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Persons With Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB)


Policy

Criteria

Medical Condition: Seriously Impedes or Precludes: March 1, 2006

Steps to Overcome Barriers: April 2, 2012

Income Assistance and Supplements: April 1, 2007

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Criteria
July 26, 2004

Recipients who qualify for Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB) are those who have received assistance for at least 12 of the past 15 months and meet one of the following criteria:

  • has severe multiple barriers to employment (that is, a score of 15 or greater on the Employability Screen) and has taken all reasonable steps to overcome these barriers and has a medical condition (excluding addictions) that has lasted for at least one year and is likely to continue or recur frequently for at least two years, and which is a severe barrier that seriously impedes the person's ability to search for, accept, or continue in employment

OR

  • has a medical condition (excluding addictions) that has lasted for at least one year and is likely to continue or recur frequently for at least two years, and, in itself, precludes the person from searching for, accepting, or continuing in employment, regardless of their score on the Employability Screen (may or may not have severe multiple barriers to employment)

A person with PPMB will be reassessed at least every two years.

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Medical Condition: Seriously Impedes or Precludes: March 1, 2006
March 1, 2006

Note: In cases where both a medical condition and an addiction issue have been identified as barriers to employment, it must be determined whether in the absence of the addiction issue, the medical condition would be considered to seriously impede or preclude employment.

Seriously Impedes

A medical condition is considered to seriously impede the recipient’s ability to search for, accept, or continue in employment when, as a result of the medical condition, the recipient is unable to participate in any type of employment that would enable independence from income assistance.

When determining if the medical condition seriously impedes employment, the following factors should be taken into consideration:

  • Number of hours a recipient can work
  • Hourly rate a recipient could earn
  • Skills and experience of the recipient
  • Impact of the medical condition on the recipient’s ability to work full-time or only part-time
  • Impact of the medical condition on the recipient’s ability to work on a regular or sporadic basis

Note: To be eligible for PPMB, recipients whose medical condition seriously impedes, rather than precludes, employment, must also score 15 or more on the Employability Screen (HR2797).

Recipients who have scored 15 or more on the Employability Screen should be assessed for whether their condition seriously impedes, rather than precludes, employment.

Precludes

A medical condition is considered to preclude the recipient from searching for, accepting or continuing in employment when as a result of the medical condition, the recipient is unable to participate in any type of employment for any length of time, except in a supported or sheltered-type work environment.

When determining if the nature of the employment is as minimal or insignificant as to effectively “preclude” the recipient from employment, the following factors should be used when assessing eligibility:

  • Is the focus of the work on socialization where the activities are highly supported or supervised (e.g., recycling workshop)
  • Is the recipient limited by the medical condition to very minimal hours on an infrequent basis (e.g., 1-2 hours of babysitting once or twice a month)
  • Is the recipient’s involvement very sporadic or casual (e.g., occasional lawn mowing or housekeeping; or delivering flyers once a month)
  • Is the work more likely to be considered volunteering and compensation, if any, minimal (e.g., covers the costs of volunteering)

Note:  Recipients who are precluded from any type of employment may also require assistance with daily living activities and could qualify for Persons with Disabilities (PWD).  Recipients should be informed of the option of application for designation as a PWD.

[For examples of when a medical condition seriously impedes or precludes employment, see Procedures – Case Examples.]

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Steps to Overcome Barriers: April 2, 2012
April 2, 2012

The following guidelines outline factors to be considered by ministry staff when determining if a person has taken all reasonable steps to overcome their barriers to employment.

This requirement only applies when a person has barriers that seriously impede the person’s ability to search, accept or continue in employment and does not apply to medical conditions.  These guidelines assist ministry staff to assess PPMB when reviewing the information provided, such as the Employability Screen, the PPMB Checklist, the Employability Profile, the Employment Readiness Information Questionnaire, and the Employment Plan. 

“All reasonable steps to overcome their barriers” refers to a person’s participation in interventions that address barriers that are preventing the person from working.

