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Delaware’s TANF State Plan 10-1-2017 to 9-30-2020
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2. Self-sufficiency requirements of the CMR are employment and training, work-related activities, and ensuring school attendance requirements for dependent children under age 16. a. The sanction for non-compliance with work-related activity requirements is, subject to adequate and timely notice, closure of the case due to imposition of an immediate full- family sanction. b. Recipients, whose cases closed for failure to participate, must participate in work related activities for four consecutive weeks at the required hours per week for their case to be re- opened. Payments are not retroactive. c. Households that have received a full family sanction must lose at least one month of cash assistance prior to the sanction being lifted. d. The penalty for individuals who quit their jobs without good cause is an immediate full family sanction. The sanction will last at least one month. Recipients must participate in work related activities for four consecutive weeks at the required number of hours per week for their grant to be re-opened. Payments are not retroactive. e. For dependent children under the age of 16: if the child does not maintain satisfactory school attendance, an initial $50 sanction is imposed. The sanction will increase by $50 every month until there is compliance. The sanction is not imposed if the parent of the child is working with school officials or other agencies to remediate the situation. 3. Teen responsibility requirements for dependent teens 16 and older include maintaining satisfactory school attendance or participation in alternative activities, such as training or employment. The sanction for non-compliance with these requirements is the removal of the teen from the TANF grant. The teen is removed from the TANF grant for at least one month. To cure the sanction, the teen must participate in employment and training activities under the supervision of an Employment Connections program for four consecutive weeks, return to school, or work full-time.
Failing to comply with both the enhanced family functioning and self- sufficiency requirements will result in combined penalties. For example, both a $50 reduction and a full family sanction could be assessed for failures to comply in two areas. Demonstrated compliance will not excuse penalties for the period of noncompliance. Sanctions will be imposed for the full period of noncompliance.