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Expected to Work/Barriers to Full Employment Policy & Procedures

Published Date: March 21, 2024
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15 Administrative Procedures

Substantiation and Verification

Personal and Family Information

Personal Identification

NOTE

If a client/applicant requires financial assistance but it is not practical to meet in person, the requirement to authenticate identity can be deferred.

Staff should verify the client’s identity to the extent possible.

Record the reason that identity was not authenticated in person in Compass Comments. Include details about substitute verification that is being temporarily used.

Set a Compass Reminder to complete, at a later date, the policy requirement to ensure that identification is authenticated, if the individual is still on the caseload.

Clients
A head of household, partner, or financial administrator is required to substantiate their identity by providing one document or a combination of documents which contain their:

  • Name
  • Picture
  • Signature
  • Birthdate

Dependants
The identity of a dependent child is substantiated by providing a document which contains their full name and birth date. Middle names are not mandatory but are beneficial in confirming identity.

Note
Only full first and middle names, if available, are entered in LISA. Initials are not acceptable.

Verification
Workers verify the personal identification documents provided by the client by:

  • Viewing the identification to ensure all of the above conditions are met and

     

  • Ensuring the picture of the client bears a reasonable resemblance to the client and

     

  • Ensuring the name and the birthdate is consistent on all documents and

     

  • Comparing the signature of the client with the signature on other documents signed by or submitted by the client such as the EMP 3428 Income Support ApplicationService Plan, etc. 

After this verification, the worker makes a copy of the head of household, partner or financial administrator's photo ID, signs and dates, which is then retained on the client file.

If photo ID is not available, Income Support (IS) benefits are not issued until a photograph of the head of the household, partner, or financial administrator is obtained. See Introduction.

Personal identification documents, other than a photograph may be provided at a later date if the person does not have them and/or is unable to obtain them.
The following are examples of acceptable personal identification documents. This list is not complete. Documents similar to those listed are acceptable.

  • Driver’s License
  • Passport (excluding Canadian)
  • Birth, Marriage, Baptismal Certificates
  • Personal Health Card
  • Social Insurance Card
  • Employee, Student ID Cards
  • Bank or Credit Card
  • Certificate of Indian Status Card
  • Firearms Acquisition Certificate
  • School, Health, Hospital Records
  • Parole Card
  • Vehicle Registration/Insurance
  • Non-Driver ID Card

Note
Identification documents must be official but do not necessarily need to be current, e.g., an expired driver’s license or a driver’s license which does not contain a current address may be acceptable to verify the client’s identity.

Photo ID
A head of household, partner, or financial administrator is responsible to obtain and provide photo ID. However, in rare situations, when an otherwise eligible client:

  • Does not have and is unable to produce, for good reason, photo ID or a photograph and

     

  • Is destitute and cannot access other resources while photo ID is obtained.

     

  • the worker issues income support benefits, but only after the worker obtains a photograph of the client.

Note
If a hospitalized client or a client with a Public Trustee does not have or is unable to obtain photo ID or a photograph, the worker is not required to obtain a photograph of the client. However, the worker is required to advise the client or their trustee that other personal identification is required as outlined in this section.

 

Rationale
Having a photograph of the client on file enables the worker to identify the client as the person who:

  • Signed the declaration on the EMP 3428 Income Support Application and
  • Subsequently received income support benefits based on the statements made in the application.

The requirement for a photograph may deter a client who intends to obtain IS benefits fraudulently.

The photograph may not ensure the true identity of the client, but it matches the client to the file.

Client Does Not Have a Photograph
If the client does not have a photograph and is unable to obtain a photograph, the service center determines what method to use to obtain a photograph. Some suggested options include:

  • Staff take a photograph of the client on site. 

Costs associated with obtaining a photograph are borne by the service center. The least cost alternative should be chosen. Income support benefits are not issued to the client to obtain a photograph.

Note
Once the worker has obtained a photograph, there is no requirement for the client to provide photo ID at a later date, unless the photograph no longer resembles the client. The worker advises the client of the advantages of having photo ID and encourages the client to obtain photo ID as soon as possible.

PROCEDURES

  1. The worker makes a photocopy of the client’s ID and returns the originals to the client. The worker signs and dates the photocopy of the photo ID.

     

  2. If the client provides a photograph, the worker makes a photocopy of the photograph, asks the client to print their full name, sign and date the photocopy, and returns the original photograph to the client. The worker signs and dates the photocopy.

     

  3. If the service center takes the photograph the worker asks the client to print their full name, sign and date the original. The worker signs and dates the original.

     

  4. >All photocopies of personal ID are attached to the EMP 3428 Income Support Application and filed on Section 1 of the client’s file. Original photographs are placed in an envelope, attached to the EMP 3428 Income Support Application and filed on Section 1 of the client’s file.

Note
Generally, a clearer copy of the photo ID or the photograph can be obtained by using a light setting and the enlargement feature on the photocopier. Staff may wish to experiment with their service center photocopier to obtain the best results.

