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CATEGORIES OF VENDOR VIOLATIONS OF ALABAMA WIC PROGRAM SANCTION SCHEDULE Program violations are separated into categories by the seriousness of the violation. Each category lists the period of disqualification or fine for the violations and specifies whether warnings are given. Civil money penalties may be imposed in lieu of disqualification in cases where the Department determines that disqualification shall result in inadequate participant access. Vendor may be subject without warning to sanctions, including fines, disqualifications, and civil money penalties in lieu of disqualification, in accordance with Department’s sanction schedule.

For Category I through Category IV, the vendor will receive a monetary penalty or disqualification for a second or subsequent offense that occurs within two years of the notice of the first violation.

Category VIII MANDATORY PERMANENT DISQUALIFICATION 1. Convicted of trafficking in food instruments, cash-value vouchers, or eWIC cards or selling firearms, ammunition, explosives, or controlled substances as defined in Section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802) in exchange for food instruments, cash-value vouchers, or eWIC cards.

2. Permanent disqualification from SNAP.

Category VII MANDATORY DISQUALIFICATION FOR SIX YEARS

1. One incidence of buying or selling one or more food instruments, cash-value vouchers, or eWIC cards for cash (trafficking). 2. One incidence of selling firearms, ammunition, explosives, or controlled substances as defined in 21 U.S.C. 802, in exchange for one or more food instruments, cash-value vouchers, or eWIC cards. Category VI MANDATORY DISQUALIFICATION FOR THREE YEARS

1. One incidence of the sale of alcohol or alcoholic beverages or tobacco products in exchange for one or more food instruments, cash-value vouchers, or eWIC cards.

2. *A pattern of claiming reimbursement for the sale of an amount of a specific WIC food item that exceeds the vendor’s documented inventory of that WIC food item for a specific period of time.

3. **A pattern of vendor overcharges.