2. Learn about when earnings exemptions start
Beware of scams
People have been getting phone calls with a pre-recorded message telling them their Ontario Works account has been deleted.
This is a scam to trick you into sharing your personal information. If you get a call like that, hang up the phone. You can report these calls to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
Question & Answer
Can I work and get OW at the same time?The Ontario Works (OW) rules about apply only after you've been getting for 3 months in a row.
During your first 3 months getting financial assistance from OW, they reduce the amount they give you by the entire you make at your job each month. This is called the “3-month rule”.
This 3-month rule applies if:
- you go on OW while you're working, or
- you get a job during the first 3 months that you're on OW.
So, during the first 3 months, if you have net earnings of $100, OW reduces the amount they give you by $100.
After the first 3 months, earnings exemptions apply and you can earn some money without OW reducing what they give you by the full amount that you earn.
If you’ve been on social assistance in the past
Earnings exemptions might apply right away if you've been on OW or the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) in the past.
But this happens only if all 3 of the following apply to you:
- You were on OW or ODSP for at least 3 months in a row before going off.
- You were making money from a job or training program when you went off OW or ODSP.
- You apply to go back on OW within 6 months from the date you went off.
The 3 months can include time that you're in an institution, like a shelter, if you get financial assistance from OW during that time.
