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Page | 308 Specialist must restore those lost benefits within 30 days from the date the error is substantiated. Current participation in SNAP is not a condition of eligibility for restored benefits. PADJ payments must be approved by supervisory staff prior to benefit issuance.

To provide restored benefits to qualified households, the following procedures must be completed by the Benefits Specialist. At each step of the process, claims should be acted on within five working days. Restored benefits must be issued to the household within 30 days from the date the error is substantiated.

1. The SNAP estimator should be used to determine the actual basis of issuance of benefits prior to completing the PADJ on ACCESS. 2. Specialist completes the PADJ calculation and documentation on ACCESS 3. Supervisor reviews PADJ and is responsible for making the final decision on the restoration (the Regional Manager may choose to make the final decision). The Supervisor will query the SS51 system for outstanding claims. 4. Supervisor approves PADJ results or explains the reason for the disapproval of the restoration. 5. The Specialist completes the notice to the household via SPEC-C NOTC on ACCESS. The notice should list:  The amount of restored benefits  Why they are restored  The time period the restored benefits cover  The household member must call the EBT Customer Service number to get a replacement EBT card if they do not have their card any longer. 6. If PADJ cannot be completed (because there are no eligibility results on ACCESS), a DSS- EA-894, Overpayment Report, must be completed and sent to the EBT Administrator. EBT personnel will authorize the restored benefits into the individual’s EBT account. This is only to be used if there are NO eligibility results on ACCESS. 7. For cases that are inactive/closed at the time the restored benefit is approved, as long as there are eligibility results, the PADJ can be completed on ACCESS. The following will occur:  IN-STATE RESIDENTS:  The EBT account will be automatically reactivated when the restored benefits are put into the EBT account (availability date).  OUT OF STATE RESIDENTS:  The EBT account will be automatically reactivated when the restored benefits are put into the EBT account (availability date). When the address is known, and if the household indicates they do not have their EBT card, a request for address update will be sent to EBT program staff (if it does not match the last known address on ACCESS). If the address is not known, or the household does not request a replacement EBT card through the EBT card customer service, the benefits will stay in the EBT account for 274 days after the PADJ availability date. After that time, the benefits will be expunged.

19112 DELAY, DENIAL, TERMINATION

Because of a DSS error, the month of application is considered the first month the loss occurred if: 1. An eligible household's application was denied 2. The Specialist delayed benefits to an eligible household more than 60 days after the initial application was filed.