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Title 7: SNAP Page 20 Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Employees’ Manual Chapter A: Administration Responsibilities of the Department Revised June 20, 2025 Personnel Exceptions: Volunteers and other nonmerit employees can conduct certification interviews or certify applicants for USDA-declared disaster victims. Also, see 7-B, Joint Application Process for SSI Households. Only authorized employees of the Department, and federal employees involved in the administration of the program are permitted access to issuance documents. Hours of Operation Legal reference: 7 CFR 272.4(f) The Department is responsible for determining the hours that SNAP offices are open. Adjust them if needed to ensure that working participants can be adequately served. Volunteers Legal reference: 7 CFR 272.4(a)(2) Counties are encouraged to use volunteers in activities such as prescreening, assisting applicants in the application and certification process, and securing needed verification. Volunteers are not permitted access to issuance documents. Individuals and organizations that are parties to a strike or lockout, and their facilities, cannot be used in the certification process, except as a source of verification for information supplied by the applicant. Records and Reports Legal reference: 7 CFR 272.1(e), (f) The SNAP office must keep records and submit reports and other information as required by FNS. Certification records must be available for review or audit by FNS or by the Department for a period of three years from the month of origin of the record. In addition:  All fiscal records and accountable documents must be held for three years from the date of closure.  Documents which support the establishment of the claim, including calculations and supporting documentation, must be retained for three years after the claim is paid off.