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• Disregard months must run consecutively • The disregards will not be received during the same period of TANF assistance. • Once it has been determined that an individual is eligible for the disregard, he/she must be contacted and given the option of taking the disregard. This is important since the 60- month time limit counter will be incrementing during the disregard period. (For 6D, send MAVERICS Notice A505-TANF 6-Month Total Earnings Disregard. For 3D, send MAVERICS Notice A506-TANF 3-Month Total Earnings Disregard.) • Individuals receiving 6D or 3D at the time the 60th month pays, will not be eligible for any remaining months of their disregard. Likewise, individuals who find employment in the 60th month will not be eligible for any of the earned income disregards. • If the individual loses the employment during the disregard period and reports it to the worker, the total earned income disregard period ends and cannot be resumed unless new employment is found within 7 days. Six Month Total Earned Income Disregard (6D) This disregard is available only once during the 60-month time limit for new TANF approvals and ongoing cases beginning July 1, 1997 and thereafter and covers all TANF adults who find a job of at least 35 hours per week at the federal minimum wage or higher either: • within 30 days after authorization for initial TANF approvals on or after 07-01-97 OR • within 30 days after the initial start date of the initial job readiness/job search work activity with the TANF Work Program (TWP) (This covers new approvals since 07- 01-97 and ongoing cases.) Once the individual begins the Job Readiness Activity (JRA) and fails to find employment within the 30 days, he/she loses the opportunity to receive to the 6-month total earned income disregard for the remainder of the 60-month time limit. Likewise, an individual who qualifies for the total earned income disregard by finding full-time employment within 30 days of initial authorization for TANF will not be eligible for the disregard again although they may be referred for job readiness at a later date. If the individual becomes employed, he/she must report the change based on their TWP status and simplified reporting rules. (See discussion of timely reporting below). The worker must obtain verification from the employer which includes the date of hire, work start date, employer name and address, pay rate and hours. The individual s date of hire must be within the 30-day time frame

although the actual work start date may begin later based on the employer s needs and payroll periods. In no case should this be more than a month after the verified hire date. If supportive services are needed in order for the individual to work full-time, refer the TANF recipient to the Case Manager. The 6-month total disregard must be consecutive months. There will be no work expense allowed Volume III | Chapter 6 6018 MISSISSIPPI [ BUDGETARY PROCESS: GENERAL PRINCIPLES ] Revised 12 - 01 - 17