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ESA SNAP Policy Manual 68 ESA must seek clarification or verification (if applicable) from the household if the information received significantly conflicts with the details provided during the household’s last certification action (e.g. initial certification, mid-certification or recertification). This indicates that ESA has reason to believe the household’s circumstances at the time of the previous certification differ from what was originally reported. Follow notice procedures in Sections 15.6, Unclear Information, and 16.5, Request for Contact. For changes discovered through a source that does not meet any of the above criteria (other than the household), the information must be noted in the case file. ESA must pursue clarification or verification of this information during the household’s next certification action (i.e. mid-certification or recertification). For changes received during the certification period from federally required data matches, see Section 5.11.3, Data Matches, and Chapter 6, Data Matches. 5.14 Verification Required at Mid-Certification Changes reported on the mid-certification form by the household are subject to the following verification:  Earned income changes must be verified if one of the following criteria is met: − The source of income (e.g. place of employment) has changed. − The monthly amount has changed by more than the current threshold for reporting changes in household income. • The threshold for reporting changes in household income may be adjusted each October. See Table 25.3.f, Threshold for Required Reporting of Changes in Household Income for Mid-Certification Report, for the current threshold. − Note: The Work Number must not be checked to verify a household’s reported change in income at mid-certification. Instead, verification of a reported change in income must be requested from the household.  Unearned income changes must be verified if one of the following criteria is met: − The monthly amount has changed by more than the current threshold for reporting changes in household income (see Table 25.3.f, Threshold for Required Reporting of Changes in Household Income for Mid-Certification Report, for the current threshold). − A new source of unearned income is reported. − Note: Before requesting verification from the household, check available data matches.

Legal Authority Verification of changes (federal): SNAP: 7 CFR § 273.2(f)(8)(ii); 7 CFR § 273.12(a)(5)(iii)(G), § 273.12(a)(5)(vi), § 273.12(c) Return