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TANF Transmittal 65
901.6 TANF MANUAL 10/18 Page 6
901.6 SANCTIONS - Participants who fail to participate in the VIEW Program will be sanctioned.
A. The sanction will be imposed by suspending the TANF payment for the period of time specified at 901.6F.
B. For needy non-parent caretakers, the caretaker is to be removed from the payment, rather than suspending the payment. The caretaker may not be added back to the TANF payment during the current period of TANF assistance. If the case closes and the caretaker files a new TANF application, and will be included on the TANF payment, she will be referred to VIEW unless otherwise exempt.
C. The ESW must advise the EW of the decision to sanction and the sanction count.
D. The EW is to sanction the participant unless otherwise advised by the ESW. If the participant requests that the TANF case be closed following the referral of the case for sanctioning, the EW must still enter the sanction in VaCMS prior to closing the case.
1. If the EW is aware that the participant might have been exempt during the required participation period, or was unable to participate for reasons of disability or language barrier, the EW must advise the ESW.
The ESW is responsible for making the final decision as to whether to proceed with the sanction. If the ESW determines that the participant was exempt, or was unable to participate for reasons of disability or language barrier, the ESW will advise the eligibility worker not to impose the sanction.
Exception: The EW will not impose the first sanction when the client obtains and provides verification of full-time employment (at least 30 hours per week) prior to the effective date of the proposed sanction. The EW will delete the sanction information from VaCMS and inform the ESW of the employment and that the 1st sanction was not imposed. Employment prior to the imposition of a 2nd or 3rd sanction will not impact the proposed sanction; the eligibility worker will impose 2nd and 3rd sanctions regardless of client employment status.