Understanding your Responsibilities

1. Understanding Your Responsibilities:
Ontario Works & Non-Compliance

2. Ontario Works
In order to maintain your Ontario Works Benefits you must:
 be willing to make reasonable efforts to find, prepare for
and keep a job (unless you have specific circumstances that
temporarily prevent you from doing so, such as an illness or
caregiving responsibilities)
Ontario Works is an employment service to help people find
sustainable employment, which also provides basic needs to live
while they look for work.

3. Outcome Plan (Participation Agreement)
An outcome plan is a negotiated agreement outlining the
activities you have agreed to participate in. They are geared to
your personal situation which best suit your needs in order to
achieve the goals and activities on your plan. Your plan will help
you to ultimately reach independent financial stability. There are
many possibilities:
• Employment readiness activities offered by Ontario Works
and our community partners
• Educational upgrading
• Volunteering to build skills and experience
• Counselling or treatment programs

4. Expectations
• When you negotiate a Participation
Agreement with your Case Manager,
you are expected to follow through
with the activities
• When an appointment is scheduled,
you are expected to attend
• If you cannot attend, you are
expected to notify us in advance

5. Participation, Employment & Employment
Assistance Expenses
• You may qualify for assistance to cover expenses related to participation and
employment (ex: transportation, clothing & grooming, special equipment, Criminal
Reference Checks)
• Beginning or changing part time employment
• Attending a workshop
• Obtaining Grade 12 diploma
• Beginning or changing a training program
• You may need to complete a Self-Declaration Regarding Employment form or a
Request for Benefits form

6. Internal Employment Activities
 Employers Information Sessions
 Job Search Tips
 Social Media
 SKIRCLES
 Steps to Employment
 Community Placement
 Employment Placement
 First 30 Days on the Job
 Resume Writing
 Interview Skills
 Cover Letter Writing
 Get The Edge
 Elevator Pitch
 Let’s Talk Series
 Networking Cards

7. The Career Hub is to be used for Employment purposes
You do not have to be referred by your CM or ESW to
access the services of the Career Hub
Current Hours:
• Monday to Friday 12:00pm to 4:15pm
Services Available:
• Computers
• Fax, printer, copier
• WIFI access
What supports can you receive:
• Help with tweaking your resume or cover letter
• Interview Preparation
• Job Search tips
• Information on upcoming workshops and events
Nipissing Career Hub

8. Self-employment
• If you are interested in self-
employment, we have supports to
assist you. Contact your Case Manager
to discuss
• Income will be treated similar to
regular earnings
• A detailed plan on your business idea
will be required
• Referral to the

11. Please Remember!
If you feel you can not successfully work on the agreed upon
activities, you must contact your Case Manager to update or modify
the plan.
If you are not following through on your activities and not
communicating this with your case manager, the case manager will
send out a Review for Non-Compliance letter. You will need to
respond to this letter within 10 days of when the letter was dated
to justify why you are not participating.
1. You may respond by phone, email or leave information at the 1st
floor reception desk.
2. Your Case Manager will set up an appointment for a review or
will be able to make a decision without an appointment based
on information provided.

12. What happens if you are found in Non-Compliance?
First time:
You will not receive your cheque for one month after the decision for non-
compliance is determined.
Second and subsequent times:
You will not receive your cheque for 3 months after the decision for non-
compliance is determined.
How do you end up in Non-Compliance?
Not meeting your responsibilities under the Rights and Responsibilities and
Outcome Plan agreement.

13. Full Time Employment Benefit
• When you find full time employment (30+hrs/wk) AND you’ve been on
assistance 3+ months consecutively, we can assist with employment costs
• A Self-declaration Regarding Employment form or a Letter of Hire will be
required
• A Request for Benefits form will need to be submitted also

14. Continued Health Benefits
You may have three options for Health Benefits once you have left Ontario Works
program, if you do not have health coverage from an employer or other source
• Extended Health Benefits
• Extended Employment Health Benefits
• Trillium Drug Plan
Up to 6 months with possibility of extension
You choose how long to participate

15. Income Reporting Statement (IRS)
• The IRS is your request for further
assistance
• It is a legal, sworn declaration and is
admissible in a court of law
• Be sure to consider all sections carefully
• Your statement must be signed and dated
and returned on the specified date
• Failure to complete the statement correctly
may result in the delay of your next cheque
Unless this requirement has been waived by
your Case Manager
If No income, leave blank

16. Employment Earnings While on OW
If employed and you are eligible for assistance,
you can qualify for the following deductions
after 3 consecutive months on OW:
• No deductions against the first $200 that
you earn from your employer
• In addition to this, only half of the balance
is subject to deductions from your OW
payment
$200 + 50%
Example:
You get $500 from OW
You earn $500 from your employer
First $200, exempt! Of the $300 left, we deduct half ($150)
So this month you get $500 from your employer PLUS $350 from OW ($500-$150=$350) for
a total of $850 this month!! ($500+$350=$850)
Employment income $500
First $200 exempt - 200
New income amount $300
50% deduction is applied - 150
Net amount deducted $150
Employer pays you $500
OW after deductions ($500-$150) $600.
All income for the month: $1100

18. What is stopping us or slowing us down…
1. I do not understand the expectations
2. I do not know how to complete the activity
3. I am not able to complete the activity
4. I do not want to complete the activity.