I APPEAL NUMBER PART C -DECISION UNDER APPEAL The decision under appeal is the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (ministry) decision dated 30 July 2019, which denied the appellant's request for a reconsideration of the ministry's April 25, 2018 decision because he had not filed a request for reconsideration within 20 business days of being informed of the ministry's decision as set out in section 71 (2) the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation. PART D -RELEVANT LEGISLATION Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act (EAPWDA) -section 16 Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation (EAPWDR) -section 71
P A R T E S U M M A R Y O F F A C T S E v i d e n c e 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 c o n T h e a p p e l l a n t i s a r e c i p i e n t o f p r o v i n c i a l d i s a b i l i t y a O n A p r i l 2 5 , 2 0 1 8 t h e a p p e l l a n t r e q u e s t e d a m o v i n g h e s e c u r e d a n e w r e s i d e n c e . O n A p r i l 2 5 , 2 0 1 8 t h e m i n i s t r y r e v i e w e d t h e a p p e l l a e l i g i b l e f o r a m o v i n g s u p p l e m e n t t o m o v e h i s b e l o n g O n A p r i l 2 6 , 2 0 1 8 t h e m i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n w a s c o m m O n A p r i l 2 7 , 2 0 1 8 t h e m i n i s t r y m a i l e d a R e q u e s t f o r O n J u l y 2 2 , 2 0 1 9 t h e a p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d a R e q u e s O n J u l y 3 0 , 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 a t a r e c a p p e l l a n t h a d s u b m i t t e d h i s r e q u e s t fo r r e c o n s i d e r a N o t i c e o f A p p e a l I n t h e N o t i c e o f A p p e a l d a t e d 3 1 J u l y 2 0 1 9 , t h e f o l l o n e v e r c o m p l e t e d s o t h e re w a s n o a p p ro p ri a t e t i m e C o s t s i n c u rr e d [ ill e g i b l e ] s t o r e d p o s s e s s i o n s r e r u n A p p e a l S u b m i s s i o n s I n s u b m i t t i n g h i s N o t i c e o f A p p e a l , t h e a p p e l l a n t a t t E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e A p p e a l T r i b u n a l ( E A A • A l e t t e r d a t e d A u g u s t 1 9 , 2 0 1 9 r e g a r d i n g f o o • A l e t t e r d a t e d M a r c h 5 , 2 0 1 9 r e q u e s t i n g a " r h e a r i n g i n F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 a b o u t a n a p p e a l o • A l e t t e r d a t e d A p r i l 1 7 , 2 0 1 9 t h a t w a s t h e a p a b o u t a f o o d s u p p l e m e n t . • A l e t t e r d a t e d A p r i l 2 9 , 2 0 1 9 e x p l a i n i n g w h y T h e m i n i s t r y i n d i c a t e d i n i t s s u b m i s s i o n t h a t i t w o u l d a l s o n o t e d i n i t s s u b m i s s i o n t h a t t h e d e c i s i o n f o r w h d e n i a l o f a m o v i n g s u p p l e m e n t a n d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a f o o d a n d c r i s i s u t i l i t i e s s u p p l e m e n t s . A d m i s s i b i l i ty T h e p a n e l f i n d s t h a t t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e d i n t h e g o e s t o a r g u m e n t , w h i c h d o e s n o t r e q u i r e a n a d m i s ( 4 ) ( b } o f t h e E m p l oym e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e A c t . I n a d i n d i c a t i n o r e l i a n c e o n 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 , I A P P EA L N U M B E R s i s t e d o f t h e fo l l o w i n g : s s i s t a n c e . s u p p l e m e n t t o m o v e h i s b e l o n g i n g i n t o s t o r a g e u n t i l n t ' s a p p l i c a t i o n a n d d e t e r m i n e d t h a t h e w a s n o t i n g s i n t o s t o r a g e . u n i c a t e d t o t h e a p p e l l a n t . R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o t h e a p p e l l a n t . t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n . o n s i d e r a t i o n c o u l d n o t b e c o m p l e t e d b e c a u s e t h e t i o n o u t s i d e o f t h e a p p l i c a b l e l e g i s l a t e d t i m e l i n e s . w i n g r e a s o n s f o r a p p e a l a r e p r o v i d e d : m y m o v e w a s t o c o n ti n u e r e c o n s id e r a tio n a n d a p p e a l s p ro c e s s . o u t o f $ fo r s t o r a g e c o s t s . a c h e d s e v e r a