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be the appropriate mode of transportation, if the individual’s child(ren) is not allowed to ride the bus or if riding the bus would interfere with getting the child to day care or school. High school students (teen parents) who have access to bus transportation through the school system will be required to use this mode of transportation, even if the individual owns a vehicle. The only exception is for a participant who must transport a child to day care. (Underage children are not allowed to ride the school bus with their parents.) Minimum Requirements The following minimum requirements must be met before work stipends can be authorized: 1. The participant must be assigned to an allowable component. JAWS will allow the case manager to add a transportation record and authorize a work stipend or bus pass as long as the ASSIGN DATE for the TWP component has been entered. In some instances, authorization of the work stipend or issuance of the bus pass can only be based on the component ASSIGN DATE (e.g., the participant is an initial (new) referral to TWP and transportation is needed immediately to enable the participant to attend the activity.) The case manager has the option of authorizing a partial payment in situations where the participant is not an initial referral to TWP. This includes situations for which the participant has not participated in an activity for more than sixty (60) days (has been in HOLDING); or has a history of noncooperation in TWP (e.g., has served a sanction, complied with TWP, and is being referred to TWP for a component assignment.) The case manager will determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether a work stipend should be authorized or a bus pass issued prior to receiving documentation verifying that the participant actually started the component. The case manager may authorize a work stipend as soon as verification of the component placement is received (e.g., a completed component referral (T005) is received from the provider; a wage form (910) is received from the employer, etc.) 2. The participant’s weekly scheduled participation hours must be sufficient, at a minimum, to allow the participant to meet his/her monthly federal participation rate requirement. Prior to authorizing a work stipend in advance (e.g., authorizing a December benefit in the month of November), the case manager will review the participant’s actual hours of participation for the previous month and the scheduled participation hours for the benefit month to project eligibility. 3. The participant must be in compliance with work program requirements and participating satisfactorily in the assigned work activity. The case manager will use case documentation

10042 Volume III| Chapter 10

MISSISSIPPI [ TANF WORK PROGRAM PAYMENT PROCESS: SUPPORTIVE SERVICES]

Revised 02 - 01 - 11