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▪ There is documented evidence that the person was made aware of the specific participation requirement. ▪ There is documented evidence that the person was informed of the consequences for failing to meet the specific expectations. ▪ The expectations are realistic for the person to complete. ▪ At the point noncooperation is reported or discovered, the DCF Economic and Employment Services (EES) worker contacts DCF Prevention and Protection Services (PPS) to determine if there is any child welfare activity that might support good cause for the parent's failure to meet requirements. If good cause is not established, the EES supervisor reviews the case circumstances before the worker can take final action to apply the penalty.

Good Cause Criteria. An individual is deemed to have good cause for failure to meet work-related requirements if the individual presents the following verification: ▪ The person was exempt at the time of the failure. ▪ There was no bona fide offer of employment or training. ▪ The person was incapable of performing the work or training. ▪ The work or training was dangerous or hazardous according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards. ▪ The payment offered for employment was less than the federal minimum wage. ▪ Child care or adult day care for an incapacitated family member living in the home was necessary for an individual to participate, such care was not available, and the agency failed to provide such care. ▪ The total daily commuting time exceeded two hours or the community standard, whichever is longer, not including the transporting of a child to and from a child care facility. ▪ The failure occurred during the two-month postpartum period following pregnancy termination. ▪ The person was a victim of family violence whereby compliance with program requirements would increase risk of harm for the individual or children in the home; and/or ▪ The single custodial parent was unable to obtain needed child care for a child under six due to one or more of the following reasons: o Unavailability of appropriate child care within a reasonable distance from the individual’s home or work site. 1. Appropriate Child Care: A regulated facility that meets or exceeds minimum licensing and registration regulations. A non-regulated, legally exempt provider who has completed a Health and Safety Standards Check List CC-1631 and maintains a facility that meets or exceeds minimum standards. 2. Reasonable Distance: Total daily transport time to and from home to the child care provider does not exceed two hours or the community standard, whichever is longer.

o Unavailability or unsuitability of informal child care by a relative or under other arrangements; care for which DCF would not enter into a provider agreement, including a relative who is