Report on Performance

Overview of Ministry Goals and Linkage to Government Strategic Goals

Over the course of the past year, the Ministry of Human Resources has worked toward achieving the following five goals that were detailed in our Service Plan 2004/05 – 2006/07. Collectively, they provide the strategic direction that guided all of our operations and directly support government's goal of a "supportive social fabric".

Report on Results

Overview

The Ministry of Human Resources set five goals and nine objectives for 2004/05. Fifteen performance measures were used to gauge how well the ministry met them. Results show that five performance measures exceeded targets, nine achieved targets and one did not achieve the established target.

The ministry's achievement in many of its targets is a demonstration that it is making progress in key areas. The decrease in the percentage of BC's population receiving income assistance — Measure 2.1 — demonstrates that the citizens of BC are becoming more economically independent and self-reliant. Fewer are relying on income assistance. The percentage of BC's population receiving disability assistance — Measure 2.2 — increased, indicating that that the ministry is focusing its resources to clients most in need.

Measure 5.3, which is the percentage of reconsideration decisions that are made within ten business days is the only measure that did not meet the target. Complex medical evidence is required to determine eligibility, often leading to delays which limited the ministry's ability to meet this service plan target.

Goal 1: Clients who are able to work become self-reliant through employment

Clients who leave income assistance for employment have higher incomes and a better sense of self-worth. Children whose parents work are more likely to complete high school, be actively involved in the labour market and less likely to receive income assistance as adults.

Performance Measures	Results
1.1 Percentage of BC's population aged 19-64 receiving temporary assistance with employment-related obligations.		Achieved
1.2 Percentage of clients with employment-related obligations who have an active employment plan.		Achieved
1.3 Percentage of Job Placement clients who remain independent of income assistance for at least six months.		Achieved

The ministry achieved all three targets for Goal 1.

Core Business Areas: Employment Programs, Temporary Assistance, Disability Assistance

Performance Measure and Results

Increasing the number of clients who find employment is a critical aspect of the ministry's mission. With some exceptions (for example, single-parents with children under three years of age), all temporary assistance clients have employment-related obligations.

In 2004/05, only 3.6 per cent of BC's population were receiving income assistance. This included working age clients with employment-related obligations, clients who are exempted from employment-related obligations, persons with disabilities, persons with persistent multiple barriers to employment and children in the home of a relative. The first group — working age clients with employment-related obligations shown in Measure 1.1 — stood at 1.2 per cent of the population age 19-64 in 2004/05. A lower percentage means a higher proportion of people are leaving income assistance.

Measure 1.1 shows a marked improvement from all previous years and has met the target for 2004/05. The improvement from last year was largely attributed to a robust economy in 2004/05, resulting in low unemployment and strong job creation. As well, the ministry's front line staff continued to monitor clients' progress and ensured that all options leading to employment were explored with clients.

Objective 1: Clients actively seek work as a condition of eligibility.

Strategies

1. Enquirers are required to undertake a three-week self-directed work search as a condition of eligibility.
2. Clients with employment-related obligations are required to complete and comply with employment plans as a condition of eligibility.

Employment plans are the foundation for ongoing dialogue and planning between ministry staff and clients. Developed collaboratively with the client, the employment plan outlines employment objectives for clients and identifies interventions, expected outcomes, and compliance requirements. It also facilitates performance management and accountability reporting. The process ensures that clients have access to the tools and supports they require to find employment and to become independent of income assistance.

Measure 1.2 reflects the importance of the employment plan as a tool to assist clients in moving towards independence. In 2003/04, the baseline for this measure was established. Higher percentages for this measure indicate success by the ministry in encouraging self-reliance and in assisting clients achieve independence.

The measure surpassed the target by 6.0 per cent due to concerted efforts by ministry staff to ensure that clients with employment-related obligations have an active employment plan.

Objective 2: Clients find employment through job placement services.

Strategies

1. Clients access job placement services which are performance-based.

The ministry offers job placement services to support clients in finding and keeping employment. Research indicates that the likelihood of returning to income assistance significantly decreases for clients who maintain financial independence for at least six months.

The Job Placement Program assists clients with support such as resume preparation, employment and personal counseling, and work search assistance. The program is delivered through contracted service providers. The payment to these contractors is determined by the number of clients in their program who achieve independence from income assistance. Each year, the ministry refers approximately 20,000 clients to the Job Placement program.

