section-xi JOB BONUS

The Work First Job Bonus is a fixed payment that assists families as they transition from cash assistance to employment. Job Bonus is limited to once per lifetime for each cash assistance household and individual. It is a $100.00 payment per month, for three consecutive months. It replaces the Work First Cash Assistance payment. Each Work First household whose new earned income results in their monetary ineligibility to receive a cash assistance payment may be eligible to receive Job Bonus. The new earnings may be a result of full or part time employment if it is new earned income, or the employment is considered permanent. If there are increased earnings from existing employment and the household becomes monetarily ineligible; the household may be eligible for Job Bonus. 41 There is not an established definition for what is considered permanent employment. For example, there are some jobs with temporary agencies that are long term assignments and, therefore, may be considered permanent for purposes of the Job Bonus. It is important that the case manager carefully evaluates the type of employment with temporary agencies as well as other employment situations. Failure to accurately evaluate these criteria may negatively impact the household. Also, it is important to ensure fair and equitable standards are applied to all households who are evaluated for Job Bonus. If the participant’s new earnings change before the expiration of the three-month Job Bonus period, the participant may reapply for Work First cash assistance. Once a Job Bonus is applied, even if received for less than three months, the household has met their lifetime limit for Job Bonus. Note: For Work First Benefit (WFB) cases, the Job Bonus payment is not issued until after compliance with the Mutual Responsibility Agreement/Outcome Plan, unless the case manager determines good cause for the non-compliance. A. Eligible Households 1. Job Bonus is only offered to households that receive ongoing cash assistance; Job Bonus is not available at application. 2. Participants are not eligible to receive Job Bonus during a Job Quit penalty period or if the cash assistance case is closed. 3. Job Bonus is offered to the adult members that are included in the budget unit. The budget unit may include financially responsible individuals who are excluded from the assistance unit for failure to meet other eligibility requirements. Because their income is counted in determining eligibility, these individuals may qualify for the Job Bonus. 4. Job Bonus can be received once in the lifetime of a cash assistance case. 5. If the household composition changes, a different household member may be eligible to receive an additional Job Bonus. EXAMPLE 1 Parent A, of a two-parent household, becomes employed and the increased earnings terminates the household from cash assistance. The household receives the Job Bonus. 42 If Parent B becomes employed, the household is ineligible for an additional Job Bonus because Parent A previously received Job Bonus. EXAMPLE 2 Parent B from Example #1 moves into the household of Parent C and their child. Parent C obtains employment, and the new earned income terminates the household from cash assistance. Parent C never received Job Bonus; the household is eligible to receive the Job Bonus. EXAMPLE 3 Parent B becomes employed while living in the household of Parent C from Example #2. The household is ineligible for Job Bonus. Although Parent B has never received Job Bonus, Parent C previously received Job Bonus. B. Evaluating for Job Bonus When the household reports increased earnings or the case manager becomes aware of increased earnings from either a task received in NC FAST or another internal communication, the case manager must discuss with the household their potential eligibility for Job Bonus. The Work First Family Assistance Job Bonus form, DSS-8222/8222sp is used to notify the household of their potential eligibility for Job Bonus. If the increase in earnings is reported by the household, the case manager should create a task in NC FAST using Job Aid “Creating a Task” and send a DSS-8194 to communicate this change with other programs. 1. Increased Earnings Reported Timely a. Determine the impact of the increased earnings on the household’s cash assistance payment. The case manager may accept the household’s statement of the increased earnings pending third party verification. b. If the increased earnings do not terminate the household from cash assistance, follow the defined procedures for processing changes in income. c. Evaluate the household’s eligibility for Job Bonus if the increased earnings will terminate the household from cash assistance. 43 d. If the household is eligible for Job Bonus, send the DSS- 8222/8222sp to notify them of their potential eligibility for Job Bonus. The DSS-8222/8222sp also serves as the Timely notice of termination for the household and includes Hearing Rights. The participant must sign and return the form acknowledging they accept or decline the Job Bonus. Maintain a copy of the form for the case file. The case head must speak with a case manager to complete a telephonic signature. The case manager will summarize the information to which the household attests and allows a verbal signature. The documentation must be included in a case note in NC FAST to demonstrate that the client has signed the form. Document “Telephone Signature” in the Income Support Case Details Notes. The documentation in NC FAST should include the client’s name, date, time telephone interview and the client’s response to indicating agreement to this verbal attestation of signature over the phone. The household must be mailed a copy of the telephonically signed forms and the case manager must document this in the case notes Please see Work First Policy Section 104 on telephone interviews and telephonic signatures. e. The form must be returned within 10 calendar days for the household to be eligible for Job Bonus. The case manager must include the return by date on the form. f. If the change is reported during an office visit and the eligibility for Job Bonus can be determined, provide the DSS-8222/8222sp to the household at that time. g. If the form is not returned by the tenth (10th) calendar day, follow Work First policy to terminate the cash assistance case. The DSS-8222 serves as the Timely notice, therefore the household may be terminated without further notice. Once the case terminates, a Notice of Termination, DSS-8110 Adequate notice must be sent to the participant to inform them of the action taken on their case. See Work First Manual Section 264.If the form is returned by the tenth (10th) calendar day and the household has chosen to accept the Job Bonus, refer to the FAST Help Job Aid: Job Bonus for Cash Assistance for processing instructions. Once the case terminates at the end of the Job Bonus period, a Notice of Termination (DSS-8110 Adequate) must be sent to the participant to inform them of the 44 action taken on their case. See Work First Manual Section 264. h. If the DSS-8222/8222sp is returned by the tenth (10th) calendar day and the household declines the Job Bonus, follow Work First policy to terminate the cash assistance case. The DSS-8222 serves as the Timely notice, therefore the household may be terminated without further notice. Once the case terminates, a Notice of Termination (DSS-8110 Adequate) must be sent to the participant to inform them of the action taken on their cash assistance case. See Work First Manual Section 264. i. Families that decline the Job Bonus may be eligible in the future for Job Bonus. 2. Increased Earnings Not Reported Timely a. If the household fails to report the increased earnings timely, it is considered non-compliance with the Mutual Responsibility Agreement (MRA). The household is ineligible for Job Bonus and the case manager must follow policies related to MRA noncompliance. b. Review the case to determine if there is a potential overpayment. If so, refer the case to the Program Integrity Unit. 3. Evaluating for Job Bonus at the End of a Certification Period A household may report increased earnings at their Cash Assistance Review or at a time nearing the end of their certification period. Job Bonus is applied to the cash assistance case once in a lifetime for a concurrent period of three (3) months. a. The Job Bonus months must occur within the same certification period. It cannot be applied over multiple certification periods. If determined eligible for Job Bonus, and there are less than three months remaining in the current certification period, the household will receive Job Bonus only for the remaining months in the current certification period. 45 b. If eligible for Job Bonus, determine how many months are remaining in the household’s current certification period. Provide the household with the DSS-8222/8222sp and explain to the household the abbreviated Job Bonus period. c. The household must be informed that any months used for Job Bonus will meet the definition of the lifetime limit. Document that this information was shared with the household.