Re: Will OSDP know if I leave the country for more than 30 days?

[William]

On Thursday, February 27, 2014 3:45:34 PM UTC-5, Calisto wrote:

I have the opportunity to go to Asia for 3 months with my father, he would cover it. I know they wouldn't approve it, because I wouldn't be travelling for any health reasons or anything like that. 

I really want to go with him! but i'm afraid to lose my ODSP, because I rely on it. :( Has anyone here had success with leaving the country un-noticed for more than 30 days? 

I haven't spoken to my ODSP worker in years, I haven't had to meet up with anyone there for a long time, I don't know if anyone would even notice me leaving.

[Peter J]

Just have someone mail in your monthly statements, it shouldn't be a problem. Have someone keep the paperwork going, they shouldn't notice otherwise.

[jbkeh]

You do understand that you are asking people to confess to defrauding the government? Doubt there will be anyone that will.

 

There is always the chance that some reason can crop up that requires ODSP to phone or send a letter and you are not there to respond. (Not to mention anyone with a grudge that might report you.)

 

IF you father is really ready to "cover it", can he "cover" your rent/utilities for the three months and pay for health insurance? In that case,  just tell your worker the truth and let them suspend you. If they suspend you for all three months, then none of what your father gives you (food and shelter during the trip) is "income" and does not impact your "gift allowance". If they only suspend you for the second and third month, then whatever they deem your father "covers" in the first month will be deducted as "income" and deplete your "gift allowance" (if there is insufficient "gift allowance", the remainder would be deducted as "income").

 

Consider working with your worker rather than trying to "beat the system".

On Thursday, February 27, 2014 3:45:34 PM UTC-5, Calisto wrote:

      

Has anyone here had success with leaving the country un-noticed for more than 30 days?

... I don't know if anyone would even notice me leaving.

[Peter J]

Yes, I'd really follow jbkeh's advice here. I flipped off a quick answer without really thinking it through, and on second thought and jbkeh's good advice, I'd say never try to get away with fraud. It's not worth it and it's just plain wrong. Jbkeh nailed it here.

On Friday, February 28, 2014 10:20:21 AM UTC-5, jbkeh wrote:

You do understand that you are asking people to confess to defrauding the government? Doubt there will be anyone that will

 ...

[abrowne]

Calisto, they will remove your benefits after thirty days unless the leave is for

medical or educational/vocational reasons, which has to be documented of course.

Just to visit somebody, don't think so.

Angela

On Thursday, February 27, 2014 4:27:02 PM, Calisto <k4i...@hotmail.com> wrote:

I have the opportunity to go to Asia for 3 months with my father, he would cover it. I know they wouldn't approve it, because I wouldn't be travelling for any health reasons or anything like that. 

I really want to go with him! but i'm afraid to lose my ODSP, because I rely on it. :( Has anyone here had success with leaving the country un-noticed for more than 30 days? 

I haven't spoken to my ODSP worker in years, I haven't had to meet up with anyone there for a long time, I don't know if anyone would even notice me leaving.

--
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ODSP Fireside" group.
To change email delivery, nickname or unsubscribe from this group visit:
 
Http://groups.google.ca/group/odspfireside/subscribe?hl=en
 
To post to this group via email, send email to odspfi...@googlegroups.com

[Judy Bowen]

If u come back what's the problem!

Sent from my iPhone

--

[Judy Bowen]

I went away for 30 days to Montreal 

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 28, 2014, at 5:49 PM, Peter J <peter.j...@gmail.com> wrote:

--

[Gail Benshabat]

A recipient of O.D.S.P. who is absent from Ontario for more than 30 days will NOT be eligible for income support.  See the link below.

http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/documents/en/mcss/social/directives/odsp/income_Support/2_4.pdf

You will be subject to the same scrutiny as any other person receiving support from the government. Your travel will be noted the minute you're at the airport; your passport will be scanned. Your bank account will show through any transactions taking place overseas.  To ignore any of this would be to knowingly commit criminal fraud.  Plain and simple.  Think about the 3 months in sunny Asia (all expenses covered I suppose) Is it really worth a very strong possibility of being caught?  I'd stay on the side of the law if I were you.  Ignorance is not bliss if you find out you're cut off from O.D.S.P. 

Just saying it's not worth it.

[Gail Benshabat]

Re: Recipient of O.D.S.P. - out of country for more than 30 days - Didn't mention that if you're out of the country for more than 30 days, there are 3 exceptions:

1.  health reasons (which would have to be verified by your G.P.)

