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Title 7: SNAP Page 35 Iowa Department of Health and Human Services Employees’ Manual Chapter C: Nonfinancial Eligibility Work Registration Revised September 27, 2024 Disqualification for MWR Work Violations If you receive verification that a person committed a voluntary quit or reduction in work effort after the person has already been certified for SNAP benefits, apply the appropriate disqualification period. Do not do a claim for the SNAP benefits the person received before the disqualification was imposed. Send the household a notice denying the person’s benefits and informing the household of:  The type of violation, voluntary quit or reduction in work effort.  The length of disqualification period.  Its right to reapply at the end of the disqualification period.  Its right to request a fair hearing. Do not disqualify applicants or people certified for SNAP benefits who:  Become exempt from work registration before the disqualification period is imposed.  Were exempt from work registration when the work requirement violation happened, unless they were exempt only because of being employed at least 30 hours a week (or having equivalent earnings). Do not disqualify people who voluntarily quit or reduce work to less than 30 hours weekly while not certified for SNAP when they join a participating household. Disqualification Periods Legal reference: 7 CFR 273.7(f) Policy: Disqualification periods are the same for all violations of work requirements. The length of disqualification to apply depends on how many times an MWR has failed to comply with one of the requirements. Procedure: A disqualification period is set for a minimum number of months for the first and each subsequent violation. However, the minimum disqualification period is extended at the end of the set period of months until the person complies with the requirement that was failed. The disqualification periods are:  For the first violation: 2 months or until the person complies, whichever is later.  For the second violation: 3 months or until the person complies, whichever is later.  For the third and subsequent violations: 6 months or until the person complies, whichever is later. See Ending a Disqualification for how a disqualified person can become eligible for SNAP benefits after a disqualification period has been implemented.