Employment/Termination of Employment

Full-time Employment

Persons who are fully employed are not eligible for General Assistance, regardless of the amount of money earned during the month. Fully employed persons include those persons working or in paid training and unavailable for full-time employment.

Self-employed

Self-employed persons (e.g., salesmen, musicians, entertainers, handicraft workers) are considered fully employed, regardless of the number of hours worked. Which means, if they work only one or two hours in a day, in a week, in a month they are still considered fully employed.

If income is less than the GA Maximum Basic Need Rate, the self-employed applicant may be eligible for GA, if they terminate that type of work and are available to meet all other program requirements. The applicant must provide a sworn statement that she/he intends to terminate such efforts and to report any subsequent income. Which means, if their income is less than GA Maximum Basic Need Rate to meet one of the eligibility factors they have to terminate that type of work, be available for employment and fulfill all the Vocational Services job requirements.

Client signs a “General Affidavit” (SCD 101) that he/she intends to terminate such efforts (or Self employment).

No sanction shall be applied for termination of self-employment.

Temporary Employment

Temporary employment on a regular basis does not make a person fully employed.

If the income is less than the GA Maximum Basic Need Rate, the applicant may terminate such employment, unless it does not interfere with applicable program requirements. No sanction shall be applied for termination of temporary employment.

If temporary employment is to continue, the income must be anticipated each month.

Temporary Layoff

Temporary layoff from a regular full-time job because of bad weather does not terminate full-time employment. The person remains fully employed and, therefore, not eligible for GA. Exceptions may be approved by the GA Program Manager.

Strikers

Strikers are considered fully employed (as are those who refuse to cross picket lines in support of a strike) unless the strike has been found to be a violation of an applicable Health and Safety law or there is a lockout on the part of the employer. Strikers include individuals and family members.

Contract Employees

Contract employees are persons who are paid an annual salary to provide services which render them without employment at various intervals in the year. They are not eligible to receive GA benefits. These persons may include, but are not limited to, teachers, farm contractors, consultants.

Involuntary Termination

If the applicant was involuntarily terminated from employment within 6 months prior to application, the Intake EW shall send an SCD 549 to the former employer. If the termination was within 30 days of the application, action on the application must be withheld for at least 10 working days pending the return of the SCD 549 from the former employer. The applicant shall not be referred to Vocational Services until all eligibility factors have been cleared.

Voluntary Termination

An applicant who voluntarily terminates employment without good cause shall be ineligible for aid for 30 days from the date of termination. Persons who cause their own termination for cause will be deemed to have voluntarily quit their job.

EWs are responsible for determining if an applicant/recipient had good cause for voluntarily terminating employment. Refer to Availability for Employment for specific information.