2.  attendance at a post secondary institution (you'd have to provide proof of registration)

3.  in exceptional circumstances

[Bill Higgs]

I dont believe the original post was serious, smacks too much of someone playing games.

They claimed to not have had contact or been contacted by their worker in years.

Many of us are contacted frquently and regualraly for update reviews, if some are lucky enough to never have reviews then there is something very wrong with the ODSP system., Makes me feel like I am being singled out and targetted by my office!!!!!

No one that thinks would ask such a question on an open forum,  gee I just came across 2 pounds of crack, do any of you guys know where I can sell it?????  LOL

all expense paid 90 day asian trip, I am sure many on this group, ODSP workers and certainly Joe Taxpayer would take offense to this,  while claiming that she really needs ODSP?????

 

Sorry but the original question is too ludicrous to be taken seriously in my books

 

Bill

[Peter J]

Note that in leaving Ontario for greater than 30 days doesn't get you kicked off ODSP permanently, provided you notify your worker beforehand, you just won't get any funds while you're gone. You'll be reinstated when you return. Provided you can cover the rent and any other incidental home expenses, through savings or your father, you should be good to go.

The issue seems to have gotten a bit overwrought. You WILL be reinstated on ODSP upon your return. Talk to your worker.

[Ron Payne]

On 2 March 2014 09:53, Gail Benshabat <gbgree...@gmail.com> wrote:

Re: Recipient of O.D.S.P. - out of country for more than 30 days - Didn't mention that if you're out of the country for more than 30 days, there are 3 exceptions:

1.  health reasons (which would have to be verified by your G.P.)

2.  attendance at a post secondary institution (you'd have to provide proof of registration)

3.  in exceptional circumstances

 Good job Gail...

Now who in this group can explain the different kinds of exceptional circumstances?

If one was to get sick on day 20 of the trip and couldn't come home and had a document from a doctor in that country....

[Ron Payne]

On 2 March 2014 12:40, Bill Higgs <bill...@xplornet.com> wrote:

No one that thinks would ask such a question on an open forum,  gee I just came across 2 pounds of crack, do any of you guys know where I can sell it?????  LOL

Rob Ford...

[Bloggy.Deb]

Hi sorry for delay in posting, I agree with Bill et. al. This doesn’t pass the sniff test for me. There is more holes in the story than Swiss cheese.  I find it hard to believe that  person is going for that long a time away from Canada. How did they expect to keep OHIP, or was that going to be covered by the benefactor.

The only disagreement I have is in relation to contact from ODSP, all the time my son lived in Toronto, he never had a C/W, not even a desk or phone number to follow up with, it was only after he died did they FINALLY send him (ha haafterall the y KNEW he was passed away) to let him know the contact info on his “new” C/W.  Needless to say ODSP received a rather to the point letter from me.

D

--

[Peter J]

I don't know about that. People do travel internationally. I spent six months in Great Britain when I was younger and just travelled the country. Like anyone who leaves the country you have to arrange for your own health insurance coverage. I'd say if you have the opportunity to travel this world then take it when you can. I think this person is very fortunate to have this now. Talk your worker and find out what it takes to make it happen and good luck to you!

[Alex]

Bill I have only been reviewed once since being on ODSP. I have been a reciepant since ODSP was created. However I have worked several times for significant amount of times and have reported my income at those tines. All that happened was I stopped receiving a check, but continued with my drug card. So perhaps the reason I have only been contact once is because of the self reporting

[Peter J]

Yup. In spite of so much negativity I read about ODSP it's always been more than helpful for me in terms of work and travel. I'm on ODSP and that won't be taken away, but I've worked and travelled and had my funding stopped when I earned too much or spent too much time out of province, but as long as I was up front with my worker about my circumstances there was never an issue. It's a safety net that society has provided me for and I'm so grateful it's there.

[Bill Higgs]

I have come to belive a lot depends on the office you are with, and if you
happen to get a worker who was just recently hired and not yet in the union,
then they go on a mission, to prove their worth, after they get in the
union, they get complacent and do as little as possible to maintain their
job

Bill

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alex" <alexjoh...@gmail.com>
To: <odspfi...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2014 3:05 PM
Subject: Re: [odspfireside: 51898 ] Re: Will OSDP know if I leave the
country for more than 30 days?

[Peter J]

Any proof of that, Bill? 

