704.281 TAFDC Earned Income Disregards For Grant Calculation

For purposes of the grant calculation, a TAFDC client shall have 100% of his or her earned income disregarded for up to six consecutive months immediately following the start of employment, or if already employed the date on which the recipient began receiving TAFDC, whichever is later, provided the total household countable income does not exceed 200% of the Federal Poverty Limit for the client’s household size. The household size is determined under the rules of 106 CMR 704.305(B) Composition of the Filing Unit.

Except where 704.281(C)(1) applies, if a client stops working before receiving the full six months of the 100% disregard, he or she will be eligible to receive the balance of the months when employed again and all other eligibility conditions are met.

If, after the client received the 100% disregard, a TAFDC case is closed for at least 30 days and subsequently reopened, the client will be eligible for another six months of the 100% disregard if the client has a different employer from the one for whom the earnings were previously disregarded. All other eligibility conditions must be met.

After the six month period has ended, a working client shall be eligible for the $200 work-related expense and a 50% earned income disregard.

Clients shall not be eligible for either earned income disregard when the following situations apply:

106 CMR: Department of Transiti o nal Assistance

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(1) he or she reduced his or her income or terminated his or her employment without good cause within the 30 days before the month the grant amount is calculated or refused a bona fide job offer without good cause in the same period. See 106 CMR 701.380 for good cause criteria;

(2) he or she failed without good cause to make a timely report of income received. Good cause for failure to do so is limited to demonstrated serious illness on the part of the applicant or client, or a dependent child as provided in 106 CMR 701.420;

(3) he or she is employed in FEP; or

(4) he or she is not included in the case but is legally liable to support his or her dependent child.

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