5.13. Cancellation/Refusal of Assignment

POLICY

Authority OW Act: Sec. 7(1), 7(2), 7(3), 13, 16(1), 19(2) & OW Directives:  5.2

Where an applicant or participant is expecting or has received income that was due or owing for a period of time that assistance was or will be issued, and would have been included as income under Ontario Works, the applicant or participant is required to complete a written agreement to reimburse to the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB. 

Any agreement to reimburse or assignment once completed is irrevocable. If a person refuses to complete an agreement to reimburse or an assignment they shall be ineligible for assistance.

Every time a Case Manager completes an assignment, a copy must be filed in the electronic filing system. Case Managers must input a task in the social assistance computer system for 3 months to follow up if the assignment has been paid. If the assignment has not been paid, Case Managers should follow up with clients to determine why the assignment was not honoured.

Where assignments are not honoured or reimbursement is not received, an overpayment is established.

If a third party or person acting on behalf of a benefit unit member fails to deduct and remit money to the delivery agent, the benefit unit member remains eligible for assistance. However, if money is received that has been assigned and is not repaid to the delivery agent, an overpayment is established.

When payment is received by the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB finance department from any external source (i.e. WSIB, CPP, EI, OSAP, etc.) A copy of the payment is sent to the Administrative Assistant who then posts it to the client’s file in the social assistance computer system.

PROCEDURE

Note: All Support Assignments/Directions must be cancelled when a file is terminated or transferred to another Ontario Works office 

• Failure to cancel an assignment would mean that all support payments made to FRO would continue to be directed to the MSDSB instead of going to the participant, in which case the participant must be reimbursed. 
• It is strongly recommended that the participant establish Direct Bank Deposit for the Family Responsibility Office prior to the Assignment/Direction being cancelled.
   

Cross Reference: Section 5.8. Assignments Overview.
Cross Reference: Section 5.9. Family Support.Assignments