Child Support in the Wake of COVID-19: Banaszek Family Law explains your legal rights and obligations

In the wake of COVID-19, the financial stability of many Canadian parents is threatened. More than 3 million Canadians have applied for jobless benefits and emergency income aid with the federal government since mid-March. In the midst of all the financial uncertainty, many parents are wondering what their legal obligations are to pay child support pursuant to a Court Order which was made in a more favorable economic climate.

Banaszek Family Law explains the paying parent’s obligations during this challenging time and the rights of the recipient parent who relies on support to ensure the children’s needs are met:

Varying child support during the COVID-19 pandemic

Among Canadians, Albertans are overwhelmingly experiencing the negative financial effects resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak. At the beginning of April 2020, Calgary’s unemployment rate was the highest in the country. Alberta’s energy sector is especially impacted as a result of COVID-19 and the oil price war, dimming the prospects of global oil demand. Oil prices have taken the biggest plunge in decades, creating further uncertainty and financial stress. This stress is spilling over into financial obligations, like child and/or spousal support payments for many Albertans.

The Federal Child Support Guidelines make it very clear that children should benefit from the income of both parents. When parents lose their jobs or their income is reduced, their ability to continue paying child support at a previously Court-ordered or agreed to amount is no longer financially feasible.

Under regular circumstances (pre-COVID-19), when a parent experiences a loss of income, they are responsible for obtaining a new judgment (a Variation Order) from the Court before the Maintenance Enforcement Program of Alberta (MEP) will change the amount they collect.

If you would like to learn more about child support and the role of the Maintenance Enforcement Program, read our blog post here: The Basics of Child Support.

A variation in child support or spousal support is permitted under the Family Law Act (Alberta - provincial legislation) and the Divorce Act (Canada - federal legislation). The Court may consider changing a child support Order if there was a change in circumstances experienced since the previous Order was made. These circumstances include a change in any of the following:

• the number of children who are dependent on the parties;

• employment that results in a long-term change in income;

• special or extraordinary Section 7 expenses incurred for the children; and

• the access costs for visits between the parties and their children.

The Court may also consider the payor’s ability to make the current payments, or other factors based on legislation the Order was made under.

Note: If the parties entered into a separation agreement, the agreement may limit how and when a variation may occur. Provide your separation agreement to your lawyer at the initial consultation so that they may review it and provide you with accurate legal advice.

MEP’s role during the pandemic

Without a Variation Order, MEP will continue to enforce the Court Order currently registered with them. MEP does not have the same jurisdiction to make changes to child support as the Court. With access to the Courts being reduced during this time, the ability to bring a claim to vary support promptly is impacted.

MEP recognizes the hardship experienced by many payor parents as a result of COVID-19 and reduced access to the Courts. The Law Society of Alberta has recently released the following statement:

The Maintenance Enforcement Program (MEP) recognises COVID-19 may impact a payors’ ability to meet their court ordered child support obligations. Similarly, it is recognised recipients are also impacted by COVID-19, and still have monthly obligations for the child(ren). Therefore payors making no payment is not an option.

To assist payors, the MEP will offer a temporary payment arrangement for less than the ordered amount or a temporary decrease in their current payment arrangement. This applies to payors contacting MEP looking for assistance during the pandemic due to loss of income as a result of COVID-19 diagnosis, self-isolation, loss of job (or reduced hours) or impact of childcare/school closure. Assistance to these payors will be temporary, and it is the responsibility of these payors to keep in touch with MEP month-to-month.

If you have experienced a change to your financial situation as a result of COVID-19, you should contacted your MEP case officer immediately to arrange for a payment plan and receive further information. Banaszek Family Law assists clients requiring legal support during this time. We can assist you with negotiating a new child support order or agreement, or setting up an interim payment plan with MEP to assist you financially until the Courts reopen or your economic situation changes.

Banaszek Family Law is here for you

If you require independent legal advice with respect to your family law and/or divorce matter, contact Banaszek Family Law to schedule a telephone consultation with Adrianna Banaszek, HERE. We are pleased to continue offering a discounted rate during May 2020 for telephone consultations.

Banaszek Family Law is here to assist you with your child support matter during this unprecedented time●

Follow Banaszek Family Law on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for more updates on how COVID-19 is impacting family law issues.

Co-Parenting During a Global Pandemic: Banaszek Family Law explains your legal rights and responsibilities

Parenting with an ex-partner can be an exhausting undertaking, fraught with stress if the parents do not communicate effectively or cooperate with each other. Co-parenting has become even more challenging for some since the outbreak of COVID-19. Canadian courts are weighing the potential threat of COVID-19 compromising a child’s health against depriving access to both parents.

Banaszek Family Law explains your custody rights and responsibilities during this time when tensions are high and access to the Courts is limited:

Can parenting time be restricted because of COVID-19?

Most Canadians are practicing social distancing to do their part to flatten the curve and contain the virus’ spread, leading some parents to wonder if it is "safe” or appropriate to share custody during this time. We are turning to health authorities and the Courts to understand what parenting rights and responsibilities are during this unprecedented time.

Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, has clarified that the current social distancing restrictions do not mean that “parents or children would need to choose which household they stay in” and restrict parenting time as a result. Dr. Hinshaw has also stated that parents should do their best to contain the number of people their families are in contact with.

Courts across Canada are being flooded with urgent parenting disputes and deciding whether the introduction of harm caused by COVID-19 contact or spread to the children is an element worthy of breaching a parenting arrangement.

In a recent BC parenting dispute heard by the Provincial Court, the father restricted the mother’s parenting time because she is a health care worker who treated a patient diagnosed with COVID-19. The father also continued to work on site projects for his demolition company with some restrictions. The Judge found that parenting time should be reinstated for the mother as she mitigated her risk of contracting COVID-19 and the risk is not escalated to the point that the child should be deprived of parenting time with her.

