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NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance- TA and SNAP Employment Policy Manual

Section 385.2 – Page 34

Rev. 4/2025 Q.10 When a TA grant is provided for a child living with their grandparent(s) and the grandparent(s)’ needs are not being met by the grant, may the grandparent be required to participate in work activities? A.10 No. The grandparent is not legally responsible for the child and so is not part of the TA case. Therefore, the grandparent cannot be required to participate in work activities. Q.11 Is an eighteen-year-old with a high school diploma who is attending a vocational school exempt? A.11 No. The exemption for those under the age of nineteen who are attending a secondary, vocational or technical school full-time applies to those who do not have their high school diploma or its equivalent. An eighteen-year-old with a high school diploma attending vocational school full time would be non-exempt (unless the individual met another exemption criteria) and would be required to participate in work activities consistent with their employability plan, which may include vocational education. If it is necessary to assign the individual to another, concurrent activity, the district must make a reasonable effort to assign the activity during hours that do not conflict with the vocational education. Q.12 What is the penalty if a household does not document whether a household member age sixteen through nineteen is satisfactorily attending school? A.12 Documentation of a claimed exemption from work requirements is an eligibility requirement for the household and the entire case would be closed or denied. The household remains ineligible until the necessary documentation is provided. Q.13 If someone has applied for SSI/SSD, should we automatically consider them exempt? A.13 No. The fact that an individual has applied for SSI/SSD does not automatically render the individual exempt, and in fact non-exempt or work limited individuals may also apply for SSI. Employability code 43 is to be used for those TA individuals who the district, based on the documentation available, has required to apply for SSI as a condition of eligibility for TA. Such individuals are exempt and cannot be assigned to work activities until the district determines, based on medical documentation, that the individual is no longer required to pursue SSI and the individual has been notified that they are required to participate in work activities consistent with 18 NYCRR 385.2. Q.14 What should be done if the district suspects that an individual has an unidentified barrier? A.14 The district should inform the individual of the reasons why they think the individual may have a particular barrier and the recommended process for identifying an assessing this barrier. For example, if the district suspects an individual may have a learning disability, the district should inform the individual of their suspicion and the reasons why. The district should then explain the process for determining if the individual has a learning disability. The individual may choose whether or not to participate in screening or assessment to identify the suspected disability. If the individual does not agree to cooperate with efforts to