on assistance

HELP’S
AT HAND

-HELP’S AT Hand, by North Shore
Community. Services (NSCS), is a
forum for discussing government
policies and programs, benefits,
consumer and legal rights, taxation

and public services. Information is
intended only as a general guide and

‘should not be applied to specific cir-

» cumstances without further consul-
tation. -

« QUESTION: I: am receiving
- , income’ assistance through the
'" Ministry of Social Services. I have
a medical condition. which pre-
vents me frum working but I am
' still expected to make a reason-
.able effort. to look for. employ-
‘ment, Is there any way J can avoid

” this requirement?

66 In order to be con-

sidered unemployable,
ch ithe Ministry will
‘request a letter from

your doctor identifying.

. your condition... 99

Answer: There. are five -cate-

"_-goties of. people receiving income :
. assistance ‘—. employable, ‘single

‘parents, unemployable, handi-

“capped and seniors. Currently the.
; Ministry of Social-Services consid-'

/ers' you''to’ be “employable.”
Consequently, as you have said, you
have to make.a reasonable’ effort to

. look for, and prove that you have ;

looked for, work.
Those. who are over 65 years old

are considered “unemployable” and :

‘are-no longer required to look for

‘work.:In addition, people who have.

a: mental, or: physical condition
which: prevents them, either tem-

“porarily or . permanently, ' from

accepting or maintaining employ-
ment can also be considered unem-
ployable. It seems like this is where
you might fit.

In order to be considered unem-

_ployable the Ministry will request a

letter from your doctor identifying
your condition, outlining how long
it is expected to last, and stating
whether or not the condition pre-
vents you from working. Once the

- Ministry is satisfied that you. meet

their criteria you will no longer be

expected to prove you are actively |

looking for work’ and .you will
receive a small increase in your
monthly benefits. For instance, as of
March 1994, a single “employable”

. person receives $546 each month

whereas a single “unemployable”
person receives $596 each month.
On the other hand, if your dis-
ability is permanent and you require
assistance or supervision with daily
living or you have extra monthly
costs directly resulting from your

condition you may want to consider .

applying for handicapped benefits.
Being considered handicapped will

provide you with a substantial :

increase in benefits and services.
The: Legal Services Society has
published | booklet - called
“Handicapped Benefits: How to
Apply” which describes. |handi-
capped benefits. and the application
process in considerable detail.
There are two other situations in

which income assistance recipients .

are not expected to look for work. If
you are a single parent and either
have a child under the age of 12 or.

“you have a child with a physical or _

mental disability who is under 19
you will not be expected to look for
a job. :

‘It is always helpful to contact an

_ advocate for assistance or to simply

discuss your condition and applica-
tion. You can find an advocate by

= contacting: your. local community. -
Jaw office, women’s centre or wel- :

fare rights group. If you live on the
North Shore contact a legal infor-

mation counsellor at North Shore.”

Community Services, 985-7138.
This. column is. prepared with
financial assistance from the Notary

Foundation. For more information. -

call NSCS at 985-7138.

: Volunteers without genital herpes but who:

: e ‘ave a partner with genital herpes.

7 or

“e have had multiple sexual partners in the last
12 months

or

‘e, have hadi a sexually transmitted disease i in

‘the last year

|. are required for testing of a potenti
investigational injectable vaccine @ for genital

herpes.

All volunteers will receive ‘either the research
vaccine, or a placebo vaccine, containing no |}
active drug. Participants must be, at least 18
-years of age. Females must be using a form. of
birth control. An Honorarium will be offered.

To find out more about participation in this
study please call!

| vee Clinical Sciences i inc,
— 689- 9404 .

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