Page 699

MISSISSIPPI

9141 Volume III | Chapter 9

[PROGRAM COMPONENTS: TANF WORK ACTIVITIES DEFINED]

Revised 08-01-12 11-01-17

The above 10 holidays are defined in a JAWS table and system edits will not allow the MDHS case manager to enter the “H-holiday” code for any day other than the 10 days listed above. Scheduled hours not worked due to any other documented holiday observed by the component provider, other than the 10 listed above, will be reported as hours absent and coded “E-excused.” No policy changes have been made for minor heads of household (under age 20) who are attending high school or enrolled full-time in a GED program, Minor parents may continue to receive participation credit for days school is out due to holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas) or official breaks (Spring and Summer, if returning to school in the Fall). Participation credit for these days will be reported as regularly scheduled hours. Excused Absences Excused absences are defined as any assigned/scheduled hours not attended by the participant due to specific reasons, such as job interviews, meetings required by other governmental agencies (e.g., child welfare, child support, schools, courts, or other assistance programs), approved holidays observed by the provider but not recognized by TANF, and family emergency and illness, either of the participant or the participant’s child. The absence must be documented as excused by the component provider. Excused absences countable in the TWP participation rate calculation are limited to a maximum of 80 hours during any 12-month period with no more than 16 hours countable during any participation report month. JAWS system edits will not allow the MDHS case manager to exceed the 80-hour and 16-hour limitations. In order for excused absences to be included in the participation rate calculation, the participant must have been scheduled to participate in a nonpaid allowable work activity for the period of the excused absence. The MDHS case manager will “look back” after all attendance data has been entered for the participation report month to: ∙ determine which participants do not have sufficient hours to meet their monthly federal participation requirement; ∙ of those participants, which ones need sixteen or fewer hours to meet their monthly federal participation requirement;