Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 208 - Department of Workforce Services › Rule 208.00.06-001 - TEA Policy 10000 - 10800 - Work Pays; TEA Policy 5140 - Extended Support Services - Transportation; Arkansas Title IV-A - State Plan Section 11 and Section 6.5.2; Form DCO-213 - Work Pays Application, Career Advancement Form, Work Pays Notice of Action

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
10000
Arkansas Work Pays
Arkansas Act 1705 of 2005 established the Work Pays Program. Work
			 Pays is an incentive program designed to encourage working TEA clients to
			 remain employed after closure of the TEA case while increasing their hours of
			 work and/or hourly wage. Families participating in Arkansas Work Pays will
			 receive a monthly cash assistance payment in the amount of $204 for up to 24
			 months, provided they meet the Work Pays eligibility requirements. The
			 twenty-four (24) months will count toward the federal 60 month time limit but
			 not the state's TEA 24 month limit. This work incentive program is limited to
			 3,000 families.
The eligibility worker will explain the Work Pays program to the
			 applicant and provide a Work Pays pamphlet during the initial interview for TEA
			 cash assistance. The case manager will discuss the Work Pays program with the
			 client during on going case management activities. When the TEA case closes due
			 to employment, the client will receive additional information about Work Pays,
			 including a Work Pays application.
10100
Work Pays Eligibility
		  Requirements
An individual must meet the following
						requirements:
1. Have care and custody of a related minor child;
2. Be a resident of the State of Arkansas;
3. Meet the citizenship or alienage requirement (Refer to
						TEA 2220);
4. Apply for Work Pays within six (6) months of TEA case
						closure with Employment;
5. Received TEA cash assistance for at least three (3)
						months;
6. Have not received more that twenty-four (24) months of
						Arkansas Work Pays Program Benefits.
7. Meet Work Hours Requirement:
. For initial eligibility - Was engaged in paid work
						activities for a minimum of twenty-four hours per week for the past month and
						meet the federal participation rate.
. For on-going eligibility - must be in paid work
						activities for a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours per week and meet the
						federal participation requirement for one (1) of the past three (3) months and
						for at least three (3) of the past six (6) months.
8. Have income below the federal poverty level for the
						family size;
9. Comply with the Work Pays Personal Responsibility
						Agreement;
10. Comply with Office of Child Support Enforcement
						(OCSE) requirements, including assignment of support and cooperation in
						establishing paternity and/or support unless good cause exists.
10101
Work Pays Application Process
Each month a Work Pays application will be mailed to all TEA
			 clients whose case closed the prior month due to employment. This process will
			 be completed by Central Office through a mass mailing process. For clients
			 interested in applying for Work Pays, the application must be completed and
			 mailed to the Work Pays Processing Unit who will determine initial eligibility.
			 Applications received at a local DHHS or DWS office or at a case management
			 contractor's office will be forwarded to the processing unit upon receipt. The
			 Work Pays applicant must sign the application. If it is a two-parent household,
			 both parents must sign the form.
10102
Determining Initial
		  Eligibility
The client must meet the following general eligibility
			 requirements:
. Have care and custody of a related minor child;
. Be a resident of the State of Arkansas;
. Meet the citizenship or alienage requirement;
In most situations, these requirements will have been established
			 for TEA eligibility and do not have to be re-verified. However, if there has
			 been a change, (e.g. a second parent moves in the household) it must be
			 verified.
Prior TEA Receipt
The client must have received at least 3 months of TEA cash
			 assistance and the case closed within the past 6 months with employment. This
			 includes cases that close due to reaching the time limit or have been extended
			 and earnings are included. The 3 months do not have to be consecutive. (See
			 example below)
Example 1
: Ms. Davis applied for Work Pays in
			 September 2006. Her TEA case closed in April 2006 due to employment after
			 receiving assistance for 9 months. The client provided verification of
			 employment with Entergy working 40 hours per week at $6.00 per hour. Ms. Davis
			 met all eligibility requirements; therefore, her application is
			 approved.
Example 2:
Ms. Wilson applied for Work Pays in July
			 2006. Her TEA case closed in June due to employment after receiving assistance
			 for 2 months. These were the only months she received TEA. She is employed 35
			 hours per week. Since she did not receive TEA for at least 3 months, her
			 application is denied.
Income
The parent's gross earnings along with other countable income
			 must be below the 100% Federal Poverty Level for the family size (see Appendix
			 F). The income of the child(ren) is disregarded. (Refer to TEA 2331 for
			 unearned income to disregard) For initial eligibility, self declaration of
			 income can be accepted. However, if it is determined after approval that the
			 client did not meet the income/hours requirement, the case will be closed. This
			 determination will be made by the Case Manager upon receipt of initial work
			 documentation from the client.
