Code of Maine Rules › 10 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES › 144 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - GENERAL › Chapter 311 - WORK INCENTIVE (WIN) PROGRAM MANUAL › Chapter II - OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM › Section 144-311-II-II - Procedures for the Income Maintenance Unit

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A.
				  Mandatory Registration:
When it is determined that an applicant or recipient,
					 (including children), 16 and over, is nonexempt, that individual will be
					 informed that he must register with WIN as a condition of eligibility and
					 advised of the consequences of failure to register and refusal to participate.
					 The WIN Registration Record Form, complete with the signature of the registrant
					 and the signature of the WIN representative, is received by Income Maintenance
					 and filed in the case folder, the WIN registration requirement will be
					 considered to be met. When the WIN Registration Record Form indicates that the
					 individual has failed to register, the individual's needs will not be included
					 In the determination of AFDC eligibility.
The Department of Manpower Affairs has agreed to process
					 all referrals of mandatory individuals within five (5) working days from the
					 receipt of the WIN Registration Referral. If, after seven (7) working days from
					 the date of referral, the WIN Registration Record is not received, the Income
					 Maintenance Unit will notify the WIN/MA Agency in writing that the WIN
					 Registration Record has not been received. Within three (3) working days, the
					 WIN/MA Agency will respond with either the completed WIN Registration Record or
					 a memo stating the expected date of registration.
B. Voluntary Registration:
When an exempt individual wishes to voluntarily register
					 for the WIN Program, the same procedures will be followed with the exception of
					 presumptive registration after seven (7) working days.
Once registered, an individual will continue to-be
					 registered until he has been deregistered by the WIN Agency.
C. Deregistration:
The WIN Manpower Agency is responsible for deregistering
					 individuals from the WIN Program. Reasons for deregistration are:
1. Employed After Registration - Off AFDC:
				  Deregistration shall be accomplished immediately upon notice from the IMU that
				  the registrant's AFDC case has been closed because of increased earnings from
				  employment.
2. Employed Volunteer -
				  Not Off AFDC: Self-evident.
3.
				  Applicant Not Eligible for AFDC: Deregistration shall he accomplished
				  immediately upon notice from the IMU that a registrant with pending AFDC status
				  has been found ineligible for AFDC.
4. Exempt: Deregistration shall he
				  accomplished immediately upon notice from the IMU that a registrant's status
				  has changed from nonexempt to exempt and does not volunteer. An exempt
				  volunteer who wishes to withdraw will be deregistered immediately upon
				  request.
5. Failure or Refusal to
				  Participate: Any mandatory registrant who has been determined by the WIN/MA to
				  have failed to appear for appraisal without good cause or to have refused to
				  participate without good cause shall be deregistered. In the instance of a
				  certified mandatory registrant, a deregistration will not be accomplished until
				  the termination of counseling by the WIN Separate Administrative Unit.
When the Income Maintenance Unit receives a deregistration
					 notice by reason of failure or refusal to participate, the individual's needs
					 will be removed from the AFDC grant, and if the individual is the client/payee,
					 a third party protective payment will he required. Pending the authorization of
					 the third party payee, the individual's needs will be removed from the AFDC
					 grant and such individual will be designated as payee only until the third
					 party payee is authorized.
6. Off AFDC - Other: Deregistration will be
				  accomplished immediately upon notice from the IMU that the registrant's case
				  has been closed for any reason other than increased earnings from employment or
				  failure or refusal to participate.
The Department of Manpower Affairs will notify Income
					 Maintenance that deregistration has been accomplished by forwarding a copy of
					 the WIN Status Change Notice Form whenever a registrant is deregistered. The
					 copy will he filed in the case folder to serve as verification that the
					 individual is now deregistered. When the WIN Manpower Agency receives a
					 referral for mandatory registration and the WIN/MA considers that the
					 individual is, in fact, exempt, a request for redetermination of exemption will
					 be forwarded to the IMU and WIN/MA will state in writing to IMU reasons for the
					 request. If IMU does not respond to the request within 30 days, the
WIN/MA will deregister the individual as exempt and notify
					 IMU via the WIN Status Change Notice Form.