l l e t t e r s h e h a d w r i t t e n t o t h e T ) , i n c l u d i n g : d a n d u t i l i t i e s c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t s ; e v i e w " o f a n E A A T p a n e l d e c i s i o n a r i s i n g f r o m a f a u t i l i t i e s c r i s i s s u p p l e m e n t ; p e l l a n t ' s w r i t t e n s u b m i s s i o n i n a n E A A T h e a r i n g t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s c u r r e n t c r i s e s w e r e u n e x p e c t e d . r e l y u p o n 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 . T h e m i n i s t ry i c h r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n h a d b e e n r e f u s e d w a s a 2 0 1 8 n t ' s w r i t t e n s u b m i s s i o n a d d r e s s e d d e n i a l s fo r c r i s i s a p p e l l a n t ' s N o t i c e o f A p p e a l a n d a p p e a l s u b m i s s i o n s s i b i l i t y d e t e r m i n a t i o n 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 d i t i o n , 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 ' s s u b m i s s i o n , d o e s n o t r e a u i r e a n a d m i s s i b i l i t v d e t e r m i n a t i o n .
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 w h e t h e r t h e m i n i s t ry d e c s t a t u t o ry r e q u i r e m e n t s o f s e c t i o n 7 1 ( 2 ) o f t h e E A P W d e c i s i o n , i s r e a s o n a b l y s u p p o rt e d b y t h e e v i d e n c e o 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 n t . A p p l i c a b l e 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 R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n a n d a p p e a l r i g h t s 1 6 ( 1 ) S u bj e c t t o s e c t i o n 1 7 , a p e r s o n m a y r e q u e s t t h e m u n d e r t h i s A c t : ( a ) a d e c i s i o n t h a t r e s u l t s i n a r e f u s a l t o p r o v i d e d t o o r fo r s o m e o n e i n t h e p e r s o n ' s f a m i l y u n i t ; ( b ) a d e c i s i o n t h a t r e s u l t s i n a d i s c o n t i n u a n c e o f s o m e o n e i n t h e p e r s o n ' s f a m i l y u n i t ; ( c ) a d e c i s i o n t h a t r e s u l t s i n a r e d u c t i o n o f d i s a b i l i n t h e p e r s o n ' s f a m i l y u n i t ; ( d ) a d e c i s i o n i n r e s p e c t o f t h e a m o u n t o f a s u p p u n i t i f t h a t a m o u n t i s l e s s t h a n t h e l e s s e r o f ( i ) t h e m a x i m u m a m o u n t o f t h e s u p p l e m ( i i ) t h e c o s t o f t h e l e a s t e x p e n s i v e a n d a ( e ) a d e c i s i o n r e s p e c t i n g t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f a n e m ( 2 ) A r e q u e s t u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n ( 1 ) m u s t b e m a d e , a n d t h a c c o r d a n c e w i t h a n y r u l e s s p e c i f i e d b y r e g u l a t i o n . ( 3 ) S u bj e c t t o a r e g u l a t i o n u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n ( 5 ) a n d t o s e 1 8 ( 2 ) [ o v e r p a y m e n t s ] , a p e r s o n w h o i s d i s s a t i s f i e d w i t h s u b s e c t i o n ( 1 ) ( a ) t o ( d ) m a y a p p e a l t h e d e c i s i o n t h a t i s t ( 4 ) A r i g h t o f a p p e a l g i v e n u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n ( 3 ) i s s u b j e c t h e E m p l o ym e n t a n d A s s i s t a n c e A c t a n d t h e r e g u l a t i o n s ( 5 ) 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 a y d e s i g n a t e b ( a ) c a t e g o r i e s o f s u p p l e m e n t s t h a t a r e n o t a p p e a ( b ) c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n w h i c h a d e c i s i o n t o r e f u s e t o s u p p l e m e n t i s n o t a p p e a l a b l e t o t h e t r i b u n a l . 