The factors recognize that each person’s barriers to employment are unique so the reasonable steps to overcome those barriers will vary from person to person.  If the factors suggest that the person has taken all steps that the ministry considers reasonable for the person to overcome their barriers, and all other eligibility requirements are met, the client is eligible for PPMB.

Note:  the factors to be considered are not all-inclusive as it is important to preserve the discretion of the ministry decision maker and allow for flexibility to assess uncommon or unexpected circumstances.

When assessing the information provided to determine if a person has taken all reasonable steps to overcome their barriers, consider the following:

  1. The steps taken by the person

    A step is an action taken by the person with the goal to overcome a barrier to employment.  The steps taken may include a wide range of interventions from formal employment programs to personal actions to better enable the individual to address their barriers.  The person or the ministry through a referral may initiate the steps.  When reviewing the steps taken, consider the following factors:

    • If the steps taken are related to barriers identified on the Employability Screen
    • Whether the person has attempted or completed an intervention program
    • The availability of intervention programs in the community where the person is residing
    • Whether education interventions meet eligibility requirements for income assistance.  For example, unfunded programs of study require ministry pre-approval and must be identified in the person’s Employment Plan.
    • The types of steps taken, including but not limited to:

      • Employment programs (e.g. Employment Program of British Columbia (EPBC), Service Canada, Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, non-profit organizations, etc.)
      • Literacy training
      • Adult basic education
      • Community Assistance Program (replaced by EPBC)
      • Bridging Program (replaced by EPBC)
      • Supervised Independent Work Search
      • Volunteerin
      • Training courses such as WHMIS, Foodsafe, Serving-it-Right, Flagging
  2. The steps taken are reasonable


    The steps the person takes to overcome employment barriers must be determined as reasonable by the ministry.  Reasonable means that the steps are fair and sound in the context of the person’s abilities and the interventions that are available.  When reviewing whether the steps taken are reasonable, consider the following factors: 
  • If the person has exhausted all available interventions to overcome their barriers
  • If relevant interventions identified in the person’s Employment Plan or Voluntary Participation Plan or EPBC Action Plan (if applicable) were followed through
  • Whether the person demonstrates active participation to the best of their abilities, in the activities intended to move them towards independence
  • Whether the steps taken are intended to overcome their barriers
  • Whether the person is able to participate in an intervention to overcome a barrier given their medical condition
  • If the steps are within the person’s capabilities according to the particular barrier

Example where a person may have taken all reasonable steps to overcome their barriers:

  • A person with an anxiety disorder has attempted all interventions to overcome their barriers identified on the employability screen.  However, despite their best efforts, they have not been able to take public transit or be in large groups of people due to their anxiety to complete the interventions.  Although they have not completed the interventions, since they have attempted them to the best of their ability, the person has taken all reasonable steps.

Examples where a person may not have taken all reasonable steps to overcome their barriers:

  • A person with the potential to overcome their barriers has chosen not to attempt any interventions.  Their Employment Plan includes interventions that have not been followed through on and the person is refusing a referral to a program or service with no apparent reason.
  • A person has attempted some interventions but has not exhausted all that are available.  The person is attending school part time to address education barriers, but they have not followed through on a referral to an employment program to address employment barriers.

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Income Assistance and Supplements: April 1, 2007
April 1, 2007

Family units where one adult is eligible for PPMB may be eligible for:

  • higher support rate [see Related Links - Rate Table: Income Assistance Rates]
  • medical coverage that includes general health supplements [see Related Links – Health Supplement Summary]
  • dental supplements [see Related Links – Dental and Orthodontic Services]
  • earnings exemption [see Related Links – Income and Exemptions – Policy – Earned Income]

While a person with PPMB is receiving income assistance, time does not count towards time limits.  [see Related Links - Time Limits] This includes a person with persistent multiple barriers in a family unit where the other adult does not have PPMB.

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