Measure 1.3 — percentage of Job Placement clients who remain independent of income assistance for at least six months — met the target range of 80 to 90 per cent. The target is set at a range to allow for fluctuations in local economies and for variations in readiness of those clients referred to the program.

Goal 2: Clients increase their independence through income assistance, employment and volunteer programs

To achieve this goal, the ministry provides financial assistance and a range of programs to persons with disabilities and persons with multiple barriers to employment to enhance their independence and fulfil their potential. The ministry offers services that support life-skill development or volunteer opportunities to increase their quality of life and employability. The ministry also has employment programs designed specifically to support persons with disabilities to find sustainable employment or enhance their participation in the community. Targets for all measures under Goal 2 were achieved.

Performance Measures	Results
2.1 Percentage of British Columbia's population receiving income assistance.		Exceeded
2.2 Percentage of total caseload receiving disability assistance.		Exceeded
2.3 Percentage of persons receiving disability assistance who declare earnings from working or volunteering.		Achieved
2.4 Percentage of persons with persistent multiple barriers who participate in a ministry program.		Achieved

Core Business Areas: Employment Programs, Temporary Assistance, Disability Assistance

Performance Measure and Results

Measure 2.1 is the percentage of BC's population receiving income assistance. Figure 1 shows the percentage has been declining since June 2001. This indicates a decreasing proportion of the provincial population is dependent on income assistance, particularly clients receiving temporary assistance.

Domestic activity continued to be the main economic driver in 2004. New business investments, record-breaking housing starts, strong consumer spending and other economic activities all provided a favourable external environment for the ministry to meet its target for Measure 2.1. An increase in service sector jobs, fueled by the strong economy, is another contributor to meeting the target for Measure 2.1.

The ministry's focus on programs that lead to employment and personal responsibility also contributed to the improvement of Measure 2.1.

The ministry is gaining greater understanding of the unique circumstances and challenges faced by clients receiving disability assistance. Initiatives by the Minister's Council on Employment for Persons with Disabilities in 2004/05, such as the Recruitment and Retention of Persons with Disabilities in BC Research Project , provided valuable insights into employers' perspectives on hiring persons with disabilities. Through these initiatives, the ministry is able to create more effective programs to raise awareness and provide supports to employers. Data shows that the target for Measure 2.2, which measures the proportion of caseload on disability assistance, was exceeded.

As the ministry succeeds in assisting clients to find and maintain employment, an increasing proportion of the caseload is made up of persons with disabilities. Some persons with disabilities are unable to work and others may only be able to work part-time or for part of the year. Figure 2, depicting Measure 2.2, shows that the percentage of the disability assistance caseload has not only surpassed the target for 2004/05, but also has been increasing since June 2001.

The steady increase demonstrates that the ministry has focused its resources on those most in need.

Objective 1: Persons with disabilities who seek work find employment and persons with disabilities who seek to volunteer are placed in volunteer positions.

Strategy

1. Employment services and related supports are provided to persons with disabilities to enhance their self-reliance.

Performance Measure and Results

Several on-going initiatives in 2004/05 continued to support persons with disabilities to engage in full or part-time employment or voluntary work. The ministry provided pre-employment services to these clients, including assistance in work search, job coaching, job placement, follow-up services, employment crisis services and assistance with starting their own businesses.

The key initiative in fulfilling this objective is the Employment Strategy for Persons with Disabilities introduced in 2002. The ministry is beginning to see success from this initiative, as demonstrated in the improvement in Measure 2.3. Not only was the target exceeded, the 2004/05 actual also out-performed the previous years' results. This measure tracks disability assistance clients who had either employment or volunteer income.

Volunteering is a valuable activity for many clients who are receiving disability assistance and unable to achieve independence through employment. Volunteer work may lead to employment, as it often provides valuable skills and experience. Volunteering is also an opportunity for clients to contribute to their communities, thereby enhancing their social participation and increasing their quality of life.

Earning exemptions allow persons with disabilities to keep a portion of their after-tax employment income, which encourages them to obtain part-time employment and improve their standard of living. The achievement of the target for this measure is in part due to an increase in the monthly earnings exemption from $300 to $400 in 2004/05.

Objective 2: The self-reliance of persons with persistent multiple barriers to employment is improved.