Work Hours
			 Requirement
The client must be employed at least twenty-four (24) hours per
			 week. If less than 30, he/she must be engaged in another countable work
			 activity that when combined with the work hours will meet the federal TANF work
			 requirement for the family. The client's declaration of the hours worked can be
			 accepted. If the hour requirement is met, the application may be approved if
			 all other Work Pays requirements are met. Acceptance of the self-declaration
			 will be documented in the ANSWER system. If it is determined after approval
			 that the client does not meet the work hour requirement, the Work Pays case
			 will be closed. (See examples below)
Example 1:
Ms. Adams applies for Work Pays on July
			 1, 2006. It has been verified that she has been employed since May 2006. She
			 works 30 hours per week. Ms. Adams meets the 24 hours per week work requirement
			 and the Federal Participation requirement. If otherwise eligible, the
			 application may be approved.
Example 2:
Mr. Thomas applied for Work Pays on July
			 7, 2006. He declares that he has been employed since March 2006 working 24
			 hours per week and is attending Vo-Tech at night. He is taking a three (3) hour
			 course in management and will graduate December 2006. He received TEA cash
			 assistance for 8 months prior to starting Vo-Tech. His TEA case closed in
			 April. The work requirement is met. The 3 hours of class along with the 3 hours
			 of allowable study time brings his total countable hours to 30 per week which
			 meets the federal work requirement for his situation. If otherwise eligible,
			 the application may be approved.
Example 3:
Ms. Harris applied for Work Pays on
			 October 15, 2006. She declares that she is employed at Wal-Mart working 30
			 hours a week at $6.00 per hour. She meets all other eligibility requirements
			 and her case are approved based on her declaration of income and hours.
			 However, it is determined after approval that she is only working 25 hours per
			 week. Even though she was working 24 hours per week, she did not meet the
			 federal participation requirement of 30 hours in October. Therefore, her Work
			 Pays case is closed.
Note:
If in a 2-parent family, the work hours/week
			 must meet the 2-parent requirement. If there is a child under age 6 in the
			 home, as long as the 24 hours of paid work is met the client does not have to
			 meet the higher rate unless it is a 2-parent household.
Resources
The family's resources are totally disregarded.
Child Support
			 Requirement
The applicant will be required to comply with the Office of Child
			 Support Enforcement. Failure to comply without good cause will result in a 25%
			 sanction being imposed. (Refer to TEA 2140).
10103
Application
		  Disposal
The Work Pays Processing Unit will dispose of the application for
			 Work Pays by either approval or denial within 30 days from the date of
			 application.
Please Note
:
Initial approval for Work
			 Pays does not release a payment. The Case Manager will determine if the work
			 hour's requirement was met and authorize a payment to be made.
10104
Referral for Case
		  Management Services and Payment Authorization
Upon approval of the application, a referral will be sent by the
			 Work Pays Eligibility Worker via a task through ANSWER to the Work Pays Service
			 Manager for payment authorization and case management
			 services.
10105
Payment
Payment Amount
The Work Pays payment amount is $204 monthly unless under a
			 sanction.
Payment
			 Authorization
The Case Manager will authorize the payment when verification of
			 participation is received or good cause for non-compliance is established.
			 (Refer to Work Pays policy TEA 10300).
Extract
A client will receive a Work Pays payment once per month.
			 However, extract will occur twice during the month. The first extract is the
			 10th workday of the month for clients who have
			 provided all the required verification and met requirements for a full payment.
			 A second extract will occur on the second work day from the end of the month
			 for clients who provide verification later during the month. The payment is
			 added to the client's EBT account. (See TEA policy 10330 for specific
			 procedures the Work Pays Case Manager will follow to authorize
			 payment.)
10106
Reevaluation
All Work Pays cases will be re-evaluated by the central
			 processing unit every 6 months to determine continued eligibility. The
			 following criteria must be met:
*There must be an eligible child in the home.
*The client's gross earned income plus other countable income
			 must be below the 100% Federal Poverty Level for the family
			 size.
10107
Case Closure
A Work Pays case will be closed if the client fails to meet the
			 general eligibility requirements including but not limited to one of the
			 reasons listed below. The Case Manager will notify the Work Pays Eligibility
			 Worker if a change in eligibility occurs between re-evaluations. The Work Pays
			 Eligibility Worker will process the case closure.
* Client failed to meet the work requirement for three (3)
			 continuous months
* Client failed to meet the work participation hours for at least
			 three (3) of the past six (6) months
* Unable to locate
* Income exceeds 100% Federal Poverty Level for family
			 size
*Client's request