Ohio Administrative Code › Title 5101:1 - Division of Public Assistance › Chapter 5101:1-23 - Income › Section 5101:1-23-01 - Ohio works first: time-limited receipt of assistance

Current through all regulations passed and filed through July 1, 2024
(A)
  What is the state time limit for Ohio works first (OWF) benefits?
In Ohio, an assistance group is ineligible to participate in OWF when
	 the assistance group includes an individual, who meets one of the conditions
	 described in paragraphs (C)(1) to (C)(5) of this rule, and who has received OWF
	 assistance for thirty-six months. This time limit applies regardless of whether
	 the thirty-six months are consecutive. Ohio law provides for extensions of OWF
	 beyond the thirty-six month limit, with the provision that no assistance group
	 shall receive assistance under the OWF program in violation of the federal
	 sixty-month time limit for receipt of temporary assistance for needy families
	 (TANF) assistance. When an assistance group is receiving OWF cash assistance
	 benefits on the basis of state hardship, good cause or a domestic violence
	 waiver, as described in paragraphs (A)(1) to (A)(3) of this rule, such benefits
	 continue to count toward the federal sixty-month time limit provided in
	 paragraph (B) of this rule. The county agency shall examine the assistance
	 group's unique special circumstances that caused the need for an extension, and
	 shall address these special needs, barriers and conditions in the self
	 sufficiency contract. When an assistance group is receiving OWF cash assistance
	 due to either a state hardship, good cause or domestic violence waiver
	 extension (as provided in paragraphs (A)(1) to (A)(3) of this rule), the
	 assistance group is in receipt of OWF and as such is subject to all OWF
	 eligibility requirements. The three types of extensions beyond the thirty-six
	 month time limit that count toward the federal sixty-month limit are:
(1) State hardship
A county agency may exempt not more than twenty per cent of the average
	 monthly number of OWF assistance groups from the thirty-six month limit on the
	 grounds that the county agency determines that the time limit is a hardship.
	 The twenty per cent calculation is described in rule 5101:1-23-01.1 of the
	 Administrative Code. The county agency may not provide a state hardship
	 extension until the assistance group has exhausted its thirty-six months of OWF
	 assistance, as described in division (A) of section
	 5107.18
	 of the Revised Code.
(2)
  Good cause
An assistance group that has ceased to participate in OWF due to the
	 thirty-six month time limit (i.e., the assistance group lost eligibility for
	 OWF due to the thirty-six month time limit), as described in division (A) of
	 section
	 5107.18
	 of the Revised Code and paragraph (A) of this rule, may be approved to
	 participate in the program in accordance with rule
	 5101:1-2-01
	 of the Administrative Code twenty-four months later when the county agency
	 determines that good cause for a twenty-four month extension of OWF exists.
	 There is no twenty per cent limit for the extension of OWF assistance under the
	 good cause provision. The good cause extension provides an assistance group
	 additional time to overcome existing barriers to self sufficiency. Good cause
	 may include losing employment and inability to find employment (reference
	 section
	 5107.26
	 of the Revised Code); divorce; domestic violence considerations; unique
	 personal circumstances; and any other reason the county agency determines to be
	 good cause for participating in OWF beyond the thirty-six month limit. The
	 assistance group must provide verification pursuant to rule
	 5101:1-2-20
	 of the Administrative Code of whether any members of the assistance group had
	 employment during the period the assistance group was not participating in OWF
	 and the amount and source of the assistance group's income during that period.
	 When the county agency determines that good cause exists for the assistance
	 group, the county agency shall determine when the assistance group meets all
	 eligibility requirements for participation in OWF. The assistance group may not
	 participate in OWF under paragraph (B)(2) of this rule for more than
	 twenty-four additional months.
The twenty-four month time limit for participating in OWF under
	 paragraph (A)(2) of this rule applies regardless of whether the twenty-four
	 months of the good cause extension are consecutive. Once good cause is
	 initially determined to exist, and an assistance group is determined eligible
	 under the good cause provision, a subsequent determination of good cause is not
	 required, unless the assistance group becomes otherwise ineligible for OWF.
	 However, when the assistance group becomes ineligible for OWF due to the
	 imposition of a sanction for failure to comply with the terms of the self
	 sufficiency contract, the assistance group may resume participation in OWF
	 without a new good cause determination.
(3) Domestic violence
An assistance group may receive a waiver of the state thirty-six month
	 time limit due to domestic violence, as described in rule 5101:1-3-20 of the
	 Administrative Code. Any assistance group that receives a waiver of the
	 thirty-six month time limit is not counted toward the county agency twenty per
	 cent limit described in rule 5101:1-23-01.1 of the Administrative Code and
	 section
	 5107.18
	 of the Revised Code.