Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 016 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES › Division 20 - Division of County Operations › Rule 016.20.99-011 - FSC 99-12 - Food Stamp Program policy revisions and updates providing instructions to the Pulaski North Office 60-2 for the purpose of operating the Employment and Training Program

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
3600
Food Stamp E & T Programs
The Food Stamp Act requires all states to operate an
				Employment and Training (E&T) Program for the purpose of requiring all
				able-bodied, non-exempt Food Stamp recipients to meet certain work-related
				requirements. The Employment and Training Program is designed to assist
				eligible recipients in obtaining skills necessary in order to become
				self-sufficient. In the designated county office of Pulaski North (Co. 60-2)
				Food Stamp benefit recipients subject to the work registration requirements are
				provided services through the Food Stamp Employment and Training (E&T)
				Program which is operated by the Division of County Operations (DCO). Program
				services are available to all non-exempt Food Stamp recipients. Food Stamp
				recipients deemed exempt are not allowed to volunteer.
3601
Registration
Registration for Food Stamp recipients is completed at
				initial certification and at each recertification. The signing of the Food
				Stamp application automatically registers all household members subject to the
				requirement. Registration also will occur at the time of a reported change or
				recertification when a member of an active case loses an
				exemption.
3602
Referral
The E&T Program Referral (DC0-205) will be used to
				refer non-exempt household members to the E&T Program at application and at
				recertification. A copy of the DCO-205 will be given to the household to serve
				as the registrant's "notice" and to explain to the registrant the rights and
				responsibilities of each E&T Program participant and the consequences
				should the registrant fail to comply with an E&T Program
				requirement.
3603
Changes After Referral
After a registrant is referred to the E&T Program,
				changes in the registrant's status may occur. The following changes may affect
				either or both the E&T case and the Food Stamp case:
*
Changes in employment status;
*
Changes in work registration exemption
				status; and
*
Change of address.
If one worker handles both the E&T case and the Food
				Stamp case, this worker must Insure reported changes are reflected in both
				cases. Any / changes reported outside the quarterly reporting process must be
				acted on within 10 days of the date the change was reported to the county
				office. Changes reported through the quarterly report process must be reflected
				in the first month of the new report period.
When there are two different workers handling the food
				stamp and the E&T case, whichever worker is notified of the change(s) must
				report the change to the other worker. Additionally, if the food stamp case
				closes for any reason except the expiration of the certification period, the
				food stamp worker must report the case closure to the E&T worker. This
				includes automatic closures such as, but not limited to, closure due to the
				household's failure to return the quarterly report. All changes must be
				reported to the E&T worker within 10 days of the date the food stamp worker
				becomes aware of the change. (All changes reported to the E&T worker must
				be reported to the food stamp worker within 10 days of the date the E&T
				worker became aware of the change).
3604
Non-Compliance With
			 E&T Program Requirements
Any E&T participant who fails to keep a scheduled
				appointment, refuses to accept or perform an E&T assignment, refuses to
				accept employment without good cause as defined in FSC 3411, or otherwise
				demonstrates non-cooperation with the E&T program requirements will be
				subject sanction as explained in FSC 3410. For information on imposing
				sanctions on food stamp benefit recipients who fall to comply with an E&T
				program requirement see FSC 3412 - 3441.
3605
Close/Termination
A food stamp benefit recipient will no longer be served
				in the E&T program when the food stamp case closes or when the recipient
				becomes exempt from the work registration requirements as explained in FSC 3200
				- 3290. The E&T case closes automatically on the last day of the
				certification period indicated on the E&T program referral (DCO-205) unless
				the household 1s recertified and participation in the E&T program is
				continued. If an E&T program participant becomes exempt from the work
				registration requirements or goes to work during the certification period, the
				closure becomes effective the date the E&T worker becomes aware of the
				change. If two different workers handle the food stamp case and the E&T
				case, the effective date of the change in the E&T status is the date the
				food stamp worker notifies the E&T worker of the
				change.
3606
E&T Program Savings
E&T Program savings will be reported when a
				household's food stamp benefits are reduced because:
*
A household member went to
				work
*
A household member failed to verify earned
				Income and the food stamp case closed as a result; or
*
A household member was sanctioned as a
				result of noncompliance with the E&T Program.
To calculate savings, the worker must complete the
				following steps:
1.
Determine what the household's monthly food stamp benefit amount would
			 have been if the action had not been taken i.e., the household member had not
			 gone to work or been sanctioned or the case had not been
			 closed.
2.
Subtract
			 the new monthly food stamp benefit amount from the old food stamp benefit
			 amount as calculated in Step 1. above.
3.
Report the difference as monthly
			 savings.