Employment and Income Assistance Facts

Employment Income - Persons With Disabilities

Employment Income and Your Benefits

Part of your employment income is deducted from your monthly assistance benefits, but you may keep up to $200 of  your net monthly earnings plus 30% of your net monthly earnings over the first $200 if you have been enrolled at least one month.  The amount of earnings that you get to keep is called your “earnings exemption”.

People enrolled as persons with disabilities can get help with the following work-related expenses:

• Work Clothing: $23.90 per month if at least 80 hours worked; OR $11.95 per month if less than 80 hours worked.
• Work Transportation: The cost of a full monthly bus pass if at least 80 hours worked per month, OR one-half of the cost of a monthly bus pass if less than 80 hours worked per month.
• Child Care: Subsidized - You must pay the first $1 per day per child. Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) will allow you the expense of the extra cost, or $1 per day per child when calculating your benefits.
• Non-subsidized - This type of care is only to be used if you and your worker agree that this is the best child care choice. You must pay the first $1 per day per child, but EIA will allow the expense of the extra cost of $1 per day per child when calculating your benefits.

Getting the Right Benefits When Working

To make sure you get the right amount of assistance benefits you must:

1. Tell your worker:
   
   
   • where you work
   • what your job is
   • when you started
   • how many hours per week you will work
   • how much you will earn
   • cost of child care per day, if needed
2. An Income Declaration Statement will be mailed to you around the 7th of each month. Fill it out and attach to it your pay stubs and child care receipts after you get your last paycheque of the month.
3. Send your Income Declaration Statement to the address on the form (please see the "Telephone Income Reporting in Winnipeg" page if you live in Winnipeg).

When you tell your worker what you earn, your worker will calculate how much assistance you will get from EIA.

When you are enrolled with EIA, you have a budget on file that tells EIA what you need to meet your basic needs. EIA will give you money each month until your net earnings plus any other income you may get is higher than the limit set by your budget. Ask your worker to explain your budget to you.

PLEASE NOTE:

When you have employment income:

• You may not have to report your earnings each month if they are less than $200 per month;
• You may have to pay rent and utilities yourself instead of having EIA pay them directly;
• If your income is enough to meet your needs, you may no longer qualify for assistance.

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