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Page 112 of 233 § 10:90-3.11 Determining the income of WFNJ TANF/GA assistance units

Poverty Guidelines, and that any reporting of an earnings increase will result in a decrease in benefits. In addition, the agency shall, verbally and in writing, inform all recipients subject to six-month reporting that they are encouraged to report a decrease in earnings, as a decrease in earnings could result in an increase in benefits. iii. County/municipal agencies shall act on all changes that are received from sources other than the assistance unit when such information is considered verified upon receipt. Verified upon receipt means that the information received is not questionable. Such information includes, but is not limited to, the Beneficiary Data Exchange (BENDEX) and the State Data Exchange (SDX) computer matches, letters from employers verifying wages and reports from other county/municipal agencies that an assistance unit member has left the unit and is applying in another jurisdiction. iv. When an assistance unit is on six-month reporting and exceeds the income eligibility standard for a WFNJ TANF/GA grant, the unit is not required to report changes in earnings until their total income equals or exceed 130 percent of the FPL or until the next redetermination, whichever occurs first. Since such households are not required to report changes that do not exceed 130 percent of the FPL, no overpayment has occurred and no claim shall be established. v. If an individual subject to six-month reporting leaves an assistance unit and moves into another assistance unit, or becomes a separate assistance unit or reports the addition of a new member already participating in six-month reporting on another case, the CSSA shall take appropriate action to remove the person from the losing case, add the person to the gaining case, and ensure there is no duplicate participation. (1) If the individual leaving the assistance unit is the only individual with earned income, the county/municipal agency shall convert the case back to the normal reporting requirements at the time of the next case redetermination. (2) When the individual with earnings joins another assistance unit without income, the county/municipal agency shall convert the case to six-month reporting requirements at the time of the next case redetermination. vi. County/municipal agencies are not precluded from conducting investigations of suspected fraud cases. (f) Under certain circumstances, including, but not limited to, the following, a supplemental payment to the last regular benefit payment may be issued during the current payment period. 1. An assistance payment was incorrectly computed or not issued due to administrative error. Such supplemental payment(s) shall be considered as corrections to underpayments; 2. A change in circumstances occurred; or 3. A new member was added to the eligible unit.