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Page | 329 20310 EXAMPLES - PENALTY PERIODS

The following examples explain how to decide when the penalty period begins and ends. Individuals are removed from benefits the month following the expiration of the adverse action time period. Individuals are added to the household the month following the month the sanction ends, or the individual becomes exempt from work registration.

Notice of sanction may be sent using SPEC C NCOM for situations in which the case is closed or when ACCESS will not allow the Specialist to update the MEMS panel (usually when the sanction must be imposed the month following the month of receipt due to the 10 day adverse action time frames). The NCOM notice allows the Specialist to easily send a ten day adverse action notice as soon as the notice to sanction is received. Households are also notified of the sanction when the MEMS panel is updated, and when eligibility results are approved if a household member has been disqualified.

When the Specialist updates the MEMS panel with a “28” or “30” sanction code, an automated notice is sent to the household the following day. It is important that the MEMS panel is updated 10 days prior to the end of the month to meet 10 day adverse action notices.

20400 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES (TANF) WORK REGISTRANTS WHO FAIL TO COMPLY WITH WORK REQUIREMENTS

TANF and Tribal TANF recipients sanctioned under the TANF WORK Program for failure to comply will have the disqualification carryover into SNAP. The individual is disqualified under the carryover provisions.

The carryover sanction will be basically the same as the TANF/Tribal TANF sanction. If the sanction is grant reduction, SNAP will budget the TANF grant amount prior to the reduction (this covers prorated, 50%, and $50 grant reductions) in the corresponding SNAP budget month. If the sanction removes the individual from TANF/Tribal TANF, SNAP will remove the individual from the SNAP household count and his/her resource, income, and allowed expenses will continue to count towards the household’s eligibility and benefit level.

TANF carryover disqualification only applies to TANF/Tribal TANF recipients, not applicants. The individual must have been on SNAP at the time the TANF/Tribal TANF disqualification occurred. When the TANF/Tribal TANF case is terminated for a time-controlled period, the individual causing the TANF disqualification is removed from the SNAP household count. Their resources, income, and allowable expenses continue to count for SNAP during the disqualification period.

The disqualification period is based on whether the individual was • Disqualified for TANF/Tribal TANF for 100% sanction (1 month), • Disqualified for TANF/Tribal TANF for voluntary quit (3 months) unless the individual is o Determined ineligible for TANF for another reason o Added to the TANF case Example: On March 15, the benefits specialist receives verification from a wage verification form, that a non-exempt recipient voluntarily quit employment. After discussion with the recipient, the benefits specialist determined good cause did not exist. The MEMS panel must be updated by 10 day adverse action time frames, which is March 20, with a “30” code. The penalty period begins April 1 and continues until expired, or the individual becomes exempt from work registration.