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Expected to Work/Barriers to Full Employment Policy & Procedures

Published Date: August 01, 2011
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02 Income Support Overview

General Eligibility Rules

The following are the general eligibility rules for Income Support (IS), including the legislative authorities under the Income and Employment Supports Act (IESA) and the Income Support, Training and Health Benefits Regulation (ISTHBR).

IESA section 2
The IS program provides financial assistance to persons who are unable to meet their needs for food, shelter, personal, health and other items essential to their health and well-being.

IESA section 5(1)
IESA section 15 1(c) & (d)
Applicants and recipients are to realize any and all non-exempt assets to reduce or prevent their dependence on IS. Asset levels are established to prevent the need for a person to become destitute to be eligible for IS.

IESA section 5(2)(a)(b)
ISTHBR Division 2, section 10-19
If a cohabiting partner is not covered by the IS program due to another program’s involvement or because the partner is an ineligible person (e.g. foreign worker, visitor or tourist), the assets and income of that partner are still calculated as a resource to meet the needs of the household unit.

IESA section 6(2)(a)
The members of the household unit are in Alberta.

IESA section 6(2)(b)
One of the members of the household unit is 18 years of age or older.

IESA section 6(2)(d)
IESA section 29(1)(a)
IS clients must be willing to comply with the Child Support Services requirements if there is at least one parent of a dependent child not included as part of the household unit.

IESA section 6(2)(e)
IESA section 6(3)(f)
Benefits are not issued when another person, agency or government program is responsible.

IESA section 6(2)(f)
IESA section 14(1)(a)-(c)
It is the client’s responsibility to establish their identity and to provide any information or substantiation required to determine eligibility.

IESA section 14(2)
Clients are required to report any change in circumstances in the household unit affecting eligibility or the IS budget.

IESA section 15(1)(a)(b)(d)-(e)
Clients must follow through with expectations to take work, rehabilitation or training that will lead to greater or total independence.

IESA section 15(1)(a)(b)
Applicants and recipients are to accept employment for reasonable wages, and are to maintain a reasonable job unless there is a just cause for leaving the job. Just causes for leaving employment are identified in policy.

IESA section 15(1)(c)(i) & (d)
Applicants and recipients are to access all income the applicant, recipient or a member of the household unit are eligible to receive and all other entitlements that they may be eligible to receive under any other law.

ISTHBR section 1(2)(b)
Dependents of IS program recipients who are attending the regular school system may remain on the IS file until they turn 20 years old. This recognizes the community norm of families supporting their children to complete high school and supports the government’s belief in the value of education.

ISTHBR Division 2, section 10-19

IS applicants must not be in an ineligible group.

Income Support rules apply to persons applying or receiving IS who are Barriers to Full Employment (BFE) and have been transfer from AISH.