New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 10 - HUMAN SERVICES › Chapter 87 - NEW JERSEY SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (NJ SNAP) MANUAL › Subchapter 9 - CERTIFICATION-RELATED PROCEDURES › Section 10:87-9.8 - Replacement of benefits

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) NJ SNAP
				benefits shall not be replaced once they are posted to a household's Families
				First account.
(b) Households shall
				not receive a replacement for any NJ SNAP benefits which were accessed using
				the client's Families First card and secret Personal Identification Number
				(PIN).
(c) CWAs shall provide a
				replacement benefit to a household when the household reports that food
				purchased with NJ SNAP benefits was destroyed in a household
				misfortune.
(d) Rules on providing
				the replacement benefits cited in (c) above are as follows:
1. Replacement of food purchased with NJ SNAP
				benefits destroyed in a household misfortune shall be provided only if a
				household timely reports a loss orally or in writing to the CWA. The report
				shall be considered timely if it is made to the CWA within 10 calendar days of
				the date the food was destroyed.
2.
				Prior to replacing food purchased with NJ SNAP benefits, the CWA shall
				determine that the destruction occurred in a household misfortune or disaster,
				such as, but not limited to, a fire or flood. This shall be verified through a
				collateral contact, documentation from a community agency including, but not
				limited to, the fire department or Red Cross, or a home visit.
3. Prior to issuing such a replacement
				benefit, the CWA shall obtain from a member of the household a signed statement
				attesting to the household's loss. The required statement may be mailed to the
				CWA if the household member is unable to come into the office because of age,
				handicap or distance from the office and is unable to appoint an authorized
				representative.
i. If the signed statement or
				affidavit is not received by the CWA within 10 calendar days from the date of
				report, no replacement shall be made. If the 10th day falls on a weekend or
				holiday, and the statement is received the day after the weekend or holiday,
				the CWA shall consider the statement timely received.
ii. The statement shall be retained in the
				case record and it shall attest to the household misfortune. The statement
				shall also state that the household is not eligible for this replacement
				benefit and must notify the CWA if the food that was destroyed has been, or is
				expected to be, recovered by the household through another means, such as a
				charity kitchen or food pantry. The statement shall further attest that the
				household is aware of the penalties for intentional misrepresentation of the
				facts including, but not limited to, a charge for perjury for a false
				claim.
4. A replacement
				benefit for food purchased with NJ SNAP benefits that was destroyed in a
				household misfortune shall be made available by the CWA to the eligible
				household within 10 days after report of the loss or within two working days of
				receipt of the household's signed statement required in (d)3 above, whichever
				date is later.
i. The CWA shall deny or delay
				such a replacement benefit in cases where available documentation indicates
				that the household's request for the food replacement benefit appears to be
				fraudulent.
(1) The household shall be
				informed of its right to a fair hearing to contest the denial or delay of a
				food replacement benefit. Replacements shall not be made while the denial or
				delay is being appealed.
5. No limit on the number of replacements
				shall be placed on the replacement of food purchased with NJ SNAP benefits
				which was destroyed in a household misfortune.
6. Replacement of NJ SNAP benefits shall be
				made available to the household in an amount not to exceed the value of the
				food purchased with NJ SNAP benefits that was destroyed (up to a maximum of one
				month's allotment, unless the issuance includes restored benefits which shall
				be replaced up to their full value).
7. Where FNS has issued a disaster
				declaration and the household is eligible for emergency NJ SNAP benefits, the
				household shall not receive both the disaster allotment and a replacement
				allotment for a misfortune.