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 th D i s a b il i ti e s H o w a r e q u e s t t o r e c o n s i d e r a d e c i s i o n i s m a d e 7 1 ( 1 ) A p e r s o n w h o w i s h e s t h e m i n i s t e r t o r e c o n s i d e r a a p p e a l r i g h ts] o f t h e A c t m u s t d e l i v e r a r e q u e s t f o r r e c o n m i n i s t r y o f f i c e w h e r e t h e p e r s o n i s a p p l y i n g fo r o r r e c e i v i ( 2 ) A r e q u e s t u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n ( 1 ) m u s t b e d e l i v e r e d w i t t h e d e c i s i o n r e f e r r e d t o i n s e c t i o n 1 6 ( 1 ) o f t h e A c t a n d m ( a ) l e a v i n g i t w i t h a n e m p l o y e e i n t h e m i n i s t r y o ff ( b ) b e i n g r e c e i v e d t h r o u g h t h e m a i l a t t h a t o ff i c e . T i m e l i m i t f o r r e c o n s i d e r i n g d e c i s i o n 7 2 T h e m i n i s t e r m u s t r e c o n s i d e r a d e c i s i o n r e f e r r e d t o d e t e r m i n a t i o n o n t h e r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n t o t h e p e r s o n w h o t o r e c o n s i d e r a d e c i s i o n i s m a d e ] , l a ) w i t h i n 1 0 b u s i n e s s d a y s a ft e r r e c e i v i n a t h e r e I A P P E A L N U M B E R i s i o n t h a 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 d i d n o t m e e t D R , f o r r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e m i n i s t r y ' s A p r i l 2 0 1 8 r i s a r e a s o n a b l e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e l e g i s l a t i o n i n t h e A c t i n i s t e r t o r e c o n s i d e r a n y o f t h e f o l l o w i n g d e c i s i o n s m a d e i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e , h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e o r a s u p p l e m e n t d 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 p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r 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 p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r s o m e o n e l e m e n t p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r s o m e o n e i n t h e p e r s o n ' s f a m i l y e n t u n d e r t h e r e g u l a t i o n s , a n d p p r o p r i a t e m a n n e r o f p r o v i d i n g t h e s u p p l e m e n t ; p l o y m e n t p l a n u n d e r s e c t i o n 9 [ e m p l o y m e n t p l a n ] . e d e c i s i o n r e c o n s i d e r e d , w i t h i n t h e t i m e l i m i t s a n d i n c t i o n s 9 ( 7 ) [e m p l o y m e n t p l a n ] , 1 7 a n d t h e o u t c o m e o f a r e q u e s t fo r a r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n u n d e r h e o u t c o m e o f t h e r e q u e s t t o t h e t r i b u n a l . t t o t h e t i m e l i m i t s a n d o t h e r r e q u i r e m e n t s s e t o u t i n u n d e r t h a t A c t . y r e g u l a t i o n l a b l e t o t h e t r i b u n a l , a n d p r o v i d e d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e , h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e o r a R e g u l a t i o n d e c i s i o n r e f e r r e d t o i n s e c t i o n 1 6 ( 1 ) [ r e c o n s id e r a t i o n a n d s i d e r a t i o n i n t h e f o r m s p e c i f i e d b y t h e m i n i s t e r t o t h e n g a s s i s t a n c e . h i n 2 0 b u s i n e s s d a y s a f t e r t h e d a t e t h e p e r s o n i s n o t i f i e d o f a y b e d e l i v e r e d b y i c e , o r i n s e c t i o n 1 6 ( 1 ) o f t h e A c t , a n d m a i l a w r i t t e n d e l i v e r e d t h e r e q u e s t u n d e r s e c t i o n 7 1 ( 1 ) [h o w a re q u e s t a u e s t , o r
I APP EAL NUMBER (b)if the minister considers it necessary in the circumstances and the person consents, within 20 business days after receiving the request. [en. B.C. Reg. 76/2008.] Panel Decision EAPWDA Section 16(2) requires a person to request a reconsideration of a ministry decision that affects assistance or a supplement within the time limits and rules specified in the EAPWDR. Section 71 (2) of the EAPWDR requires a person who wishes reconsideration of a ministry decision to deliver the request in the form specified by the minister, either by leaving it wi th an employee at the office where the person is applying for or receiving assistance or by mailing it to that office within twenty business days after the date on which the person is notified of the decision. The ministry's position is that. pursuant to section 71 of the EAPWDR. a request for reconsideration must be delivered to the ministry within twenty business days after the date the person is notified of the ministry's decision. in this case twenty business days after April 26, 2018. The ministry argued that, while the due date for the appellant's request for reconsideration of its April 26, 2018 decision