Ohio works first: calculation of the twenty per cent limits for state and federal hardship extensions
(A) What percentage of state and federal harship extensions can a county agency exempt per month? A county agency is not to exempt more than twenty per cent of the average monthly number of Ohio works first (OWF) assistance groups from either the state thirty-six month time limit or federal sixty month time limit as described in rule 5101:1-23-01 of the Administrative Code.
(B) How is the twenty per cent limit calculated for state and federal extensions? Per federal fiscal year the twenty per cent limit for hardship extensions is calculated by the Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS) for each county agency in the following manner:
(1) The number of OWF assistance groups in receipt of cash assistance is totaled for each of the twelve months in the previous federal fiscal year.
(2) The total from paragraph (B)(1) of this rule is divided by twelve. This number is the average monthly number of OWF assistance groups for the county agency.
(3) Twenty per cent of the average monthly number assistance groups found in paragraph (B)(2) of this rule is calculated. When this calculation does not result in a whole number, the number shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number. This number of assistance groups is the twenty per cent limit for the county agency for the federal fiscal year.
(C) Are any assistance groups exempt from the twenty per cent calculation?
(1) Any assistance group that receives a waiver of the thirty-six month state time limit due to domestic violence, as described in rules 5101:1-3-20 and 5101:1-23-01 of the Administrative Code, are excluded from the twenty per cent limit for the state thirty-six month time limit extensions.
(2) No assistance groups are excluded from the federal sixty month time limit twenty per cent calculation.
(D) How often is the twenty per cent limit for hardship extensions calculated? The twenty per cent limit for hardship extensions is calculated for each county agency by ODJFS for each federal fiscal year.