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Page 111 of 233 § 10:90-3.11 Determining the income of WFNJ TANF/GA assistance units

eligibility and benefit amount until the next redetermination or report of a change in circumstances. (e) WFNJ assistance units shall be required to report any change in unearned income and circumstances that could affect eligibility and the benefit amount as soon as possible to the county or municipal agency, but in no event later than 10 calendar days of the date the change happened or in the case of new earnings no later than 10 days from the date of receipt of the first paycheck. For cases with earned income see (e)3 below regarding reporting requirements. The agency shall initiate appropriate action on the reported change within 10 calendar days of receiving the report of the change, subject to timely and/or adequate notice. 1. Reportable income and circumstance changes are defined as changes in sources or amounts of earned or unearned income or changes to the eligible assistance unit size which are expected to continue into the future. Examples of such changes include, but are not limited to: starting a new job or gaining a new source of unearned income; losing a source of unearned income; permanent or long term changes in unearned income; or addition of or loss of an eligible unit member. 2. A change in circumstances of the eligible assistance unit may result in an adjustment upward or downward in the amount of the cash assistance payment. Downward adjustments shall be subject to timely and adequate notice. 3. Cases with earned income are assigned a six-month reporting cycle that coincides with the time of the next case redetermination. Cases with earned income are not required to report changes in monthly earned income unless total monthly household income exceeds 130 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). This is the only required change that a recipient on six-month reporting must report prior to the next case redetermination. i. Only assistance units that have countable earned income are eligible for six- month reporting. This includes assistance units that have earned income from a disqualified member and those in which the only earned income is from self- employment, even if, after the cost of producing that income is deducted, the actual earned income is zero. ii. If a six-month assistance unit reports any changes, the county/municipal agency shall act on those changes in accordance with (e)1 and 2 above. Other than the requirement to report earned income over 130 percent of the FPL, the only change reporting to be encouraged is one that will result in the assistance unit obtaining higher benefits during the six-month period, such as losing a job or source of unearned income; permanent or long term changes in hours worked and/or rate of pay or permanent or long term changes in unearned income that result in decreased earned income to the household; changing from full-time to part-time employment; short term plant closings (such as one or more weeks) or periods of sick leave without compensation (more than one day); or addition of an eligible unit member. The agency shall, verbally and in writing, inform all recipients subject to six-month reporting that they are not required to report increases in earned income if the total earnings are less than 130 percent of the Federal