Alberta.ca » Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual


Published Date: November 24, 2009
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Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual Overview

The Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual is comprised of:

  1. The Income and Employment Supports Act and Regulations
  2. Employment and Training Programs
  3. Child Support Services
  4. Health Benefits
  5. Income Support Program

 

Each program under the Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual is comprised of a series of topics, sections, sub-sections and policy articles. Content of each policy article is organized in the following manner:

  • Intent (Background/Principles)
  • Policy
  • Procedures
  • Other related information links (e.g., forms, previous policies (when available), authority/legislation etc.)

Features of the Manual

Navigation

  1. The top navigation (or breadcrumb) provides (visible once in a topic) access back to the Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual home page.

  2. The left navigation bar has four sections. The navigation bar remains visible as you move around the manual, but provides you with two additional options once you are in the topics of the manual.

    • Search takes you to the search feature where you can search for specific content.
      • If you search from the home page of the Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual, you can search the complete Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual, including the Act and Regulations.
      • If you are within a program of the manual (e.g. Employment and Training Programs), the search options will be slightly different, and will focus on those documents that pertain specifically to the program content.
      • See the Search section below to learn more about the search tool.
    • Help brings you to the page you are viewing now.

    • Tools and Resources provides you with fact sheets, tip sheets, glossaries, as well as a collection of helpful links and other related information, such as Alberta Learning Service (ALIS) or Service Alberta.

    • Forms houses applications and supplementary documents required by Albertans to access Income and Employment Supports programs and services.

    • Complete Index (available once you are within a Topic of the manual) takes you to a detailed table of contents for the program you are browsing. You can click on any link listed to go directly to a policy.

    • Clipboard (available once you are within a topic of the manual) provides you with a way of printing or e-mailing multiple sections of the policy to a colleague or client. See the Clipboard section below to learn more about this tool.

    • The Alberta Works logo will return you to the Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual home page when you click on it.

  3. The top navigation bar has four elements. Most of these elements stay visible (other than on the home page) as you move around in the manual, and are links to the sections within the manual.
    • Select Document: allows you to jump between topics under that program.
    • Jump to Part/Section: allows you to switch between sections or a topic within that program.
    • Print Section: allows you to print a complete section of the manual.
    • Previous/Next: allows you to advance through the content as if you were reading a paper copy. This is different from the 'Back' and 'Forward' buttons on your browser, which allow you to move back and forward to recently viewed web pages.

  4. Published Date is the date the policy article becomes effective in the manual.

 

Main Body of Text

The information at the top of the policy article contains the program topic, the section and/or sub-sections so that you can go back up a level. At the lowest level is the main body of your policy article.

In this manual, the content (e.g., policies and procedures) is displayed on one screen and are set up the same way:

  1. Left navigation bar
  2. Top navigation bar
  3. Main body of text.

 

In addition to the content there are four important features on each policy article page:

 

  1. Bookmark this page adds this policy article to your browser Favourites – just like an ‘Add to my favourites’ feature.
  2. Select Previous Policy allows you to select replaced versions of the current content. The default is always the current Policy article.
  3. Related Information allows you link to topics or other resources that are related to the current Policy article (e.g., Forms), within the content of the policy.
  4. Clipboard icon adds the page you are viewing to your Clipboard for later reference. See Clipboard below for more information.

 

How to Find the Information You Need

This policy manual gives you several different ways to find the information you are looking for:

  1. Search for the information you are looking for. See the Search section below to learn more about the search tool.
  2. Browse by heading. This is the traditional ‘drill down’ method for finding content from the main body of the manual, one click at a time.
  3. Complete Index. Using this link in the left navigation bar allows you to view a detailed table of contents for the program that you are in. Click on the heading you want, to take you directly to that policy.
  4. Favorites. Using your bookmarked Favourites in your internet browser click on the link to go directly to the policy. Over time, you will likely have several favourites stored, so be sure to organize them into logical groupings within your internet browser.
  5. Select Document. Use this function to search by jumping between topics under that program.
  6. Jump to Part/Section. Use this function to search by jumping between sections of a topic.

