Self-isolation Support Program Regulations, E-13.1 Reg 14

1 SELF-ISOLATION SUPPORT PROGRAM E-13.1 REG 14 The Self-isolation Support Program Regulations being Chapter E-13.1 Reg 14 (effective April 1, 2020) as amended by Saskatchewan Regulations 22/2021. NOTE: This consolidation is not official. Amendments have been incorporated for convenience of reference and the original statutes and regulations should be consulted for all purposes of interpretation and application of the law. In order to preserve the integrity of the original statutes and regulations, errors that may have appeared are reproduced in this consolidation. 2 E-13.1 REG 14 SELF-ISOLATION SUPPORT PROGRAM Table of Contents 1 Title 7 Amount of financial assistance 2 Definitions 8 Audit 3 Program established 9 Overpayment 4 Application and eligibility 10 Immunity 5 Time limit for submitting applications 10.1 Provision of records 6 Approval 11 Coming into force 3 SELF-ISOLATION SUPPORT PROGRAM E-13.1 REG 14 CHAPTER E-13.1 REG 14 The Executive Government Administration Act Title 1 These regulations may be cited as The Self-isolation Support Program Regulations. Definitions 2 In these regulations: “applicant” means an employee or self-employed person who applies for financial assistance pursuant to these regulations; “employee” means an employee within the meaning of Part II of The Saskatchewan Employment Act; “minister” means the member of the Executive Council to whom for the time being The Financial Administration Act, 1993 is assigned; “participant” means an applicant whose application has been approved by the minister pursuant to section 6; “record” includes any document or information that is recorded or stored in any medium or by means of any device, including a computer and its hard drive or any electronic media; “self‑employed person” means a self‑employed person as defined in Part III of The Saskatchewan Employment Act. 9 Apr 2020 c E-13.1 Reg 14 s2. Program established 3 The Self‑isolation Support Program is established to provide financial assistance to employees and self-employed persons who are not eligible for direct support being provided as part of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan or other similar support programs. 9 Apr 2020 c E-13.1 Reg 14 s3. Application and eligibility 4(1) An applicant for financial assistance pursuant to these regulations must apply to the minister in a form and manner satisfactory to the minister. (2) An application pursuant to subsection (1) must include evidence satisfactory to the minister that: (a) subject to subsection (3), the applicant has self-isolated during the period commencing March 11, 2020 as a result of any of the following: (i) the applicant contracted COVID-19 or is showing symptoms of COVID‑19; (ii) the applicant has been in contact with an individual who contracted COVID‑19; or (iii) the applicant recently returned from international travel; 4 E-13.1 REG 14 SELF-ISOLATION SUPPORT PROGRAM (b) the applicant: (i) is not eligible for compensation in the form of employee benefits, including sick leave and vacation leave; (ii) does not have private insurance coverage for the type of disruption caused by a serious public health threat as defined in The Public Health Act, 1994; and (iii) is not covered or eligible for benefits related to lost income in accordance with the Employment Insurance Act (Canada), as supplemented by supports being delivered as part of the Government of Canada’s COVID‑19 Economic Response Plan; and (c) the applicant suffered a loss of income as a result of having to self-isolate. (3) The minister may consider the application of an applicant who self-isolated for any reason set out in clause (2)(a) during a period that commenced before March 11, 2020 if the minister is satisfied that, as a result of extenuating circumstances, the applicant reasonably determined that it was necessary to self-isolate during that other period. 9 Apr 2020 c E-13.1 Reg 14 s4. Time limit for submitting applications 5(1) Subject to subsection (2), an application must be received by the minister on or before June 30, 2020. (2) The minister may consider an application received after June 30, 2020 if the minister is satisfied that extenuating circumstances made it unreasonable or impossible for the application to have been received by June 30, 2020. 9 Apr 2020 c E-13.1 Reg 14 s5. Approval 6(1) If the minister receives an application pursuant to section 4 and is satisfied that the application is complete, that the applicant meets the criteria set out in these regulations and that it is appropriate to do so, the minister may approve the application. (2) If the minister approves an application pursuant to subsection (1), the minister may provide financial assistance to the participant. 9 Apr 2020 c E-13.1 Reg 14 s6. Amount of financial assistance 7(1) Subject, to subsection (2), the amount of financial assistance that the minister may provide to a participant is the amount the minister considers necessary to pay for the participant’s loss of income as a result of the participant’s self-isolation, to a maximum of $450 per week for a maximum period of 2 weeks. 5 SELF-ISOLATION SUPPORT PROGRAM E-13.1 REG 14 (2) If the minister is satisfied that a participant will suffer serious financial hardship as a result of the ongoing serious public health threat caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister may do all or any of the following: (a) adjust the maximum dollar amount mentioned in subsection (1) not to exceed $1,800 per week; (b) adjust the maximum period mentioned in subsection (1) not to exceed 4 weeks. 9 Apr 2020 c E-13.1 Reg 14 s7. Audit 8 Every participant who receives financial assistance pursuant to these regulations shall provide, at the minister’s request and within the period specified by the minister, any information or record that the minister may require to audit the participant’s financial affairs. 9 Apr 2020 c E-13.1 Reg 14 s8. Overpayment 9(1) The minister may declare all or any part of a payment made to an applicant pursuant to these regulations to be an overpayment if, in the opinion of the minister: (a) the applicant has knowingly made a false or misleading statement with respect to a material fact on any form or in any information or record provided to the minister pursuant to these regulations; (b) the applicant has omitted to make a statement or to provide any information or record to the minister pursuant to these regulations that results in a statement with respect to a material fact being misleading; or (c) the applicant has failed to comply with these regulations. (2) If the minister declares a payment to be an overpayment, the amount of the overpayment is deemed to be a debt due and owing to the Crown in right of Saskatchewan and may be recovered from the applicant in any manner authorized pursuant to The Financial Administration Act, 1993 or in any other manner authorized by law. 9 Apr 2020 c E-13.1 Reg 14 s9. Immunity 10(1) No action or proceeding lies or shall be commenced against the Government of Saskatchewan, the minister, the ministry or any officer or employee of the ministry or administrator or agent of the minister, if that person is acting pursuant to the authority of these regulations, for anything in good faith done, caused, permitted or authorized to be done, attempted to be done or omitted to be done, by that person or by any of those persons pursuant to or in the exercise or supposed exercise of any power conferred by these regulations or in the carrying out or supposed carrying out of any duty imposed by these regulations. 6 E-13.1 REG 14 SELF-ISOLATION SUPPORT PROGRAM (2) The decisions or actions of any of the persons mentioned in subsection (1) are final and conclusive and are not reviewable by any court of law or restrained by any injunction, prohibition, mandamus, certiorari or other proceeding whatsoever. 9 Apr 2020 c E-13.1 Reg 14 s10. Provision of records 10.1(1) If the minister receives a request from any person for information pertaining to the Self-isolation Support Program and considers it appropriate and in the public interest to do so, the minister may, on any terms that the minister considers appropriate, provide the following information to that person: (a) the total number of applications that have been approved; (b) a summary of the reasons for self-isolation with respect to the approved applications. (2) Information respecting the names of individual applicants is not to be disclosed. 19 Mar 2021 SR 22/2021 s2. Coming into force 11 These regulations come into force on the day on which they are filed with the Registrar of Regulations. 9 Apr 2020 c E-13.1 Reg 14 s11. REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN Printed by the authority of THE QUEEN’S PRINTER Copyright©2021