r a b e n e f i t m o n t h i s e f a m i l y u n i t ' s s u p p l e m e n t u n d e r s e c t i o n 5 4 . 2 [ p e r s o n s n t ] , p l u s u n d e r t h i s s e c t i o n , s e s o f s e c t i o n 1 9 ( 1 ) ( b ) o f t h e A c t f o r t h e b e n e f i t m o n t h i s e f a m i l y u n i t i s e l i g i b l e f o r t h e b e n e f i t m o n t h , m i n u s e f a m i l y u n i t ' s s u p p l e m e n t u n d e r s e c t i o n 5 4 . 2 [ p e r s o n s n t ] . n r e f e r r e d t o i n t h o s e s u b s e c t i o n s o c c u r r e d b e fo r e t h e d a t e o n ( 4 ) o r ( 5 ) b e g i n s f o r t h e f i r s t b e n e f i t m o n t h f o l l o w i n g t h e a m i l y u n i t f o r a b e n e f i t m o n t h i f c e u n d e r s e c t i o n 8 ( 1 ) o r ( 2 ) [ p e op l e r e c e i v i n g s p e c i a l r r t h a t b e n e f i t m o n t h . f o r a b e n e f i t m o n t h i f s t a n c e u n d e r s e c t i o n 8 / 1 ) o r / 2 ) o f S c h e d u l e A f o r t h e
b e n e f i t m o n t h , o r ( b ) s e c t i o n 7 4 ( 3 ) a p p l i e s t o t h e f a m i l y u n ( 3 ) S e c t i o n 7 4 ( 3 ) d o e s n o t a p p l y t o a f a m i l y u n ( a ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t r e c e i v e s d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s b e n e f i t m o n t h , ( b ) t h e m i n i s t e r i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e f a m i l y ( c ) t h e m i n i s t e r i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t a d e d u c t i a p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t , o r { d ) a r e c i p i e n t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t i s l i a b l e f o c r i m i n a l c o d e o ff e n c e o r A c t o ff e n c e t h a t h e f a m i l y u n i t f o r t h e b e n e f i t m o n t h . T h e a p p e l l a n t ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t h e i s i n d a n g e r o f b e c o m b i l l s h e m a k e s e a c h m o n t h a n d h e b a r e l y m a k e s e n d s m t o $ 5 0 p e r m o n t h . T h e m i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t t h e a p p l i c a b l e l e g i s l a t i o n , s m o n t h t o b e d e d u c t e d i n 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 , w r e s u l t o f a c o n v i c t i o n f o r a C r i m i n a l C o d e o ff e n c e . T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e a p p e l l a i n s e c t i o n 7 4 ( 1 ) , E A P W D R a s a n o v e r p a y m e n t p r o v i d e d fo r w h i c h a r e c i p i e n t i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t h a s b e e n c o n v i c t e d b e n e f i t m o n t h i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f s e c t i o p r o v i s i o n i n t h i s s e c t i o n t o r e d u c e t h e m i n i m u m d e d u c t i o l i s t e d i n t h i s s e c t i o n i n c l u d e a f a m i l y u n i t r e c e i v i n g s p e c i a h o m e l e s s o r a t r i s k o f b e c o m i n g h o m e l e s s o r i f t h e m i n i s t h e h e a l t h o f a p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t . T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d h i s d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e s t a t e d i n s e c t i o n 7 4 ( 3 ) , E A P W D R C o d e r e l a t e d t o f r a u d . T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e m i n i s t ry r e 7 4 . 1 , E A P W D R d o n o t a p p l y t o t h e a p p e l l a n t a s h e i s n o ( 2 ) o f S c h e d u l e A , E A P W D R a n d h e h a s n o t d e m o n s t r a t t h a t a d e d u c t i o n u n d e r s e c t i o n 7 4 ( 3 ) w o u l d r e s u l t i n d a n g T h e p a n e l c o n f i r m s t h e m i n i s t r y d e c i s i o n . T h e a p p e a l i s n o t s u c c e s s f u l .I i t f o r t h a t b e n e f i t m o n t h . i t f o r a b e n e f i t m o n t h i f t a n c e u n d e r s e c t i o n 8 ( 1 ) o r ( 2 ) o f S c h e d u l e A fo r t h e u n i t i s h o m e l e s s o r a t r i s k o f b e c o m i n g h o m e l e s s , o n u n d e r t h a t s e c t i o n w o u l d r e s u l t i n d a n g e r t o t h e h e a l t h o f r a n o ff e n c e o v e r p a y m e n t b u t t h e p e r s o n c o n v i c t e d o f t h e t r e s u l t e d i n t h e o ff e n c e o v e r p a y m e n t i s n o t a m e m b e r o f i n g h o m e l e s s d u e t o t h e p a y m e n t s fo r r e n t , H y d r o a n d v e t e e t . H e a s k e d fo r a r e d u c t i o n o f h i s r e p a y m e n t d e d u c t i o n e c t i o n 7 3 ( 3 ) r e q u i r e s a m i n i m u m a m o u n t o f $ 1 0 0 p e r h i c h i s t h a t h e i s l i a b l e f o r a n o ff e n c e o v e r p a y m e n t a s t h e n t , w h e r e h e i s l i a b l e f o r a n " o ff e n c e o v e r p a y m e n t " , d e f i n e d t o o r f o r a f a m i l y u n i t a s a r e s u l t o f a C r i m i n a l C o d e o ff e n c e , h e i s s u b j e c t t o a m i n i m u m d e d u c t i o n o f $ 1 0 0 f o r a n 7 4 ( 3 ) , E A P W D R . T h e p a n e l n o t e s t h a t t h e r e i s n o n e x c e p t a s p r o v i d e d f o r i n s e c t i o n 7 4 . 1 . T h e e x e m p t i o n s l c a r e , i f t h e m i n i s t e r i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e f a m i l y u n i t i s t e r i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t a d e d u c t i o n w o u l d r e s u l t i n d a n g e r t o t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t i s s u bj e c t t o t h e m i n i m u m d e d u c t i o n f r o m a s h e w a s c o n v i c t e d o f a n o ff e n c e u n d e r t h e C r i m i n a l a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e e x e m p t i o n s u n d e r s e c t i o n t i n r e c e i p t o f d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e u n d e r s e c t i o n s 8 ( 1 ) o r e d t h a t h e i s h o m e l e s s o r a t r i s k o f b e c o m i n g h o m e l e s s n o r e r t o h i s h e a l t h .
I APPEAL NUMBER PART G -ORDER THE PANEL DECISION JS: (Check one) [8]UNANIMOUS □BY MAJORITY THE PANEL [8]CONFIRMS 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) [8] or Section 24(1 )(b) D and Section 24(2)(a) [8] or Section 24(2)(b) D PART H -SIGNATURES PRINT NAME Reece Wrightman SIGNATURE OF CHAIR DATE (YEAR/MONTHfDAY ) 2019 May 2 PRINT NAME Jeanne Byron SIGNATURE OF MEMBER DATE(YEARIMONTH/DAY) 2019 May 2 PRINT NAME Robert Kelly S IGNATURE OF MEMBER DATE (YEAR/MONTH/DAY) 2019 May 2
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