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Rights
and Responsibilities
Everyone
involved in the Department of Education's Income Support Program
- Applicants, Participants and Income Support Workers - have
certain rights and responsibilities. Ensuring that these rights
and responsibilities are respected is a very important part
of the Income Support Program.
Your
rights
As
an Income Support Applicant or Participant, you have the right:
-
To
make decisions concerning your life and your dependent's
lives. Some of these decisions may affect your eligibility
for assistance, but they are your choices.
-
To
apply for assistance if you believe you are in need.
-
To
be treated with dignity and respect.
-
To
receive services in the official language of your choice.
-
To
have your private information handled with confidentiality.
-
To
receive all the monies you are eligible for.
-
To
appeal the decision of the Income Support Worker and get
help with the appeal process.
-
To
review your file to update and correct any errors.
Your
responsibilities
A
person who asks for Income Support also has responsibilities.
If a person does not carry out these responsibilities they
may not get Income Assistance. The money you receive is based
on your household's financial situation and whether or not
you are involved in an activity that will help you provide
for yourself and your family.
All
Income Support Participants must:
-
Give
true and complete information to the Income Support Worker.
It is important for you to know that providing false or
misleading information in order to obtain Income Assistance
could lead to:
-
Having
your benefits suspended, terminated and/or recovered
as an overpayment, and/or
-
Possible
criminal charges for fraud.
-
Try
all the ways you can to support yourself and your family.
You are required to take the initiative and to follow through
on the Income Support Agreement and Action Plan that you
and your worker have agreed upon.
-
Tell
your worker of any changes in your life while you are on
assistance. (For example, if you have a new baby, one of
your dependents moves out of the house, you start school,
or you have a new source of income).
-
Work
with the Income Support Worker and/or other people who can
help you develop a plan to become more independent while
you are receiving benefits. You can do this by:
-
-
Working
with a Career Counsellor
-
-
Entering
a training program
-
Participating
in voluntary activities that may improve your
skills or contribute to your community.
Your
Income Support Worker's rights
Your
Income Support Worker has the right:
-
To
be treated with respect and dignity by you.
-
To
work in a safe and secure environment without verbal and
physical threats.
-
To
refuse to complete an assessment if threatened
-
To
verify information you gave on your assessment, so Income
Support benefits can be properly paid. This may mean
the Income Support Worker visits your home to confirm
the information on the assessment form.
Your
Income Support Worker's responsibilities
Your
Income Support Worker must:
-
Follow
the rules. The rules are set out in legislation. These rules
are used by the Income Support Worker to determine who is
eligible for help and how much money a person may get. Each
Income Support Worker is trained in these rules and follows
a Code of Ethics. Workers are required to follow the rules
and the policies of the Income Support Program to ensure
fairness.
-
Report
to their supervisor any suspected fraud. Fraud may include
a Participant who provides an untrue statement to get a
benefit.
- Give
true and complete information to the Income Support Worker. It
is important for you to know that providing false or misleading
information in order to obtain Icome Assistance could lead to:
- Having
your benefits suspended, terminated and/or recovered as an
overpayment, and/or
- Possible
criminal charges fraud.
- Work
with the Income Support Worker and/or other people who can help
you develop a plan to become more independent while you are receiveing
benefits. You can do this by:
- Looking
for work
- Working
with a Career Counsellor
- Upgrading
your education
- Entering
a training program
- Participating
in voluntary activities that may improve your skills or contribute
to your community.
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