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Subject: Families First Work and/or Educational Activity

Policy 23.13 Date of Last Review: 06/26/2024 Effective Date: 07/01/2024 Date of Next Review: 06/26/2027 RDA: SW22 Page 6 of 9 2. Customers who volunteer are not required to participate and cannot be sanctioned. a. If an exempt single parent volunteers prior to the time their child reaches sixteen (16) weeks of age and decides they are unwilling or unable to continue participation, the parent may return to exempt status that can continue until the child’s first (1st) birthday. b. If an exempt single parent volunteers after their child has reached sixteen (16) weeks of age, the volunteer action becomes mandatory and, if the parent is unwilling to continue participation, they may be subject to a sanction. Sanctions 1. Customers who are non-compliant with the work and/or educational activity without good cause will be sanctioned by having the case closed. • The TANF Case Manager will determine whether an absence is excused or unexcused. See Families First Work and/or Educational Activity Procedures for additional information. Customers who have an unexcused absence from a work and/or educational activity will be considered non-compliant. 2. Excused absences will not be sanctioned. 3. Once a sanction has been imposed, the customer must serve a mandatory sanction period, reapply for Families First, and complete a ten (10) business day compliance period in order to reestablish Families First benefits. a. The first (1st) sanction results in a mandatory one (1) month sanction period. b. The second (2nd) sanction results in a mandatory three (3) month sanction period. c. The third (3rd) sanction results in a mandatory six (6) month sanction period. d. The fourth (4th) and all subsequent sanctions result in a mandatory twelve (12) month sanction period. 4. Customers who meet the following criteria may qualify for early re-entry if applying during the mandatory sanction period: a. For the first (1st), second (2nd) and third (3rd) sanctions: i. The receipt of cash assistance would prevent removal of a child from the home by the Department of Children’s Services (DCS); ii. The caretaker has become disabled; iii. The caretaker is caring for an in-home disabled relative; iv. The receipt of cash assistance would prevent the AU from becoming homeless; v. The recipient filed an Appeal; vi. The recipient won an Appeal; vii. The sanction was entered in error.