Paying for training/license to get a Job with own money = allowable expense?

[EA]

Has anyone had experience in paying for training or a license where
the goal is employment?

I need help with this to explain to someone

Scenario to discuss:

Person on ODSP uses credit card (own resources) to pay for truck
driver training. $5000.00
Immediately upon licensing, ODSP client gets a job.
ODSP client can work slip seating part time and earns $10,000.00 in
the first year
can the client pay off the credit loan of $5000.00 before income
deductions are calculated?
(otherwise - because if they cannot they cannot afford to work that
first year)

My director could not give me an answer to this question

-consider the allowance of repaying student loans
-consider the allowance of repaying legal fees to obtain resources or
income (5.1)
-consider the obligation to pursue (in many policy sections) any
income
- consider the license is required by law in Ontario (5.3 - loose
translation Employment earnings or income from training is reduced by
the following: deductions required by law or by the terms of
employment;)
consider - as an alternative approach - it is your business plan to be
and owner operator...
and also consider in this vein - you will need someone to drive the
truck some of the time because your disability limits you amount of
time you can drive right now.

consider - Also - Has anyone had experience repaying osap after
getting a job



Some related policy notes:
-5.11 - Post-Secondary Education - The portion of a personal loan,
student or trainee grant or award approved by the Director for
training or post-secondary education costs is exempt as income and
assets, so long as the person is attending or will be attending the
program or training for which the loan was taken or the payment was
intended. -
repeated The portion of a personal loan, student or trainee grant or
award for training or education costs is exempt as income and assets,
so long as the person is attending the program or training for which
the loan was taken or the payment was intended. In addition, a
recipient is required to apply the funds to education costs or
training within a reasonable period of time.
5.10 the same -
it seems to say if you take out a loan for training it wont count as
income when you get the money -
but it does not specify if you can repay that loan is that an
allowable expense or deductin from income calculations?

5.4 - self employment - Licenses and Required Fees for Membership in a
Trade: including the costs of vendor licenses, building permits, and
memberships in trade (e.g., plumbing, graphic artists), or commercial
associations. Note: Club memberships for personal or recreational use,
are not allowable expenses.
- Business Loans: The basic principle is that loan repayments,
including principal and interest can be allowed as an approved
expense. However, goods and services that are purchased with money
received from business loans cannot be deducted as approved expenses
as the loan repayments have already been approved as an expense.
-Credit Card Charges and Interest: Recipients may use a credit card to
pay for approved business expenses. The credit card charges and
interest may be allowed as an approved expense. Recipients should not
use their personal credit card for business purchases as these may be
difficult to verify and will not be allowed as a business expense.



5.4 ( This is non approved except the note at the end )- - -Wages Paid
to Members of the Benefit Unit or Other Employees: including payroll
expenses (e.g. income tax, EI, CPP, Workplace Safety and Insurance
Benefits) are not approved as business expenses even if the recipient
deems these expenses as necessary. Note: This does not include payment
made to an individual who is hired due to the disability related needs
of the recipient.

Payments made by a recipient to dependent children are not an approved
business expense, but if paid to a dependent child are not charged as
income to the benefit unit.

[justice4odsp]

Believe it or not, I've been given this answer too... from my MPP's
office. If I understood her correctly, it's a discretionary fund that
you can apply for through the OW office.

I was not interested in becoming a truck driver, but when my MPP's
office was trying to give an example of a discretionary fund, she used
the truck driving example. If you live in Amherstview, apparently they
will cover this by the way. Kingston doesn't cover truck driving or the
discretionary funds to replace a wheelchair - and the MPP's office
shockingly told me this with a straight face. It's easy to understand,
she said.

I'll stop my incredulous rant and move on to some more [hopefully]
helpful information.

In doing a Google search, I found this. It's a summary of everything
that people can get on ODSP or OW. The part you want is near the last
page. Here is the link:
http://www.settlement.org/downloads/atwork/ODSP&OW_Benefits_Extras.pdf

I also took a few minutes to look for the OW Directive about the
discretionary benefit. I didn't have time to read it all. I think this
is it:
http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/directives/directives/OWDirectives/7_4_OW_Directives.aspx

If it's not, here's the link to the index page of directives:
http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/social/directives/ow_Policy_Directives.aspx

If there's not enough coverage, then I'm not sure how to answer the rest
of your questions. The impression I got from my MPP's office is that
the full license can be covered.

justice4odsp

[Cynthia Philip]

I'll stop my incredulous rant and move on to some more [hopefully] helpful information.

In doing a Google search, I found this. It's a summary of everything that people can get on ODSP or OW. The part you want is near the last page. Here is the link: http://www.settlement.org/downloads/atwork/ODSP&OW_Benefits_Extras.pdf

justice4odsp

 

 

Going through this link, there are a lot of points that are out of date.

For example, guide/service dogs get $73/month, not $64

 

There is no school/winter clothing allowance

Need to double check anything that is on this site before disputing an issue that you found here.

Cynthia        

[erekale...@gmail.com]

Thanks for the effort - what party was your mpp at the time...

After reading it I realize that it is something I may hav eto get an
advocate to assist me with some clout...

Or I will get the wrong answer

-----Original Message-----
From: odspfi...@googlegroups.com [mailto:odspfi...@googlegroups.com]
On Behalf Of justice4odsp
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2011 5:50 PM
To: odspfi...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [odspfireside: 39072 ] Paying for training/license to get a Job
with own money = allowable expense?

Believe it or not, I've been given this answer too... from my MPP's
office. If I understood her correctly, it's a discretionary fund that
you can apply for through the OW office.

I was not interested in becoming a truck driver, but when my MPP's
office was trying to give an example of a discretionary fund, she used
the truck driving example. If you live in Amherstview, apparently they
will cover this by the way. Kingston doesn't cover truck driving or the

;;;

[justice4odsp]

You definitely need the advocate. The MPP, by the way was a Liberal.
He's still the representative for Kingston. He's not the problem. The
office worker is, but try getting past her to talk directly to your MPP.

I've tried it. The office worker insists on being in the meeting when
you meet with your MPP and then, if you say something she disagrees
with, she will speak up and more or less counter everything we say.

justice4odsp