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Louisiana LIHEAP Service Delivery Guide 37 | P a g e

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 If self-employment recently began, the tax return has not been filed, or it is after April 15th, the applicant must also complete the Self-Employment Self Certification Form (Appendix G) attesting to current monthly earnings and losses supported by the corresponding bank account statements.  If bank statements are not available, the client must submit documentation to support their earnings (invoices, receipts, etc.) and losses (business expenses).  Unless there is reason to doubt the Self Certification, the most current documentation will be used to calculate income.  Termination  If an applicant is recently employer terminated or laid off, do not consider the last check stubs in determining income. The applicant is considered to have zero income.  Documentation of employer termination/layoff must be provided by the applicant and must be retained in the file.  If the applicant is unable to provide documentation of employer termination/layoff, a Verification of Employment (VOE) form must be completed by the applicant’s previous employer. Subgrantee must ensure the “Employment Status” section is completed.  This does not apply to employee resignation which still requires 30 days of income support. b. Verifying Unearned Income  Each applicant must be questioned regarding unearned income. Unearned income includes, but is not limited to, Social Security, alimony, retirement benefits, worker’s compensation, supplemental security income (SSI), interest payments, rental income and regular contributions.  Documentation of unearned income includes, but is not limited to, award letters, annuity letters, court judgments, current bank statements (all pages), and copies of recent checks.  Documentation of only Social Security benefits may include Food Stamp (SNAP) certification letter or printout dated within the past 12 months of the application date.