The Judge based his decision on what is in the best interests of the child during the pandemic and weighed the following relevant factors in coming to the decision:

• Whether the child is at an elevated risk of suffering the more severe consequences of the virus;

• Whether either party, or those in their household are at an elevated risk of suffering the more severe consequences of the virus;

• Each party’s exposure to the risk of contracting the virus;

• Steps taken by each party to mitigate the risk of exposure;

• All of the relevant factors listed in the BC Family Law Act, including:

  • The child’s health and emotional well-being;

  • The child’s views, where appropriate (depending on age and maturity);

  • The child’s relationship with each parent;

  • The history of the child’s care;

  • The child’s need for stability, given his age and stage of development;

  • Each parent’s ability to exercise his or her parental responsibilities;

  • The ability of each party to cooperate in parenting the child; and

  • In the larger context, society’s need to maintain and access resources in the community, including health care and other ventures that provide services and income for families in a safe manner over an extended period of time.

Can I litigate my parenting matter during the pandemic?

Access to the Alberta Courts is being restricted in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench and the Provincial Court of Alberta is only hearing urgent or emergency matters until further notice.

Emergency matters are being classified as matters of the highest priority, requiring immediate attention. The Alberta Courts consider emergency matters as ones in which serious consequences to persons or harm to property may arise if the hearing does not proceed, or if there is a risk of loss of jurisdiction or expiration of an existing protection or restraining order. For family law matters, these include:

• Orders where there is a risk of violence or immediate harm to one of the parties or a child;

• Orders where there is a risk of removal of a child from the jurisdiction; and

• Emergency Protection Order reviews.

If you believe that you are being denied parenting time unreasonably or if you believe that your children are at risk of contracting COVID-19 due to the parenting arrangement in place, contact Banaszek Family Law to set up an initial telephone consultation today by completing the online intake form. Upon submitting a consultation request, you will be contacted to schedule your initial consultation promptly.

Before an urgent matter is heard by the Court, the party claiming urgency must provide specific evidence or examples of parental behaviour that creates a level of urgency. The responding party must also assure the Court that the concern is unwarranted. There is an onus on both parents to act responsibility and attempt to problem-solve before initiating urgent court proceedings.

In a recent Ontario family decision, the mother in a joint custody arrangement applied to have the court hear her application on an urgent basis to deny the father access to the child because of the threat of COVID-19. This application was denied by the Judge, finding that it was not of an urgent nature.

Justice Pazaratz found that vague concerns about the other parent not exercising social distancing did not meet the high test of urgency.  He found that parents “…should not presume that the existence of the COVID-19 crisis will automatically result in a suspension of in-person parenting time.”  This case is currently the leading Ontario case on urgency for custody and access issues during the pandemic and sets a precedent which judges across the country will consider.

Banaszek Family Law is here for you

As we experience an unprecedented global shift as a result of the novel coronavirus, the legal landscape is changing and adapting. The legal counsel you retain should understand the impact this state of emergency has on your legal rights and obligations as a parent.

Banaszek Family Law continues to operate during this time with measures in place to protect our community. To ensure that we are doing our part to flatten the curve, we are practicing social distancing and all client meetings are taking place over the phone or by video conference.

At an initial consultation with Banaszek Family Law, you will receive independent legal advice to decide whether your custody dispute qualifies as urgent enough to litigate during this time. If your matter requires immediate resolution but it is not urgent enough to be heard by the Courts in Alberta, there are other dispute resolution options which may be employed.

If you require independent legal advice with respect to your family law and/or divorce matter, contact Banaszek Family Law to schedule a telephone consultation with Adrianna Banaszek, HERE. We are pleased to offer a discounted rate during April 2020 for telephone consultations.

Banaszek Family Law is here to assist you with your parenting matter during this unprecedented time ●

Follow Banaszek Family Law on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for more updates on how COVID-19 is impacting family law issues.

Happy Anniversary: Banaszek Family Law turns ONE

Banaszek Family Law is celebrating ONE YEAR of resolving family law and divorce matters for clients throughout Alberta! We are proud to announce this momentous milestone, reflect on the past year and look toward the future as Banaszek Family Law continues to grow.

A message from Adrianna Banaszek, Founder of Banaszek Family Law

I opened Banaszek Family Law in Calgary’s downtown core a year ago with a focus on providing quality, client-centered family law services to my clients, while recognizing that they often seek my representation during the most overwhelming time in their lives. Banaszek Family Law is fueled by my passion to help clients find peace of mind, my understanding that legal services must adapt to client needs, and my focus on seeking out creative and efficient conflict resolution options.

I owe a great deal of my success to the supportive Calgary community. Our City is a fabulous place for dreamers, entrepreneurs, students, nature enthusiasts and families. I am thankful for the support I have received to turn my dream into a business I am proud to call my own. I could not imagine a better city to build a client-centered firm and call home.

Thank you for all of your support in our first year of business, and as we continue to build a strong foundation to assist more Albertan families with their legal needs.

Looking toward the future

In Year Two, Banaszek Family Law is excited to announce that more alternative dispute resolution options will be added to the roster of legal services offered. We are always looking for new ways to provide ‘family law services that fit your needs’, including alternatives to full legal representation. Banaszek Family Law currently offers legal representation for most family law matters, including child and spousal support, child custody and access matters, matrimonial and family property division, fertility law, separation and divorce.

Along with full representation, we offer legal coaching and unbundled legal services for self-represented litigants, flat rates for uncontested matters, and independent legal advice. We are a specialized firm, prepared to tackle your legal matters.

Banaszek Family Law is here to assist you as we grow ●

Follow Banaszek Family Law on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn for all of your family law information and updates on our growth in Year Two!