Page 99

Page 99 of 233 § 10:90-3.8 Computing the WFNJ TANF/GA monthly cash benefit using disregards for earned and unearned income

3. If a recipient's hours of employment are reduced below 20 hours per week during the 75-percent disregard period, through no fault of his or her own, he or she shall be entitled to receive the balance of any unused months of the 75-percent disregard, provided he or she has returned to being employed a minimum of 20 hours or more per week and it is within the six-month disregard period. 4. If an employable recipient has a documented disability that limits the person from accepting 20 hours of employment per week, the WFNJ agency may waive the 20 hours or more requirement and the recipient shall be entitled to the 75 percent earned income disregard for six consecutive months of employment, and the 50 percent earned income disregard for each continuous month of employment thereafter. (c) In computing the cash assistance benefit for recipients who lose their employment through no fault of their own and subsequently become reemployed, the 100 percent disregard and the 75-percent disregard may be applied again only once every 12 months; otherwise, the 50 percent disregard shall be applied for each continuous month of employment. (d) When a member of the eligible assistance unit receives a lump sum payment for services rendered over a period of more than a month, any disregard of earned income is to be computed for each month in which such income was earned. (e) Income shall be considered available when with the exception of income from self employment, the income becomes payable but is not received by the individual due to his or her preference to voluntarily defer receipt of the income. (f) In situations where a WFNJ applicant's or recipient's State or Federal benefit such as RSDI has been reduced due to an overpayment, the actual amount received from such entitled State or Federal benefit shall be counted when determining the cash assistance benefit. (g) If gross income from employment is reduced due to garnishment of wages for a loan, lien or repayment of other outstanding debts other than child or spousal support, gross earned income shall be countable. 1. Child support and spousal support payments paid by any member of a WFNJ household assistance unit shall be disregarded in the determination of initial eligibility and calculation of the assistance payment. (h) After an assistance unit has passed the initial eligibility test indicated at N.J.A.C. 10:90-3.1(b) and is verified as being in receipt of child support, the following disregards shall apply: 1. If the amount of child support verified as being received is less than $ 100.00 per month for one child, the assistance unit shall receive the actual amount of child support received and the actual amount received shall be disregarded when calculating the cash assistance benefit; 2. If the amount of child support verified as being received is $ 100.00 or more per month for one child, the assistance unit shall receive $ 100.00 and that $ 100.00 shall be disregarded when calculating the cash assistance benefit;