DEFINITION OF DISABILITY

“Any person having any persistent (long-lasting) physical, mental, psychiatric, sensory or learning impairment who considers themselves to be, or that an employer would consider them to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of an impairment.” (Government of Canada’s Employment Equity Act)

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• Self-declare to have a disability.
• Be between 18 and 65 years of age.
• Be unemployed or underemployed.
• Be legally entitled to work in Canada.
• Not on Employment Insurance (EI) or Reachback Status.
  (Reachback indicates any individual who has received EI benefits within the past 36 months, in the event of Maternity and/or Parental benefits, within the past 60 months).

OUR PROCESS

1. You may apply for Link Up programs and services through one of the following routes: telephone/TTY or walking in (click here for Link Up contact information).
   
   
2. You will then attend one of Link Up’s frequently scheduled Orientation sessions for a detailed overview of all of our Employment services. When you attend, you should bring your resume (if available), your social insurance number, and if you are being referred by another agency, you should also bring a completed Action Plan from that agency.
   
   
3. Following this information session, you will be scheduled to meet with a Link Up Consultant for a Common Assessment interview. At this interview, your service needs will be determined, and if you are deemed eligible for our services, an employment Action Plan will be drawn up and you will be assigned to an Employment Consultant. If you are deemed ineligible, you will then be referred to another more appropriate agency.
   
   
4. For eligible persons, the next step will be to meet with your assigned Employment Consultant to review your Action Plan and to begin taking the first steps toward the goals identified in this plan.