This article is written to warn you about a common situation that our clients experience with social assistance.
Please note that the example shown below is for informational purposes only. If you have a social assistance claim or are under investigation, it is important to be assisted by a lawyer to preserve your rights against the Ministry.
Ms. Microban and Mr. Apple were roommates from 2010 to 2013. Their relationship developed over the years and they began a romantic relationship in 2013. At that time, Ms. Microban told social assistance that she had a spouse, who had been her roommate since 2010. The social assistance officer immediately closed Ms. Microban’s file on the grounds that it was up to her spouse to support herself, since Mr. Apple was working.
Then, the agent sends the file to investigation, suspecting that Mrs. Microban and Mr. Apple have always been in a relationship. Thus, Ms Microban received social assistance without right by making a false declaration, having an undeclared spouse since 2010. The file is put in the stack of files awaiting processing by an investigator.
Finally, the case was assigned to an investigator in 2014. When the investigator investigates neighbors, Facebook, insurance companies, as well as schools and hospitals, it is indicated everywhere that Mrs. Microban and Mr. Apple are a couple.
Mrs. Microbien and Mr. Apple receive a joint and several claim for false declaration in the amount of tens of thousands of dollars. They do not understand the situation, since they say they have always respected the Law and not be in a romantic relationship before 2013.
As you have just noted, it is very easy for the Ministry to demonstrate that Mr. and Mrs. are a couple, since in fact at the time of the investigation, they are a couple.
The moral of this story is that it is dangerous to fall in love with your roommate when you are on social assistance.
Do not hesitate to contact our office if you have a claim from social assistance. Our firm has extensive expertise in challenging decisions of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Solidarity (MTESS), especially in matters of marital life.
Don’t forget to follow our weekly legal capsules on various legal topics on our Facebook page!