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Expected to Work/Barriers to Full Employment Policy & Procedures

Published Date: May 06, 2022
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08 Supplementary Benefits

AUTHORITY

Income and Employment Supports Act, Schedule, sections 10
Income Support, Training and Health Benefits Regulation, sections 1(2)(g) and 2(5); Schedule 4
Ministerial Order 2018-19, Appendix D: Schedule 4 - Supplementary Income Support Rates
Ministerial Order 2022-007, Prenatal Needs Payment

INTENT

To describe the eligibility criteria for supplementary income support benefits.

POLICY 

Income Support provides supplemental benefits to assist clients with specific one-time or ongoing expenses over and above the core benefits when they meet the eligibility criteria.

To be eligible to receive a supplementary benefit, the following criteria must always be met:

  • The client demonstrates a need for the benefit;
  • The same or similar benefit is not available from any other program or source;
  • The client meets the criteria and provides necessary substantiation, as indicated in the specific supplementary benefit policy; and
  • A reasonable, lower cost alternative is not available.

Supplementary benefits may be issued to a third party, in accordance with the third-party cheques policy.

Reimbursement for Expenses Not Authorized in Advance
A supplementary benefit is not provided to reimburse a person for an expense that was not authorized in advance by the worker unless

  • the expense was incurred in an emergency situation, or
  • the expense is identified in a review or audit and failure to provide the benefit causes undue hardship for the applicant, recipient, or member of the household unit.


For practical reasons, any allowance issued as reimbursement must be issued within a six month period of the time the need was identified. The reimbursement cannot be issued for more than a period of six consecutive months.

Delegated Authority for Issuing Supplementary Income Support Benefits
See the Delegated Authority for Issuing Supplementary Benefits policy.

Repayment of Supplementary Benefits
Depending on the benefit, supplementary benefits may be issued subject to repayment by the recipient.

See the Repayment Agreements policy and the benefit pages below for more information.

Supplementary Benefit Procedures
Workers should review the Supplementary Benefit procedures policy when reviewing a request for a supplementary benefit.

Supplementary Income Support Benefits
Depending on the supplementary benefit, the client may be required to re-establish eligibility each time it is provided, or the benefit may address needs/eligibility that are expected to be ongoing, so eligibility is re-established at regular (non-monthly) time intervals.

See the benefit pages below for more information.

Establish Eligibility Every Period of Assistance that the Benefit is Requested
Emergency Allowance
Emergency Prescription(s)/Drugs
Escaping Abuse Benefit (Household Start-Up)
Damage Deposit (Escaping Abuse)
Personal Benefit – Telephone and Transportation – Leaving Abusive Situation
Employment Training and Transition Supports
Children’s School Expenses
Natal and Adoptive Needs Payment
Child Care Deposit and Registration Fee
Community Living Start-Up Allowance
Relocation Allowance
Utility Connection, Deposit, Reconnection
Special Transportation and Travel Payment
Medical Extraordinary Transportation
Director Approval
Funeral Benefits
Re-Check Eligibility at Regular Intervals, as Described in the Applicable Policy
Additional Shelter
Isolated Community Allowance
Transportation to Day or Employment Programs
Child Care
Child Supplement Allowance
Special Diets
Home Parenteral Therapy Program and Home Enteral Therapy Program
Medical and Surgical Supplies
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Devices
Hearing Aid Benefits
Handicap Benefit
Earnings Replacement Allowance
Personal Needs Allowance
Prenatal Needs Payment