[Bill Higgs]

I have no proof of it, but how else can one explain how some people are treated with kindness and helpfullness, and no reviews while other ohters are hounded and treated like crap???

And before you claim that I bring it on myslef, I never contact ODSP, nor my worker and ask them for nothing. And I can tell you when I do have to talk/see I treat them with utmost respect, because I am smart enough to know making waves, can create problems.

 

Bill

 

----- Original Message -----

From: Peter J

To: odspfi...@googlegroups.com

[Justice4odsp]

Peter,

I got a new worker about 8 months ago, so I can now say a similar thing about my experience on ODSP. With the old worker I couldn't. My former worker was cutting off my cheque repeatedly because it took too long to get copies of the bi-weekly pay statements. Long story that has to do with electronic pay statements, not having the pass code to get into the payroll program to print them myself, and delays with snail mail or an ability to book the Access Bus to do the necessary running around to deliver the statements to them on time.

I offered to give my worker a full accounting of each pay cheque using one of the other alternatives named in the Directives, but she wouldn't. Even when I asked her to stop cutting off my cheque and accommodate me, as Directive 3.1 (under the heading "Suspension of Income Support"), says she must, but she never did.

The previous worker also goofed when recalculating the cost of my monthly medical supplies, cut it back by 40% and clawed back almost $2,000 over a period of 2 years.

In the Internal Review it was explained that the cutback was due to the fact they could only give me book value instead of the actual value of supplies. 

A few weeks ago the new worker told me the problem was nothing of the sort. The other worker accidentally cut the amount of my supplies to half of what was written on the MSN form. She either didn't see it when she did the Internal Review, or she chose to ignore it. Either way, the amount entered into the computer and I am out the $2,000. The must frustrating thing of all is, the law states that ODSP doesn't even have to pay me back.  


With the new worker, I have NONE OF THE HASSLES I had with the old worker. It is such a relief.

I share this story only to illustrate why some people are negative, and some people are more positive, about their experiences on ODSP. 

For those who are interested, here's what Directive 3.1 says about when a worker can LEGALLY Suspend Income Support. Perhaps this knowledge might be helpful to those who complain about being unnecessarily suspended.

Directive 3.1

Suspension of Income Support

Where required information and documentation continue to be outstanding without reason, income support may be suspended. Suspension of a recipient’s income support may only be imposed after all of the following conditions are met:

- the information and/or documentation requested is essential for the determination of eligibility or the accuracy of the entitlement; and
- the recipient has been given notice of what information and/or required documentation is outstanding; and
- the information and/or documentation is within the ability and power of the recipient to obtain.

Persons with disabilities may require additional time to obtain or access the necessary information required to verify eligibility for ODSP. Wherever possible, requests for additional time to obtain information should be granted. A test of reasonableness should be applied to determine the amount of additional time allowed to obtain the necessary information.

Where a recipient encounters barriers to obtaining the required documentation or is required to pay to get documentation and is unable to cover the costs, alternate methods of verification should be explored. Alternate methods could include obtaining the information directly from the source using the Consent to Disclose and Verify Information Form.

If a recipient whose income support has been suspended has made reasonable efforts to obtain the necessary information/documentation, he/she has met eligibility requirements and income support should be released.

justice4odsp

[Peter J]

Great justice. This is terrific information. You're really opening my eyes here. Thank you.

[Canadienne]

Personally, if it was me, I would try to come up with a way to manage going while also reporting my absence to my ODSP caseworker.  A chance like that is once in a lifetime!

[Rob S]

i have never heard of an issue for leaving for more than 30 days

On Sun, Apr 13, 2014 at 11:56 AM, Canadienne <silken...@gmail.com> wrote:

Personally, if it was me, I would try to come up with a way to manage going while also reporting my absence to my ODSP caseworker.  A chance like that is once in a lifetime!

--

[Lorene]

I just recently heard this story last weekend from my cousin. She was talking to a friend who just came back from Texas after being stuck there for 2 years. He was on ODSP when he went to Texas. He never notified ODSP that he left the province.

Few weeks later, he had his passport stolen. He couldn't get another easily for reasons I don't know. I guess it took 2 years before he got another passport. When he came back to Ontario.

ODSP already found out that he went to Texas. They told him he had to repay all the money back 2 years worth of payments. I have no idea if he is on ODSP right now. I meant to ask and was not thinking at the time. By the way, this friend is deaf.

Lorene