Witness Voice Verification and/or PIN Registration

Unless the applicant is exempt from using ARC, the worker must witness and enter comments in Compass that the applicant provided either a voice verification and/or PIN registration.  Providing the voice verification allows the client to report through the telephone and providing the PIN registration allows the client to report through the web.

Reopen Files
If the worker has access to the closed file, the worker reviews the file to ensure the client's identity has been substantiated and verified by a worker. If photo ID is on the file and the worker can establish the client's identity with it, the worker does not need to view and make a new copy of the photo ID.

If the worker does not have access to the closed file or if a photo of the head of household, partner, or financial administrator is not on the closed file, the worker follows above procedures to obtain a photograph of the client.

Ongoing Files
The criteria for personal identification also applies when a partner or dependant is added to an ongoing file and when a financial administrator changes.

Income Support Contact Centre
The ISCC is not required to obtain a photograph of the client. However, if the client has personal ID, the worker records the ID numbers on the client’s file.

One-Time Issues
If a transient or one-time issue client does not have and is unable to produce appropriate identification, the worker may, after taking a photograph of the client, issue IS benefits. The worker advises transient and one-time issue clients they are not eligible again for income support benefits unless they produce acceptable personal identification documents. The worker places Alert Code 03 (Eligibility Concerns) on CCD.

Other Identification

Introduction
Documents such as the social insurance number (SIN), personal health number (PHN) or Indian Registration Number are required for specific purposes. They are acceptable as additional forms of identification. 

Example
A client may provide a driver’s license as personal ID. This document meets all the criteria for personal identification: name, picture, signature and birthdate. In addition to the driver’s license, the client must provide the following documents appropriate to their circumstances.

Social Insurance Number (SIN)
The SIN is a major client identifier. It is critical in data matching, coordination with student aid funding, employment insurance assignment of benefits, duplicate person corrections, and fraud investigations. It is to the client’s advantage and consistent with IS policy for clients to have a SIN so that they can access resources such as Income Tax refunds, GST rebates, and Canada Child Benefits.

A head of household or partner who is eligible for a SIN is required to obtain a SIN and is required to provide documentation to substantiate their SIN.

The preferred documentation for a worker to view is a Social Insurance card; however, documents which have the client’s name and SIN such as an income tax assessment or pay stub from employment are acceptable.

Note 
Copies of the SIN or documents bearing the SIN are not retained on file; rather, they are viewed by the worker. The worker is required to make comments in Compass documenting they have viewed the SIN.

The SEIP 2340-1 Active Clients Without Social Insurance Numbers report is generated monthly to assist with identifying clients who do not have SINs. The report contains the client’s name (the person whose SIN is missing), PID, role (head of household or partner), file number and head of household name.

If the client has a SIN, they are advised to produce the required substantiation. The worker enters a Reminder in Compass or a Comment in CRC Processing for the next reporting period.  The worker enters the SIN on LISA and on Compass Comments.

If the client does not have a SIN, the worker advises the client to apply for a SIN immediately. Sufficient time is allowed for the client to obtain their SIN and the worker enters a Compass Reminder to follow-up.

Note
Clients are expected to make an application for a SIN within one month and should have their SIN after two months. However, the worker may allow more time if the client can substantiate they have applied for the SIN and the delay is not within their control.

Once the client submits their SIN, the worker enters it in LISA and records this information in Compass Comments.

Subsequent reports continue to report the names of clients whose SIN has not been entered in LISA.

Although some clients (e.g., refugee claimants) are not eligible for a SIN, the report continues to contain these names. When the worker determines that these persons are not eligible for a SIN, the worker records this in Compass Comments. Once the client is eligible to apply for a SIN, they are advised to do so.

Indian Registration Number
A Status First Nations person means the person is an Indian within the meaning of the Indian Act and has been registered with an Indian Registration number.

Status First Nations people are required to provide an Indian Registration Number.

The preferred documentation is Certificate of Indian Status Card; however, other official documents bearing the number are acceptable.

Personal Health Number (PHN)
The PHN is required to initiate Alberta Health coverage and is also a reliable identifier for a head of household, partner, financial administrator and dependent child.

The preferred documentation for identification purposes is a Personal Health card; however, such documents as an Alberta Health and Wellness statement or hospital ID are acceptable.

Residential Address
A worker may request substantiation of a client’s living situation if the worker has a concern about the residency information provided by the client.

Clients who have a change of residence must provide the new information to their worker or through their monthly reporting.

The worker determines what constitutes acceptable documentation to verify residency. This may include a street address, legal land description or directions to the residence or:

  • Up-to-date personal identification
  • Mortgage documents
  • Lease
  • Official rent receipt
  • Cancelled rent cheque
  • A client living in an (rural) area with no street address may provide detailed directions to the residence. The worker will record the directions in Compass Comments.

If a client provides a mailing address that differs from their physical address, the worker may document the reason for the difference in Compass Comments unless the reason for two addresses is obvious (e.g., client has a post office box number because there is no mail delivery to the physical address).