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Page 50 of 116 § 10:90-17.3 EEI participation

search/placement activity outlined in the plan. The EEI plan shall be signed by the EEI participant and a copy of the plan shall be provided to the EEI participant. 2. The family's application for WFNJ, Medicaid and/or NJ SNAP shall continue to be processed by the county agency, as appropriate, without delay. i. Activity support payments and one time lump sum payments associated with participation in the EEI program, as set forth in (c) below, are disregarded as income in accordance with the State Plan for Title XIX when determining eligibility for AFDC-Related Medicaid. 3. All EEI participants shall be required to participate in an up-front job search/placement activity for the sole purpose of obtaining unsubsidized employment during which time the WFNJ county agency shall continue to process their application for WFNJ cash assistance. The EEI participation requirement is a minimum period of 15 days to a maximum period of 30 days or anytime after the 15 day minimum period when a final decision is reached on the client's WFNJ application (but not to exceed the 30-day maximum period). During the EEI participation period, the EEI family shall be eligible for an activity support payment, in accordance with the EEI Payment Schedule at (d) below, to cover employment-related expenses necessary to allow participation in the EEI, when such services are not available without charge from any other source. This activity support payment shall be based on identified job search/placement needs and shall not exceed the maximum activity support payment for the family size as indicated in the EEI Payment Schedule at (d) below. i. If the WFNJ/TANF application was denied because of non-cooperation with EEI (see (a)1 above), and the family reapplies for WFNJ/TANF within 30 calendar days of that original WFNJ application date, any activity support payment provided to the family shall be considered as unearned income when determining WFNJ/TANF eligibility and calculating the WFNJ/TANF grant. (c) When an EEI participant secures employment, the EEI entity shall determine whether or not the participant's gross earnings shall render the participant's family ineligible for WFNJ cash assistance by comparing the participant's gross earnings to earned income amount which the WFNJ agency entered on the "WFNJ Agency Referral to the EEI Entity" form. 1. If the EEI participant's gross earnings are equal to or less than the earned income amount indicated for that family on the referral form, the family may remain eligible for WFNJ cash assistance and the EEI entity shall refer the family to the WFNJ agency for a final determination of eligibility for cash assistance. 2. EEI participants who are successful in obtaining full-time unsubsidized employment and whose anticipated gross earnings, when combined with all other countable income available to the WFNJ assistance unit, exceed the earned income amount indicated for that family on the referral form, which exceeds the initial maximum allowable income eligibility level for WFNJ/TANF (Schedule I at N.J.A.C. 10:90-3.3(b)), shall be required to withdraw their family's WFNJ application for cash assistance. Before requiring the participant to initiate a withdrawal of the applicant family's WFNJ/TANF application, the EEI entity shall inquire whether any changes in