Income and Employment Supports Act, section 6
Income Support, Training and Health Benefits Regulation, sections 1(1)(v), 17 and 19

INTENT

To ensure that clients access the appropriate funding source while attending education and training programs.

POLICY

Expected to Work (ETW)/Barriers to Full Employment (BFE) Income Support (IS) is not the ongoing funding source for individuals attending full-time education and training programs. Clients attending an approved program that is identified in their Individual Plan may be eligible

Persons who plan to enter, or are in between training programs of a full-time education or training program and apply for ETW/BFE IS prior to their training start date, are assessed and must meet eligibility requirements as any other ETW/BFE IS applicant.

In the process of eligibility determination and Individual Plan development, the following additional considerations should be addressed:        

• Applicants are actively engaged in job search activities and available to accept and maintain any reasonable employment.
• Applicants have registered with the provider for their next training period and are in the process of applying for funding for their next training period to ensure funding is in place prior to the first day of training.

Pre-Employment Programs

Career and Employment Information Services help Albertans to understand the labour market, to make informed career decisions, develop realistic education, training, and employment plans and to prepare for, find and maintain work in general.

Clients may benefit from attending a rehabilitative program (i.e. residential addictions treatment, anger management) or a specific pre-employment, job preparation program) as part of their Individual Plan. These interventions typically focus on the enhancement of skills to assist the participant in movement toward employment readiness and independence.

Clients and applicants may apply and continue to receive IS while attending these programs or courses provided they continue to meet all IS eligibility requirements.

Clients who are job ready can access an exposure course in order to obtain a specific job skill or certification. clients can receive IS while attending an exposure course provided this skill acquisition is part of their Individual Plan and they continue to meet all IS eligibility requirements.

Dependants in High School

Parents/guardians are eligible to receive ETW/BFE IS for a dependent who is attending a program under the Education Act (Kindergarten to Grade 12) as long as the youth continues to be included on the parent’s ETW/BFE IS file.

• Parents of an 18-19 youth may continue to receive IS for the dependant child while the dependant child is attending regular school (full-time or part-time) including regular school breaks.\
• Parents of a 16-19 youth, with a dependant are eligible for the High School Incentive benefit if the youth is attending regular school full-time including regular school breaks.

Note

All other youth attending full-time school should be referred to alternative funding sources (i.e. Foundational Learning Assistance, Student Aid) to support them while attending school and are not considered part of the ETW/BFE Household.

Part-Time Training Courses

Clients who attend part-time training can receive ETW/BFE IS benefits provided they continue to meet all IS eligibility requirements (i.e., ability to obtain and maintain reasonable employment). The part-time training course(s) should be included in the recipient’s Individual Plan.           

ETW/BFE IS does not provide benefits to fund training costs (tuition, books, student association fees and other mandatory fees). The client must access other funding (i.e. Foundational Learning Assistance or Student Aid) for assistance with these costs.

Full-Time Students

Other Full-Time students are not eligible for ETW/BFE IS and should access other funding sources i.e. Foundational Learning Assistance, Student Aid.

Note

 These students may be considered for one-time assistance in emergency situations.