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Aged, Blind and Disabled Manual Section: Financial Eligibility Requirements

Policy Manual Number: 110.025 Chapter: ABD Earned Income

November 01, 2021 Division of TennCare 8 Wages Countable.

Wages include all payment from employment, and the term is generally defined to mean gross wages. Gross wages are the total amount paid to the individual before deductions.

Wages are counted (considered available to the individual) at the earliest of the following:

• When wages are received or paid; • When wages are credited to the individual’s account; or • When wages are set aside for the individual’s use.

Deferred wage payment occurs when wages are paid at a time later than the wages normally would have been paid. If wage payments are deferred due to circumstances beyond the employee’s control, consider the payment earned income when it is actually available to her. If the wage payment(s) is deferred at the employee’s request, determine when the wages would normally have been paid and consider them earned income for that period.

Work Study Excluded.

Exclude educational income that is directly contingent upon the individual attending an institution of higher education, including work study and stipends.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) The WIOA funds a variety of programs designed to connect individuals with employment opportunities.

Examples of WIOA-funded programs include:

• Adult Services Program • Dislocated Workers Program • Job Corps Act • YouthBuild

The wages, bonuses, or incentives received from these programs are considered as countable earned income, unless the payments are for supportive services such as child care, transportation, or job placement services.

Any compensation received from a WIOA program that is not food or shelter, and cannot be used to obtain food or shelter, is excluded from income. This would include any type of voucher that can only be redeemed for items such as clothing or transportation.