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16 (5) TANF recipients who formerly received a cash payment, had earned income, and requested the removal of earned income disregards, but this does not result in a case closure. The recipient can submit a request for voluntary case closure due to earned income. (6) A household member becomes employed or increases earnings during a full family sanction, and the earnings cause the household to become ineligible. In this situation, a TANF mini budget must be completed to determine if excluded earned income or refusal of disregards would cause the TANF case to close.
Eligibility will cease if any of the following occurs: (1) The recipient no longer has a dependent child in the home. (2) Employment ends (a 30-day interruption to go from one job to another job will be deemed continuous employment). (3) The client's income exceeds 85% of the State Median Income.
Assistance may be provided for up to 24 months from the first month of eligibility. Sanctioned clients may qualify for transitional child care by obtaining a full-time job and "curing" the sanction.
The state will expect the parent to make a co-payment based on a sliding fee scale. Parents will have the right to choose the child care arrangement that best meets the need of their child(ren). Payments will be made to providers who meet the State's child care regulatory requirements. Self-arranged, informal care arrangements that do not meet the State's child day care regulatory requirements will be paid for, if prescribed basic health and safety standards are met.
3.1.7 Work Program Sanction Exemptions The recipient is exempt from the employment and training sanctions of the individual employment plan if the recipient is: (1) The only parent in the home with a child under one year of age; however, custodial parents under age 25 who have not completed their high school education are required to comply with these provisions regardless of the age of the child; (2) At least six months pregnant and the pregnancy is verified by a qualified licensed health care provider; (3) Incapacitated and the incapacity is verified by a physician as clearly precluding the recipient from engaging in current or future gainful employment, education or training;