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FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES MANUAL GENERAL PROCEDURES & REQUIREMENTS FNS 140 PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS

1 Change 1-2021 May 1, 2021 FNS 140 Personnel Requirements Change # 1-2021 May 1, 2021

140.01 PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS A. The county department of social services is required to provide a sufficient number of qualified employees necessary to assure that prompt action is taken on all applications. County employees used to certify households for participation in the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Program must meet the standards set by State Human Resources in the certification of applicants for benefits under the federally aided public assistance programs. Only qualified county employees may conduct the interview of applicant households and determine the household's eligibility or ineligibility and the level of assistance. B. Exceptions to the use of State approved personnel in the interview and certification process are made for: 1. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) households applying at the Social Security Administration. 2. The county department of social services may utilize temporary, non-merit-based staff for the administration of the Disaster Food and Nutrition Services (DFNS) Program. This includes retired eligibility staff, staff from other county or state departments, as well as contracted staff that are adequately trained and supervised by county merit-based staff. This does not include keying in NC FAST unless the individual has prior NC FAST experience. C. Program discrepancies tied to staff shortages include such areas as applications pending over allowable time standards, incomplete verifications, omissions on forms, failure to comply with the work registration requirement, information already available in the case file, etc. Corrective action is needed in many areas of program operations, but none is as important as this single area. An adequate number of trained staff is required so that each case is assured of receiving program expertise and reducing program discrepancies.

140.02 SPECIAL PROVISIONS Special provisions apply regarding two groups of individuals. A. Volunteers Volunteers or other persons not employed by the county may be used in certification related activities but are not permitted to conduct the interview or certify as eligible, applicant households. Volunteers are used to provide program information, teach nutrition education, and provide transportation to the certification office. They may also assist households who need help with completing the application and other forms and in securing the needed verification of information reported on the application. In certain