016.20.98 Ark. Code R. 010
The Department of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Service, granted the State permission to waive the Food Stamp Program Requirement to Work (RTW) in the following areas:
1. Bradley County | 10. Izard County | 19. Ouachita County |
2. Calhoun County | 11. Jackson County | 20. Phillips County |
3. Chicot County | 12. Lafayette County | 21. Pine Bluff in Jefferson County |
4. Clay County | 13. Lawrence County | |
5. Columbia County | 14. Lee County | 22. Prairie County |
6. Dallas County | 15. Little River County | 23. Randolph County |
7. Desha County | 16. Mississippi County | 24. St. Francis County |
8. Drew County | 17. Monroe County | 25. Union County |
9. Hempstead County | 18. Nevada County | 26. Van Buren County |
27. Woodruff County |
Each of these areas was identified by the Department of Labor as a labor surplus area for the period October 1, 1997, through September 30, 1998. No Food Stamp Program participant who actually lives in one of these areas will be disqualified for failure to comply with the RTW.
Counties Where the RTW Waiver is Being Continued
The RTW waiver will continue without interruption in the following areas:
Bradley County | Jackson County | Phillips County |
Calhoun County | Lafayette County | Pine Bluff |
Chicot County | Lee County | Randolph County |
Dallas County | Little River County | St. Francis County |
Desha County | Mississippi County | Van Buren County |
Hempstead County | Ouachita County | Woodruff County |
No special actions are required in these counties.
Counties Where the RTW Waiver has Been Discontinued
Effective April 1,1998, both the RTW waiver that applies to Miller County and the RTW waiver that applies to Perry County will end. A notice will be automatically be generated to all food stamp households in Miller County and Perry County except those households composed entirely of aged and/or disabled members. A sample of this notice is attached to this directive.
Instructions for establishing the first month of the 36 month compliance period in Miller and Perry counties are as follows:
* For any individual household member who is participating in the Food Stamp Program on April 1,1998, the first month of the compliance period is April 1998.
* For any other individual household member, the first month of the compliance period will be the first month of participation after April 1,1998. ,
See FSC RTW 3610 (attached to PD FSC 97-12) for additional information about determining compliance periods.
Miller County and Perry County will resume tracking individuals who are subject to the RTW. Tracking methods are left to the county's discretion.
Counties Where the RTW Waiver is Effective for the First Time
Effective March 1, 1998, the RTW will be waived for the first time in the following counties;
Clay County | Izard County | Nevada County |
Columbia County | Lawrence County | Prairie County |
Drew County | Monroe County | Union County |
In these counties, each case will be reviewed at application approval, when the next quarterly report is processed, or when the next reported change is processed. The purpose of the review will be to determine if a member (or members) has been disqualified for failure to comply with the RTW. If a member has been disqualified, the household will be contacted to determine if this individual is still a household member. Additional action will be required only if the disqualified individual is still a household member.
If the disqualified individual is still a household member, the worker will ask if this member is currently working or has any unearned income. (Verification of declared income will be requested. In questionable situations, verification of household composition may be requested. If the requested verification is not supplied within the proper time frames, the case will be closed.)
The member's work registration status will also be determined. If the household member is still subject to work registration, a Notification of Work Registration (DCO-260) will be completed and issued to the household if the member is still subject to the work registration requirements.
When a member who was disqualified due to the RTW is added back to the food stamp case, the worker must determine if benefits were lost after March 1,1998, due to the imposition of an sanction. If yes, benefits will be restored for any months when a loss occurred beginning March 1,1998, because the member was disqualified.
Example 1: A quarterly report is processed in May. A member who was disqualified for failure to comply with the RTW is added back to the food stamp case. Any benefits lost in March and April due to the RTW disqualification will be restored. A supplement will be issued for any benefits lost in May due to the RTW disqualification. ,
Example 2: An application is processed in May. The only household member was disqualified for failure to comply with the RTW. The household did not participate in March or April due to the imposition of the RTW disqualification. The household may be entitled to a restoration of benefits for March and April.
See FSC 13000 -13360 for instructions on authorizing supplemental and restored benefits. Before restored benefits are authorized, the worker must identify any information and/or verification needed to determine the exact amount of restoration due for each month in which a loss possibly occurred. The household must provide any needed information before the restoration is authorized. See FSC 13310. These restorations will be subject to offset if the household has an unpaid overpayment. See FSC 13320.
Who Is Covered by the Waiver
The RTW waivers apply to individual recipients who actually live in an area covered by a waiver. This statement remains true no matter which county a household selects as its service county under the alternate service provisions in FSC 1301 -1304. When a food stamp household actually lives in an area not covered by an RTW waiver, the RTW will apply. Conversely, if a food stamp household actually lives in an area covered by an RTW waiver, household members will not be subject to the RTW. These rules apply regardless of the service county selected by the food stamp household.
If a food stamp household physically moves into an area covered by an RTW waiver, household members will no longer be subject to the RTW. If a household member is currently disqualified for failure to comply with the RTW, the disqualification will be ended. However, no benefits will be restored and/or supplemented due to the lifting of the disqualification following the move.
Tracking
Food stamp recipients who are subject to the RTW should be tracked. Tracking methods are left to the county's discretion. In counties where there is an RTW waiver, it will only be necessary to track food stamp recipients who live in an area covered by an RTW waiver. In these counties it is not necessary to determine the 36 month period of participation except for members of food stamp households who actually live in an area not covered by an RTW waiver.
Waiver Expiration Date
These waivers are effective until further notice.
INQUIRIES TO: Betty Helmbeck, Food Stamp Section, 682-8284
NOTICE TO FOOD STAMP RECIPIENTS MILLER AND PERRY COUNTIES
EFFECTIVE APRIL 1,1998, PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE FOOD STAMP BENEFITS MUST COMPLY WITH THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM REQUIREMENT TO WORK UNLESS THEY ARE EXEMPT.
The following people are exempt from the REQUIREMENT TO WORK:
* People age 17 and younger;
* People age 50 and older;
* Pregnant women;
* People who are medically certified as disabled; and
* People who are not required to register for work - for example, full time students, people who care for disabled adults, people who are drawing unemployment benefits and people who are working full time.
To comply with the REQUIREMENT TO WORK, a person must work at least 20 hours per week or participate in one of the following programs:
* A Jobs Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Program;
* A Trade Adjustment Act (TRA) Program;
* A Food Stamp Employment and Training (E&T) Program other than job search or job search training;
* A Workfare Program; or
* An Office of Refugee Resettlement Training Program.
People who fail to comply with the REQUIREMENT TO WORK for at least three months out of a 36 month period while they are receiving food stamp benefits will no longer be allowed to receive food stamp benefits.
Please call your local DHS County Office or our Customer Assistance Office if you need more information.
Miller County - (870) 773-0563 or TDD (870) 772-3813 for hearing impaired
Perry County - (501) 889-5105
Customer Assistance - 1-800-482 -8988 or TDD (501) 682-8275 for hearing impaired
016.20.98 Ark. Code R. 010