Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 106 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE › Title 106 CMR 361.000 - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): application process › Section 361.220 - Head of Household

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
Primary responsibility for designating the head of household
				for SNAP purposes rests with the household. The head of household may be any
				adult member of the household, except that if there is a minor child, the head
				of household must be an adult who has parental control of the child. The worker
				may assist in the determination of head of household. If the household does not
				designate a head of household, DTA may make the designation. Any adult in the
				household, whether or not that person is the head of the household, may apply
				for benefits and may conduct business with DTA on behalf of the
				household.
The household may select its head of household at initial
				certification and at each subsequent recertification. It may not change the
				designation during a certification period unless there is a change in the
				household composition, including a change due to death or institutionalization
				of a household member. For purposes of determining head of household in regard
				to compliance with the General SNAP Work Requirements at
				106 CMR
				362.310:
SNAP Employment and Training
				Program
or when a voluntary quit is established in accordance with
				106 CMR
				362.340:
Voluntary Quit
				Provisions
, the head of household shall be determined as
				follows.
(A) The head of household
			 shall be the household member (including any sanctioned or disqualified
			 members) who earned the greatest amount of income in the two months before the
			 date of the application or month of the violation (
i.e
., the
			 principal wage earner), unless the household contains more than one adult
			 parent of children. This "principal wage earner" provision applies only if the
			 employment involves 20 hours or more per week or provides weekly earnings at
			 least equivalent to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 20 hours.
(B) A household that has more than one adult
			 parent of children shall be given the option of selecting its head of household
			 when all adult household members agree to the selection. The household may
			 select its head of household at initial certification and at each subsequent
			 recertification. It may not change the designation during a certification
			 period unless there is a change in the composition of the household.
If the household is not eligible to select its head of
				household, or an eligible household does not choose to select its head of
				household, the head of household shall be determined in accordance with 106 CMR
				361.220(A). If there is no principal wage earner in the household, the
				household member documented in the case record as the head of the household at
				the time of the violation shall be considered the head of household.
				Designation of head of household, in accordance with 106 CMR 361.220(A) or (B),
				whichever is applicable, shall take precedence over a previous designation of
				head of household at least until the period of ineligibility has
				ended.