Strategy

1. Clients with persistent multiple barriers to employment participate in programs that enhance their employability.

Performance Measure and Results

Some ministry clients face significant barriers to achieving self-reliance through employment resulting from limited life-skills, minimal employment history, and low literacy levels. The ministry provides clients who have persistent multiple barriers to employment with services aimed at increasing their self-reliance by developing life skills and by providing pre-employment opportunities.

Measure 2.4 is a new measure that tracks the percentage of persons with persistent multiple barriers to employment who are served by ministry programs. The baseline was established in fiscal 2004/05. A higher percentage for this measure in the future indicates that clients are increasing their community involvement and enhancing their self-reliance.

Goal 3: Clients receive supplementary assistance for health, transportation and emergency needs

Performance Measure	Results
3.1 Percentage of clients receiving a service who are confirmed eligible for the service.		Achieved

The ministry provides a range of supplementary services designed to meet emergency and medical needs of clients and other British Columbians. These services include health assistance, emergency social services, bus passes, emergency shelters, travel assistance and user fees for continuing care and alcohol and drug facilities.

In fulfilling Goal 3, the ministry is careful that for every new or modified policy developed for supplementary assistance, it also builds the necessary tools to assist staff to determine eligibility. The only measure for Goal 3 achieved its target for 2004/05.

Core Business Areas: Supplementary Assistance

Objective 1: Ensure that only eligible individuals receive Supplementary Assistance.

Strategy

1. Respond to requests for supplementary assistance from eligible clients.

Performance Measure and Results

Results from Measure 3.1 indicate that all clients who received supplementary assistance were eligible. The ministry provides staff with the necessary tools to determine eligibility for supplementary assistance. These include policy and procedural directives on documentation that clients are required to provide. In some cases, forms are developed by the ministry specifically to confirm eligibility for the supplement.

The ministry is also committed to ensuring consistency and fairness in providing supplementary assistance. In doing so, staff are provided with comprehensive policy direction and procedural advice to determine eligibility. In turn, this enables them to assist clients in submitting adequate evidence to justify their request. When more complicated supplementary assistance is required, special request forms have been developed to solicit the necessary information. For example, a Medical Equipment Justification Form has been developed for clients requesting medical equipment. This form includes a recommendation from the client's physician, as well as results from functional assessments and equipment trials by an occupational therapist and/or physical therapist. These verifications are important in meeting the ministry's regulatory requirements.

Goal 4: Individuals have access to a fair and timely appeal process

Performance Measures	Results
4.1 Percentage of appeals processed from initial intake to final decisions within statutory timelines.		Achieved
4.2 Percentage of appeals heard within 15 business day statutory time limit.		Achieved

The BC Employment and Assistance appeal system provides unbiased, fair, timely and transparent decision-making for clients.

Clients have the right to request a reconsideration of ministry decisions. This is an internal ministry process (see Measure 5.3 for more information). If dissatisfied with a decision, a client may then appeal to the Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal.

The tribunal operates independently of the ministry under the authority of the Employment and Assistance Act and administers the appeal process through a central office based in Victoria. It is composed of a full-time tribunal chair and one or more part-time vice-chairs appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, approximately 250 regionally-based panel members appointed by the Minister, and 13 staff. Targets for both performance measures to monitor Goal 4 were achieved.

Core Business Areas: Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal

Objective 1: Decisions are made on appeals and parties notified within the statutory timelines.

Strategies

1. The processing of appeals, including timeliness, is monitored and the rules of procedure are amended as required to maximize efficiency of the process.
2. Effective administrative support is provided to the hearing panels.

Performance Measure and Results

The tribunal is required by statute and regulation to process appeals according to various timelines. Measure 4.1 tracks the tribunal's success in meeting these timelines. A higher percentage indicates success in meeting all timelines and delivering timely decisions. Measure 4.2 tracks the percentage of appeals heard within the 15 business day statutory time limit as set out in the Employment and Assistance Regulation and the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation.

The tribunal received 1,510 appeals in 2004/05, an increase of 24 per cent from last fiscal year. Despite the increase, the tribunal processed all appeals and brought them to a final decision within statutory timelines.

Goal 5: The ministry operates effectively, responsively and accountably

Performance Measures	Results
5.1 Percentage of clients using electronic fund transfers.		Exceeded
5.2 Comprehensive strategic risk profile completed.		Achieved
5.3 Percentage of reconsideration decisions that are made within ten business days.		Missed
5.4 Percentage of employees with a performance and development plan.		Exceeded
5.5 Percentage of employees with a personal learning plan.		Exceeded

Core Business Areas: Executive and Support Services

Objective 1: Service delivery is streamlined and effective.

