If You Get a Job

Note: You must be a recipient of Income Assistance to take part in this program.

If you get a job

If you or your spouse are employed on a full or part-time basis, and you receive income assistance you can keep the first $250 of your earned net wages, plus you can keep additional earnings if your wages are higher than $250. The earnings you keep is called a wage exemption.

Your caseworker will increase your cheque by the amount you are eligible to receive for child care, transportation and other special needs first. Then your caseworker will deduct the net wages less, the wage exemption amount you get to keep, from your monthly payment. Net wages are the money that is left after the mandatory deductions are taken off your cheque by your employer.

Your caseworker will need to verify the hours of the employment by having you provide a letter of employment or other appropriate documentation (i.e. cheque stub), and may also require receipts for your child care and/or transportation costs.

What if I am working in a job that is considered supported employment?

Supported employment is part of a vocational or employment plan supported by staff of the Department and/or community partners, and which pays at least the provincial minimum wage per hour. People who are working in supported employment jobs might have disabilities that may limit their ability to ever be fully financially self-sufficient, but they are able to work in situations that are supportive and flexible.

If you or your spouse are in receipt of income assistance and your caseworker defines your job as supported employment, you will receive the employment related special needs you need as part of your basic entitlement. You will keep the first $350 earned each month, plus you can keep some additional earnings if your wages are higher than $350. The earnings you keep is called a wage exemption.

I'm attending a training program that provides me with a training allowance. What will happen to my income assistance?

If you or your spouse are in receipt of income assistance and are participating in an employability-related training program that provides a training allowance, you will keep the first $150 per month of that training allowance. Your caseworker can also provide the employment related special needs you will require to participate in the program.

Next steps

Talk to your caseworker about the wage exemptions and training allowances.