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Online Resources - BC Employment & Assistance

Online Resources

Welcome to the Ministry of Housing and Social Development Online Resource.

The Online Resource (OLR) is a one-stop source for all BCEA policy, procedures and program information for eligibility for ministry employment and assistance programs.

Information in the Online Resource is organized into Topic Categories.

  • To view an expanded list of available Topics, click on the appropriate category and then on the desired topic to have its home page displayed.
  • Topic home pages provide an overview and links to relevant acts and regulations, policy, procedures, contacts, rate tables and resources for the public, such as fact sheets and brochures.
  • Topics are updated regularly to provide the most current information available.

For more information on how to use the Online Resource, please visit our Navigation Tips page.

A Table of Contents listing all the Topics of the OLR is also available to assist you. You can open this Table of Contents and go directly to any Topic home page.

What's New

June 26, 2009

Program Administration

Information on how to access intrepretation services has been added to policy and procedures.

Application

Information on how to access interpretation services has been added to procedures.

June 15, 2009

Other Programs

A new template letter, Initial Letter to Respondent (Court Action Started) HSD3264 , has been added. A new procedure and related changes to the Ad Hoc Legal Counsel Appointment Request (HSD2777) and a new protocol between the FMWs and the Ministry of Attorney General, Family Law, Legal Services Branch (Corporate Services Division).

Reconsideration and Appeal

Policy and procedures have been updated to introduce the centralization of reconsideration decisions to the renamed Reconsideration Branch. Reference to Travel Supplements has been removed from the Appeal topic.

June 3, 2009

Employment Planning and Exemptions

Employment Programs and Community Services 

The British Columbia Employment Program (BCEP) has been modified in response to the recent economic downturn and as part of the ministry’s 'Immediate Response to the Economic Downturn’ (IRED) and is now referred to as BCEP IRED. Employment planning should now include BCEP IRED criteria when determining the appropriate client referral.

May 26, 2009

Verification and Eligibility

The eligibility age for the Property Tax Deferment Program now administered by the Ministry of Finance has been lowered to 55 from 60.

May 11, 2009

Other Programs

A new template letter (HSD3309) that advises the client of their court date for maintenance action, and a new procedure for FMWs to add comments for closing a FM file.

May 5, 2009

Other Programs

A new procedure provides the Family Maintenance Worker with clear instructions on how to open a referral and assess a case before a client receives assistance.

April 28, 2009

Application

New direction is provided regarding work searches 30 days prior to application and exempting sole parent applicants with dependent children under three years of age.  The definition and assessment of a reasonable work search is also provided.

April 27, 2009

Verification and Eligibility

Procedures have been updated to include changes to MIS for the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP).

April 21, 2009

Employment Programs and Community Services

BCEP Bullet #1 has been updated.

April 8, 2009

Health Supplements and Programs

Policy clarification stating that a family has the right to reconsideration of a denial of service under the Healthy Kids program through the Reconsideration and Appeals process.

April 7, 2009

Other Programs

The Family Maintenance Program’s (FMP) “Family Violence” policy has been replaced by the new “Case and Risk Assessment” policy.

March 31, 2009

Hardship

Hardship may be available to family units where all family members are ineligible for income or disability assistance due to a fraud or related offence conviction or judgement.  Hardship may be provided if failure to issue hardship assistance would result in: 

  • the family unit experiencing undue hardship, AND 
  • the physical health of a person in the family unit being placed in imminent danger.

Other Programs

New letters have been added that will assist the Family Maintenance Workers in performing their daily tasks and will promote consistency in the delivery of Family Maintenance Services.

March 24, 2009

Reconsideration and Appeal

Procedures have been updated to include Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB) Reconsideration Guidelines.

Employment Planning and Exemptions 

Policy has been updated to introduce guidelines for determining if a person has taken “all reasonable steps to overcome their barriers” to employment.

March 13, 2009

Application

Procedures have been updated to include the Family Maintenance Questionnaire (HSD3033).

March 3, 2009

Other Programs

The category of clients who are required to assign their maintenance rights to the minister is expanded to include clients who are owed child maintenance arrears for one or more children who are no longer dependent.

February 17, 2009

Health Supplements and Programs

Policy and procedure amendments to initiating MSP coverage for clients who are refugee claimants.

February 9, 2009

Program Administration

The new homeless indicator will help staff identify and track homeless clients, and facilitate appropriate and specialized services when these clients contact the ministry for service. 
Files for homeless clients and those who are Persons With Disabilities under the age of 18 years and three months will be automatically closed after 6 months of no activity.

February 5, 2009

Verification and Eligibility 

The process of supplying duplicate T5007 tax receipts for clients has been amended.