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Do not count workers' compensation as earned income. 16.4.1 Specially Treated Wages 1. Income Received by Members of a Religious Order. If a person is a member of a religious order and has taken a vow of poverty, do not count any compensation that a member of a religious order receives if the compensation is turned back over to the order. 2. Housing Allowances for Members of the Clergy. If an ordained, licensed, or commissioned minister is renting housing, do not count as income an amount officially designated as a housing allowance or rental allowance if the amount is used to pay for rent and pay for utilities and is not more than reasonable pay for services. The amount not counted as income cannot be more than the fair rental value of the home plus the cost of utilities. If the amount of the housing allowance is more than the cost of rent and the cost of utilities, the excess amount is counted as income. If a church provides a house or parsonage for the minister to live in as part of the minister’s earnings, do not count as income the fair rental value of the house or parsonage plus the cost of utilities. The amount not counted as income cannot be more than the reasonable pay for services. If the minister owns their own home and receives as part of their salary a housing or rental allowance, do not count as income the smallest of: • The amount actually used to pay for the mortgage and utilities; or • The amount officially designated as a housing or rental allowance; or • The fair rental value of the home, including the cost of utilities. If housing expenses are not verified, the entire housing allowance must be counted as income. Eligibility must not be denied or terminated for failure to provide the requested expense verification. 3. Jury Duty Payments. Count all jury duty payments as earned income for the month in which it is received if the payments are not turned over to the individual’s employer. Amounts received separately as reimbursements or allowances for travel to and from the courthouse, meals, and lodging during jury duty are not countable. 4. AmeriCorps. Earnings or cash benefits received through AmeriCorps will be counted as earned income. Educational awards received from AmeriCorps are not counted as income. Note This does not include earnings or cash benefits received through VISTA (see SECTION 16.2 INCOME TYPES NOT COUNTED, #22 SPECIAL PROGRAMS). 5. Title V—Older Americans Act of 1965. Count only wages and salaries paid to individuals as a result of their participation in a program funded under Title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 as earned income. These programs include, but are not limited to the following: