WorkBC Employment Services

Effective: January 11, 2021

The ministry will identify employment-obligated clients for formal referral to WorkBC Employment Services (ES).  These clients will be scheduled for a WorkBC ES employment needs assessment to confirm the need for WorkBC ES case management and determine client employment and service needs. Clients may not be referred to WorkBC ES if they meet one of the ministry’s non-referral reasons.

Employment-obligated clients not identified for WorkBC ES referral are encouraged to access WorkBC’s self-serve services.

Clients with no employment obligations, who are seeking to become employed and who could benefit from employment services, are also encouraged to access employment services through their local WorkBC Centre.

If WorkBC identifies a BC Employment Assistance (BCEA) client with employment obligations who has not been formally referred by the ministry, and who would benefit from and wants to participate in WorkBC ES case management, WorkBC may request a formal WorkBC ES referral from the ministry.  WorkBC ES requested referrals should not be withheld unless the client is inappropriate for referral, based on the ministry’s non-referral reasons, or has outstanding obligations that should be completed under an existing Employment Plan (e.g., completion of a non-ministry program).

For self-referred clients who are accepted into WorkBC ES case management and have employment obligations, WorkBC will use a system service request to request a formal WorkBC ES referral and new Employment Plan (EP) from the ministry on behalf of the client. An EP is not required for self-referred, employment obligated clients who have been temporarily exempt from the requirement to enter into an EP. [See Related Links - Employment Plan – Access to WorkBC Employment Services (ES).]

Clients may be eligible for some WorkBC ES and supports in addition to WorkBC self-serve services without being case managed by WorkBC.  These may include financial or other supports, when needed for job search or for starting employment, e.g., short term certificate courses required as a condition of employment for a confirmed job.  [For more information on WorkBC ES financial supports for clients with confirmed job offers, see Related Links- Confirmed Job Supplement].

Effective: January 11, 2021

For most clients, their WorkBC Employment Services (ES) Action Plan will assist them in obtaining employment as quickly as possible. For some clients, achieving employment may be a long-term goal.  These clients can be supported to achieve community attachment when they are not yet ready or able to achieve employment.

When clients who are case managed by WorkBC ES obtain employment or self-employment, this information is communicated to the ministry through the system. Employment Plans must be updated or closed as the client’s circumstances change.

BC Employment and Assistance clients who are not employment obligated and who are not yet able to achieve employment can be supported in achieving community attachment.  Clients who achieve a community attachment outcome will also be encouraged to return to WorkBC ES as soon as they have achieved a higher level of employment readiness and are ready and able to work towards labour market attachment.​

Effective: January 11, 2021

At intake, applicants may be identified for formal referral to WorkBC Employment Services (ES) by the Integrated Case Management system (ICM).  For applicants who are not identified at intake by the system for formal referral to WorkBC ES, staff will create a non-WorkBC ES Employment Plan, and should encourage the applicant to access WorkBC ES’s self-serve services through their local WorkBC Centre.  The only exception to this is where the applicant is already being case managed by WorkBC ES; in this case, they should be given a WorkBC ES Employment Plan.

Existing clients may be referred to WorkBC ES when they meet one of the following criteria:

• the client’s existing Employment Plan (EP) has expired / is expiring;
• a client who was not formerly subject to employment obligations becomes Expected to Work; or
• the client is Expected to Work, but there is no EP on the case;
• the client initially met WorkBC ES non-referral criteria of “able to secure employment without support or has imminent employment pending,” but is still in need of income assistance after 6 months; or
• the client has had 6 months to resolve a short-term medical condition or other temporary barrier to participation, and is now ready for WorkBC ES referral;
• the client is a sole recipient with one or more dependent children or supported children, and is eligible to participate in the Single Parent Employment Initiative.

Effective: January 11, 2021

For all clients who are identified for formal referral to WorkBC ES, the Employment and Assistance Worker (EAW) will:

1. Assess whether the client meets any of the ministry’s non-referral reasons.
2. If the client is appropriate for referral, develop a WorkBC ES Employment Plan (EP) in the system.
3. Explain the client’s responsibilities for compliance with their EP.
4. Have the client sign the EP and place a copy on the client’s case.
5. Give a copy of the EP to the client.

Answer   Applicants with employment obligations will be identified for referral to WorkBC ES using the Assisted Eligibility tool in ICM.

Existing clients may be referred to WorkBC ES when:

• The client’s existing Employment Plan has expired / is expiring;
• A client who was not formerly subject to employment obligations becomes Expected To Work or Expected To Work – Medical Condition;
• A client is Expected to Work or Expected to Work – Medical Condition, but there is no EP on the case;
• The client initially met WorkBC ES non-referral criteria of “able to secure employment without support or has imminent employment pending,” but is still in need of income assistance after 6 months; or
• The client has had 6 months to resolve a short-term medical condition or other temporary barrier to participation, and is now ready for a WorkBC ES referral. 
• The client is a sole recipient with one or more dependent children, and is eligible to participate in the Single Parent Employment Initiative.

Formal referrals may also be requested by WorkBC for employment-obligated clients who are already accessing WorkBC self-serve services and could benefit from WorkBC ES case management.  These are currently the only two means of referral to WorkBC ES.

Clients who are not identified for formal referral to WorkBC ES should be encouraged to access their local WorkBC Centre to access their self-serve services.

Answer   Dual EPs are employment plans that include requirements for both an initial six month period of either ATI or SIWS, followed by a two-year WorkBC ES participation period.

Dual EPs allow staff to refer clients who appear capable of independent job search to SIWS for an initial six month period, followed by a referral to WorkBC ES if the client’s job search is not successful, without the need to create a new EP. 

Similarly, for clients with short-term medical conditions or other temporary barriers, Dual EPs allow an initial six month period for the client to recuperate or otherwise resolve their barriers, followed by a referral to WorkBC ES, without the need to create a new EP.

Answer   Clients that are not suitable for WorkBC ES, and will not be suitable for a WorkBC ES referral within 6 months, should be given an EP that does not include WorkBC ES.  If ATI or SIWS is the most appropriate EP type for the client, then the client should get an ATI-Only or SIWS-Only EP.  If another EP type, such as ASETS or Non-Ministry is the most appropriate for the client, then the client should get that EP type.

ATI-Only and SIWS-Only plans should be the exception.  Dual EPs should be the norm for clients who are not identified for immediate WorkBC ES referral or meet non-referral criteria of “able to secure employment without support or has imminent employment pending,” but who are otherwise suitable for WorkBC ES.

Answer   Another formal Program Referral is not required for clients when their WorkBC ES EP expires, if they are still working with WorkBC ES.  These clients may be given another WorkBC ES EP with the normal two-year EP term.

Answer   Clients may be re-referred to WorkBC ES if the reason for their non-acceptance has been resolved, or if the circumstances that led to their WorkBC ES case closure have changed.

Answer   Clients with no employment obligations are not formally referred to the WorkBC ES, however, PWD and PPMB clients who are seeking employment and would benefit from WorkBC services will be encouraged to access their local WorkBC Centre to access employment services.  These clients do not require a Voluntary Participation Plan (VPP) in order to participate in WorkBC ES.

Answer   No, clients with NEO are not required to have a VPP. WorkBC will work with the client to develop an Action Plan, which is sufficient for NEO clients.  Ministry staff may request a copy of the Action Plan from the client if required.

Answer   If a NEO client is enrolled by WorkBC ES into full-time training under the Single Parent Employment Initiative, an EP is required.

Answer   In such cases, if the client no longer requires WorkBC ES case management, WorkBC ES will:

• close the client’s WorkBC ES case using the closure reason Employment Not Achieved,
• notify the ministry through the system, and
• encourage these clients to continue using WorkBC self-serve services.

When a WorkBC ES case is closed because the client no longer needs WorkBC ES case management, a new employment plan is required.  Typically, the EAW would create a Dual EP for Supervised Independent Work Search and WorkBC ES (SIWS/WorkBC ES), and encourage the client to access WorkBC self-serve services.  This allows the client to job search for six months, followed by a re-referral to WorkBC ES if the client’s job search is not successful.  WorkBC ES can then re-assess the client to determine if they need further WorkBC ES.

Answer   WorkBC Case Managers will assess eligible clients to determine what services will be most effective for assisting the client to become employed. The Case Manager will review the client’s aptitude and background as well as the local job market – and determine which supports they need to find sustainable employment.

• Up to 2 years of funded training for in-demand jobs or a paid work experience placement;
• Transit costs to and from school, if required;
• Child-care costs during their training or work placement and in the first year of employment;
• Exemptions for bursaries, scholarships and grants for single parents in approved training programs.

Single parents who have been assessed as requiring training will be able to remain on income assistance while they attend the training program. They will be required to sign an updated employment plan outlining the details of the training.