Strategies

1. Technology-based options for ministry operations are implemented.
2. Performance improvement initiatives are implemented.
3. Risks that could affect the ministry's ability to fulfil its goals are identified, evaluated and managed.

To operate effectively and efficiently, the ministry requires a workforce that is well trained and motivated, uses technology to facilitate work processes and effectively manages risks.

Performance Measure and Results

Four of the performance measures under this goal have either met or exceeded targets.

Electronic fund transfers is an efficient way to provide income assistance to clients. It offers many advantages such as reduced costs and delivery of payments through a verified process. Both clients and the ministry also consider electronic fund transfers as more efficient and effective than issuing paper cheques.

Measure 5.1 shows that the proportion of clients using Electronic Fund Transfer has increased each year since 2002/03. It also demonstrates that the ministry had been successful at using technology-based options to provide streamlined and effective service.

Each ministry, under the direction of the Deputy Minister, is responsible for:

• Establishing a risk management process that is clearly defined, documented and fully integrated with other strategic and operational processes;
• Developing and implementing risk management plans as part of its service plan, programs and operations; and
• Continuously applying risk management practices in decision-making, including proper accountability, evaluation, performance monitoring and reporting, and improvement of planning and practices.

Each ministry must develop and maintain the culture, processes and accountability structures that facilitate comprehensive risk identification of all strategic, program or operational risks. The Deputy Minister and Executive must also undertake a risk analysis of the ministry at a strategic level on an annual basis.

In 2004/05, the Strategic Risk Profile was completed, thereby achieving the target for Measure 5.2. In 2005/06, under the direction of the ministry's new Risk and Audit Committee, the Strategic Risk Profile is being revisited. The resultant Strategic Risk and Opportunities Profile will be updated regularly to ensure it meets the needs of the ministry in a timely manner. It will also be used to assist in the implementation of Enterprise-Wide Risk Management across the ministry.

Objective 2 : Reconsideration issues are efficiently resolved.

Strategy

1. Meet regulatory requirements for reconsideration.

Performance Measure and Results

Clients have the right to request a reconsideration of ministry decisions. This is an internal ministry process — "second look" — that is separate from the external appeal process. Clients can apply to Reconsideration Adjudicators to review the ministry's decision. If dissatisfied with this decision, a client may appeal to the Employment and Assistance Appeal Tribunal.

Measure 5.3 reflects the ministry's desire to provide timely and efficient service to clients. A higher percentage for this measure indicates the ministry is more effective at meeting regulatory requirements and providing timely and efficient service to clients. A baseline was established in 2003/04 and the targets for subsequent years call for a steady increase in this measure.

The reconsideration decisions which exceeded ten business days were generally decisions that involved complex medical concerns. Reviewing eligibility for health-related supplements and persons with disability designation requires detailed examination of medical evidence, sometimes delaying the decison.

While the ministry did not achieve its target for the entire fiscal year, it continues to review the process to provide more timely reconsideration decisions. In the last quarter of 2004/05 (January to March 2005), 88.5 per cent of all reconsiderations were completed within ten business days.

Objective 3: The ministry is a responsive and motivating employer.

Strategy

1. Employee performance, planning and development reviews support ministry goals and objectives, and career endeavours.

Performance Measure and Results

Performance and development plans and personal learning plans are tools designed to assist employees towards greater employee performance and satisfaction. A performance and development plan sets out the commitments of the employee and the employer to ensure success on the job and fulfillment of career plans. A personal learning plan sets out the employee's goals for development and the efforts that will be made by the employee and the employer to support success.

Measure 5.4 tracks the proportion of ministry employees with a performance and development plan and Measure 5.5 tracks those with a personal learning plan. Targets for both measures were achieved in 2004/05 - an indication that the ministry is closer to meeting its objective of being an employer that is responsive and motivates.

Deregulation

The ministry has exceeded the objective of a one-third reduction in regulatory requirement, announced in the British Columbia Government Strategic Plan 2002/03 – 2004/05, by reducing requirements by 34.3 per cent. The legislative framework for British Columbia's income assistance system is now simpler and more understandable.

While the ministry will continue to monitor the Acts/Regulations for change and possible further reduction, no significant additional regulatory requirements are anticipated.