VOLUNTARY QUIT

A. No individual who quit his or her most recent job without good cause or reduces work effort and, after the reduction, is working less than thirty (30) hours each week, without good cause, or earning less than the federal minimum wage multiplied by thirty (30) hours, shall be eligible for participation in SNAP. At the time of application, the eligibility technician shall explain to the applicant the potential penalties if a household member quits his or her job or reduced hours or wages without good cause or if another member joins the household if that individual has voluntarily quit employment. B. When a household files an application, or when a participating household reports the loss of a source of income or reduction in hours, the local office shall determine whether any household member voluntarily quit or reduced his or her hours or income. Benefits shall not be delayed pending the outcome of this determination. A sanction shall be imposed if the quit or reduction in hours or wages occurred within sixty (60) calendar days prior to the date of application or anytime thereafter, and the quit or reduction was without good cause. An employee of the federal government, or of a state or local government who participates in a strike against such government and is dismissed from his or her job because of participation in the strike, shall be considered to have voluntarily quit his or her job without good cause. If an individual quits a job, secures new employment at comparable wages or hours, and, through no fault of his or her own loses the new job, the earlier quit shall not be a basis for disqualification. C. In the case of an applicant household, the local office shall determine whether any currently unemployed household member who is required to register for work or was exempt from registration for being employed has voluntarily quit his or her most recent job within the last sixty

(60) days. If the local office learns that a household has lost a source of income after the date of application but before the household is certified, the local office shall determine whether a voluntary quit occurred. The nonexempt individual who quit or reduced work hours will be ineligible to participate for the sanction period if the household is determined eligible for SNAP. The individual will be required to comply with EF following the sanction period unless the individual becomes exempt from work requirements. D. In the case of the participating household, the local office shall determine whether any household member voluntarily quit his or her job while participating in the Program. If a household is already participating when a quit that occurred prior to certification is discovered, the household shall be regarded as a participating household. E. Upon a determination that the individual voluntarily quit employment, reduced work hours below thirty (30) hours, or reduced wages to the point at which the person is earning less than the federal minimum wage multiplied by thirty (30) hours, the local office shall determine if the voluntary quit was with good cause. If an individual voluntarily quits or reduces work hours/wages without good cause, the individual will be disqualified in the same manner as individuals failing to comply with work registration or EF requirements. F. If the local office determines that the individual voluntarily quit his or her job or reduced his or her work hours without good cause while participating in SNAP, the local office shall provide the household with a Notice of Adverse Action within ten (10) calendar days after the determination of a voluntary quit is made. The notice shall contain the act of noncompliance, the proposed period of disqualification, the action to be taken at the end of the disqualification and shall specify that the individual may be included in the household after the disqualification period if the individual meets other work requirements. G. Individuals have the right to a fair hearing to appeal a disqualification due to a determination that the individual quit his or her job without good cause or reduced his or her work hours without good cause. If a participating household requests a fair hearing and the local office determination is upheld, the disqualification period shall begin the first of the month after the hearing decision is rendered.