was May 24, 2018, it was not until July 22, 2019 that the appellant submitted a request for reconsideration. The ministry determined that reconsideration was not available to the appellant because he was out of lime to request a reconsideration. The appellant's appeal submissions present no argument in relation to the twenty business days timeframe for reconsideration set out in the EAPWDR. However. at reconsideration the appellant did argue that his request was late because he had intended to find a residence but had not, for reasons beyond his control. The panel notes that the original Request for Reconsideration form indicates that the ministry informed the appellant of its decision on April 26, 2018 and that the requester must submit the completed form by May 24, 2018. The appellant has made no submission regarding the accuracy of these dates. As such, f the panel also finds that there is no dispute that the appellant spoke to ministry staf by telephone on April 26, 2018 as the ministry asserts. The panel notes that the appellant also does not dispute that he received a reconsideration package from the ministry. The appellant did not argue that a reconsideration package was not sent. The panel finds that the ministry did send a reconsideration package to the appellant by mail on April 27, 2018 after confirming the appellant's address, as the ministry asserts. The panel notes there is nothing in the appeal record that indicates that the appellant made a request for reconsideration within twenty business days of the lime the decision was made and communicated to him in April 2018. The panel finds that the information before ii demonstrates that a request for reconsideration was not completed and submitted until July 2019, more than 14 months after the appellant was aware of the ministry decision to deny a moving supplement. The panel finds that the appellant did not meet the required timeline for filing a request for reconsideration within twenty business days; he was out of lime well before his request for reconsideration was submitted to the ministry. Therefore, the panel finds that the ministry reasonably determined that the appellant did not submit a request for reconsideration of the ministry decision within the twenty business days limit set out in EAPWDR Section 71 (2). Conclusion The panel finds that the ministry's decision, determining that the appellant had not met the legislated criteria for filina a reauesl for reconsideration, was a reasonable annlication of the legislation in the
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 n t a n d w a s r e a s o n a b l y m i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n . T h e a p p e l l a n t i s n o t s u c c e s s f u l I A P P EA L N U M B E R s u p p o r t e d b y t h e e v i d e n c e . T h e p a n e l c o n f i r m s t h e o n a p p e a l .
A P P E A L N U M B E R I P A R T G O R D E R T H E P A N E L D E C I S I O N I S : ( C h e c k o n e ) [8] U N A N I M O U S â–¡ B Y M A J O R I T Y T H E P A N E L [8] 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 â–¡ R E S C I N D S T H E M I N I S T R Y D E C I S I O N I f t h e m i n i s t r y d e c i s i o n i s r e s c i n d e d , i s t h e p a n e l d e c i s i o n r e f e r r e d b a c k t o t h e M i n i s t e r fo r a d e c i s i o n a s t o a m o u n t ? â–¡ Y e s â–¡ N o L E G I S L A T I V E A U T H O R I T Y F O R T H E D E C I S I O N : E m p l o y m e n t a n d A s s i s ta n c e A c t S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 1 ) ( a ) [8] o r S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 1 ) ( b ) [8] a n d S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 2 ) ( a ) [8] o r S e c t i o n 2 4 ( 2 ) ( b ) D P A R T H S I G N A T U R E S P R I N T N A M E J e n n i f e r S m i t h S I G N A T U R E O F C H A I R D A T E ( Y E A R/ M O N T H / D A Y ) 2 0 1 9 / 0 9 / 1 1 P R J N T N A M E W e s l e y N e l s o n S I G N A T U R E O F M E M B E R D A T E ( Y E A R / M O N T H / D A Y ) 2 0 1 9 / 0 9 / 1 1 P R I N T N A M E R i c h a r d R o b e rt s S I G N A T U R E O F M E M B E R D A T E ( Y E A R / M O N T H/ D A Y ) 2 0 1 9 / 0 9 / 1 1
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.