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onetime, lifetime maximum of 18 months. Therefore, individuals receiving transitional work stipend payments will be allowed to terminate their benefits any time after approval. The individual must notify the case manager and complete a Request for Termination of Transitional Work Stipend Payments, MDHS- EA-357H, by the tenth day of the month prior to the month benefits are to be terminated. If the individual request termination or benefits are terminated because the individual no longer meets the eligibility criteria, the individual’s Transitional Work Assistance (TT) program will be closed. The individual cannot receive additional transitional work stipend payments unless the individual regains eligibility for TANF benefits and the TANF case subsequently closes due to earned income or loss of the three- or six-month earned income disregard. Transitional work stipend payments provided to individuals who are employed are not considered as assistance and are not subject to child support requirements. Minimum Requirements The following minimum requirements must be met before transitional work stipend payments can be authorized: 1. The individual must be referred to JAWS for participation in the TANF Work Program prior to TANF case closure. 2. The individual must have lost TANF benefits because of increased earnings or loss of earned income disregards. 3. The individual must be working 25 or more hours per week and earning the federal minimum hourly wage or higher. An individual, whose work hours are permanently reduced to less than 25, but not less than 20, may continue to receive transitional work stipend payments only when it is verified that the reduction in work hours was not the individual’s choice. The case manager will document the involuntary reduction in work hours and continue to authorize transitional work stipend payments if otherwise eligible. 4. A TANF eligible child (under age 18), who was included in the assistance unit at the time the TANF case closed must be living in the home. Eligibility for transitional work stipends must be terminated if the only TANF eligible child leaves the home or turns 18 years of age. An individual will lose eligibility for transitional work stipend payments if the individual:

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MISSISSIPPI [ TANF WORK PROGRAM PAYMENT PROCESS: SUPPORTIVE SERVICES]

Revised 02 - 01 - 11