New policies and practice directions

Over the past few months here at the Social Security Tribunal (SST), we’ve published several new policies and practice directions that explain how we work and what people can expect when they appeal to the SST. We accomplished this with input from stakeholders as part of our commitment to user-centred design.

New policies include:

• Use of artificial intelligence (AI): Outlines how we use AI to support the appeal process and confirms that members never use AI to make their decisions
• Case file retention and disposition: Says that we keep General Division (GD) and Appeal Division (AD) case files for 10 years after they’re closed

New practice directions include:

• Use of AI: Guides parties on how they can use AI in appeals at the SST
• Procedure when making a Charter challenge: Sets out the process a party has to follow if they believe that a law violates their rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• Appealing interlocutory decisions to the Appeal Division: Outlines how the Appeal Division handles appeals of interlocutory decisions (decisions made during the appeal process, instead of at the end of it)
• Starting or continuing an appeal on behalf of a deceased person: Explains how to start or continue an appeal on behalf of a deceased person
• Setting aside a withdrawal: Explains how an appellant can ask the SST to set aside (reverse) a withdrawal they made earlier and how the SST deals with these requests

See all our policies and practice directions on our website.