Page 353

S N A P M A N U A L

353 Error For active cases, an “error” results when a determination is made by a quality control reviewer that a household which received SNAP benefits during the sample month is ineligible or received an incorrect allotment. Thus, errors in active cases involve dollar loss to either the participant or the government. For negative cases, an “error” means that the reviewer determines that the decision to deny, suspend, or terminate a household was incorrect. Evaluation The process of determining the cause(s) of each deficiency, magnitude of the deficiency, and geographic extent of the deficiency, to provide the basis for planning and developing effective corrective action. Excess Medical (EM) Deduction A deduction allowed to a SNAP household which verifies out-of-pocket medical expenses that total more than $210 per month, provided that there is at least one eligible household member who is elderly or disabled. Expedited Service An eligibility process in which verification is postponed when it is necessary to issue a household’s SNAP allotment by the seven-day deadline. Expungement The process by which a record of criminal conviction is destroyed or sealed from State or Federal record. An expungement order directs the court to treat the criminal conviction as if it had never occurred, essentially removing it from a defendant’s criminal record as well as, ideally, the public record. Expungement of Benefits The removal of SNAP benefits from an EBT account due to inactivity for a period of 274 days. Fair Hearing An orderly proceeding (also known as an appeal) before an impartial Agency employee or committee of employees in which a client (petitioner) may challenge an adverse action of the Agency (respondent) which affects the household’s participation in SNAP and in which both parties may present evidence to defend their positions. The petitioner is the party who has requested a fair hearing. The respondent is the party responding to the fair hearing request. The party is each person or agency named or admitted as a party, or properly seeking and entitled as of right to be admitted as a party.