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Minnesota Family Investment Program Minnesota House Research Department Page 14  Employed participants. A one-parent family in which the parent is participating in work activities for at least 30 hours per week, of which an average of at least 25 hours per week are spent in employment; a two-parent family if the parents are participating in work activities for at least 55 hours per week, of which an average of at least 45 hours per week are spent in employment; or an assistance unit in which a participant is participating in employment for fewer hours than those specified for a one-parent family and the participant submits verification stating that the number of hours the participant may work is limited due to illness or disability. In general, families who receive an extension may continue to receive MFIP assistance until the family no longer meets the extension criteria or the MFIP eligibility requirements. Families who receive an extension for the hard-to-employ or employed participants must continue to meet the MFIP employment and training requirements. Families who do not comply with the requirements are subject to a sanction. Counties may request an extension for a category of participants that are not already extended, as long as the extension is for participants who are unable to meet MFIP requirements due to other statutory requirements or obligations. An example of such a category might be a group of participants who are required by the court to attend a substance use disorder treatment program and attendance would prevent the participant from meeting the hourly work requirements for an extension. DCYF must approve a county’s request to extend a category of participants, and the commissioner must report the extensions to the legislature by January 15 of each year. The legislature must act in order for the extensions to continue, or the extensions granted during the previous calendar year expire on June 30. Other Special Requirements for and Prohibitions Against Eligibility In a few special cases, the MFIP law imposes additional conditions for eligibility or prohibits eligibility altogether. MFIP assistance is not available for minor custodial parents, unless they and their child live in the household of a parent, legal guardian, or other adult relative, or in adult-supervised supportive living arrangements.23 MFIP is not provided to:  fugitive felons and parole and probation violators; or

23 Exceptions to this include circumstances in which: the minor parent has no living parent, other adult relative, or legal guardian whose whereabouts are known; the minor parent lived apart from the minor parent’s own parent or legal guardian for at least one year before either the birth of the minor child or the minor parent’s application for MFIP; and an adult-supervised supportive living arrangement is not available for the minor parent and child in the county in which the minor parent and child currently reside. See Minn. Stat. § 142G.14.