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70 North Carolina demonstrating a good cause reason. The family is not eligible for Work First Cash Assistance for up to three (3) months if the parent is fired from a paid job or WFE work experience placement without demonstrating a good cause reason. Work First cash assistance benefits will terminate if the WFE participant is non-compliant with the MRA for three (3) consecutive months. Job abandonment is defined as failing to go to work, failure to notify the employer, and failure to report to a work experience placement. For applicants, the look back period begins three (3) months prior to the month of application. For recipients, the three (3) months of ineligibility begins following expiration of advance notice. The participant may cure this sanction by locating equivalent employment. The family is not eligible for Work First Cash Assistance for up to three (3) months if the parent is fired from a paid job or work experience placement unless there is good cause. 6. First level hearings will be heard by Agency Supervisors not involved with Work First Cash Assistance or WFE. Second level hearings will be heard by the Lenoir County DSS Board. The appellant may petition the Lenoir County Superior Court if dissatisfied with the result of the Level 2 hearing. The Lenoir County DSS Board will serve as hearing officer for Hardship Extensions to the 24- and 60-month time limits. 7. Transportation reimbursement is limited to $8 per day for in-county travel and $11 per day for out-of-county travel when the participant provides his/her own transportation. Transportation services for non-custodial parents of a Work First child and non-Work First families with a total income not exceeding 200% of the federal poverty limit are limited to $600 per month up to a maximum of $1200 or four (4) consecutive months in a State Fiscal Year. 8. If funding allows, Lenoir County will provide a supplemental payment for up to six (6) months to Safety Resource families with whom children are placed by Child Welfare and when the permanent plan is to return the child(ren) to the parent’s care within six (6) months when the family requests assistance, provided the family’s income is below 200% of poverty. This payment is intended to provide the Safety Resource family with additional financial support to care for these additional children and meet the increased expenses associated with bringing a new child or children into the home. The payment may continue for a maximum of six (6) months, until the child(ren) no longer resides with the Safety Resource family, or until available funding is exhausted, whichever occurs first. Payments will be made at the point of placement and at the first of subsequent months. The payment to Safety Resource families will be equal to the child-only Work First payment for the children placed with a safety resource. County MOE and/or Federal TANF funds will support this payment. 9. Single parents of a child less than three (3) months old may request an exemption from work requirements up to a maximum of 12 months in a lifetime. LINCOLN COUNTY 1. All applicants seeking Work First cash assistance for children with an absent parent are referred to Child Support immediately after signing an application for Work First. 2. Thorough evaluations of the situation and the suitability of the child placement in child only cases will be completed. Interviewing all adults and children will be