 

Search

Follow these steps to search for content.

  1. Select Search from the navigation bar.
  2. Type a word or phrase you are searching for (e.g., skills investment) into the Search Terms text box.
  3. Select at least one document you want to search through.
  4. Click the Search button to perform the search.
  5. Search results will be returned below the search box.

 

When searching from the home page, you click on Search the Complete Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual, to search the complete manual including the Act and Regulations.

 

If you are within a program of the manual, the search option will be slightly different, and will focus on those documents that pertain specifically to that program content.

Note
If your internet browser is running in compatibility view, the search may display other sections of the manual in the search results.  To resolve this, you will need to turn off the compatibility view by clicking the button that looks like a torn page in the address bar and proceed to search with it off.

Tips for Effective Searches (click on this button to have tips for effective searches pop up).

The search function will locate policy documents that contain words entered in the search term box as well as related keywords.

Keywords

Keywords have been entered into the Income and Employment Supports Policy Manual at the policy level to assist users who may refer to a policy by words that are NOT found in the policy content. A policy document will also be returned if you search for a word that is found within the policy content.

Clipboard

The Clipboard allows you to print or email multiple sections of the policy to yourself, a colleague, or client.

  1. From 'Search Results': select the items to add to your clipboard by checking the add to clipboard box within the results shown and then on Update Clipboard to have them added.
  2. From the policy, select the paperclip icon, to Add to clipboard.
  3. Click on the ‘Clipboard’ button.

 

When items are added to your Clipboard, the left-hand navigation bar will show you how many items you have placed in your Clipboard. The number of items the Clipboard can contain is limited. Clipboard will be cleared upon closing your browser and will not be available to reference the next time you open your manual.

 

Printing

You can print pages you are viewing without the graphics and navigation elements by clicking the 'Printer Friendly' icon in the upper right hand corner of the main body of each text page.

You can also print an entire section or sub-section of the manual by clicking the 'Print Section' button.

Glossary

There are two types of glossaries:

  1. The Glossary link under “Tools” is a list of acronyms, defined terms and phases listed in alphabetical order for all of the Income and Employment Supports programs. The Glossary is listed by program.
  2. The second type of Glossary can be found when you within a policy article. If there are references to definitions that appear in the Act and Regulations, then those words will appear in the Glossary (under the Alberta Works logo). Click on the word to view its definition.

 

Acrobat Reader

Some of our documents have been prepared in Adobe Portable Document (PDF) format because it is quick and easy to convert documents to the web, and the software is free and accessible to most computer users. If you do not currently have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your PC, you will need to visit the Adobe Acrobat website to download and install Adobe Acrobat Reader. The Adobe site provides complete download and installation instructions.

Queen’s Printer

Copies of Acts and Regulations on this web site have been reproduced from the official versions.

Copyright of the Statutes and Regulations, whether in print or electronic format, belongs to the Province of Alberta. No person may reproduce copies of Alberta Statutes and Regulations for any purpose without the prior consent of Alberta Queen’s Printer.

The official Statutes and Regulations should be consulted for all purposes of interpreting and applying the law. Official copies of Alberta legislation are available from Alberta Queen’s Printer.

If You Have Questions

Comments and Suggestions

To ensure that this site continues to meet your needs, we would like to hear from you. If you would like to add a tool, resource, keyword(s) or have other comments or suggestions please provide your feedback.

Specific questions on policy content or interpretation should be directed to the appropriate area listed below:

  • If you are a Training Provider, contact your Regional Student Funding Contact in Edmonton at 780‑427‑3722, or toll free in Canada at 1‑800‑222‑6485.
  • If you are a prospective client of Alberta Community and Social Services, visit a training provider or the Alberta Supports Service Centre in your community.
  • If you are now receiving funding from Alberta Community and Social Services, please contact your case manager or the Learner Income Support Office in Edmonton at 780‑427‑3722, or toll free in Canada at 1‑800‑222‑6485.