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Voluntary Employability Plan

Last updated on October 1, 2024

Overview

The Voluntary Employability Plan (VEP) is a planning tool designed for those BC Employment and Assistance recipients who have no employability-related obligations.  The VEP enables ministry staff and recipients to define clear employability- or independence-related objectives and activities, such as participation in programs and services, that recipients agree to follow to move towards employment, increased employability, or increased self-reliance, commensurate with their ability.  The VEP enables recipients’ progress and outcomes to be tracked.

The VEP, as a consensual agreement, is a positive tool in advancing the ministry’s goals of:

  • assisting recipients to achieve their economic and social potential
  • providing employment and assistance to those recipients most in need
  • moving recipients toward sustainable employment 

Policy

 

Voluntary Employability Plan

Effective: September 1, 2024

The Voluntary Employability Plan (VEP) is a planning tool for recipients with no employability-related obligations who are participating in ministry programs and services. [For more information on recipients with no employability-related obligations, see Related Links – No Employability-related Obligations.]

The VEP outlines the activities that recipients with no employability-related obligations agree to follow. These activities will assist participating recipients to prepare for employment or to increase their employability and self-reliance, commensurate with their ability.

The VEP is a consensual agreement between the ministry and recipients; sanctions do not apply if a recipient is not able to follow through with the activities identified on the VEP.  If a recipient is not able to follow through with the VEP, the ministry may discontinue the VEP until the recipient’s circumstances change.

Recipients with no employability-related obligations are not required to have an Employability Plan (EP). Ministry staff determine whether recipients with no employability-related obligations should have a VEP based on their:

  • willingness and motivation to enter into an agreement
  • estimated ability to benefit from and use indicated services

If recipients with employability-related obligations experience changes in circumstance and subsequently do not have employability-related obligations for a period of time that exceeds three months, they may have a VEP to document prior ministry approval to participate in a program. Ministry staff close the EP before opening a VEP, as a VEP cannot be opened if an active EP exists.  

If a recipient with no employability -related obligations self-refers to WorkBC Employment Services (ES) and is accepted for case management, a VEP is not required.  These recipients will sign a WorkBC ES Action Plan with the service provider instead.

Upon reaching the end date of the period of having no employability-related obligations, recipients with a VEP are required to enter into an EP, and are subject to its terms and conditions. [For more information, see Related Links – Employability Plan.]

In exceptional circumstances, the VEP may also be used with recipients who have employability-related obligations, but are not currently required to have an EP, as determined by ministerial discretion. Recipients receiving hardship assistance who are not required to have an EP based on ministerial discretion must have a VEP in order to access non-WorkBC ES, as applicable.

Authorities and Responsibilities

 

Responsibilities

Effective: April 2, 2012

Ministry staff are responsible for:

  • developing Voluntary Employability Plan (VEP) activities with recipients

WorkBC is responsible for:

  • reporting information on recipients’ outcomes to ministry staff, and informing the ministry of any change in recipients’ financial circumstances that may affect  BCEA eligibility

Recipients are responsible for:

  • participating in the activities documented in their VEP within the specified time frame and to the best of their ability
  • providing a copy of their VEP to Service Providers, as required

 

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