Section 361.920 - Department Caused DelayA delay shall be considered the fault of the Department if the household has met all its obligations in a timely manner, but the worker has failed to complete the application process in the appropriate time frames, or when the worker has failed to take the following actions:
(A) For households that have failed to complete the application form, the worker must have offered or attempted to offer the household help in completing it.(B) If one or more members of the household have failed to register for work (see 106 CMR 362.300: Work Requirements), the worker must inform the household of the need to register for work and give the household at least ten days from the date of notification to register these members.(C) In cases where verification is incomplete, the worker must have provided assistance when required in 106 CMR 361.650 and allowed the household sufficient time to provide the missing verification. Assistance includes informing the household of all the verifications required as well as the alternative forms of verification accepted and assisting the household in obtaining these verifications. Sufficient time is at least ten days from the date of the initial request for the particular verification that was missing.(D) For households that have failed to appear for the first interview but have contacted the worker to reschedule the missed interview, the worker must have attempted to reschedule the interview within 30 calendar days following the date the application was filed. However, if the household has failed to appear for the first interview and a subsequent interview is postponed at the household's request or cannot otherwise be rescheduled until after the 20th day but before the 30th day following the date the application was filed, the household must appear for the interview, bring verification, and register members for work by the 30th day; otherwise, the delay shall be the fault of the household. If the household failed to appear for the first interview and a subsequent interview is postponed at the household's request until after the 30th day following the date the application was filed, the delay shall be the fault of the household. If the household has missed both scheduled interviews and requests another interview, any delay shall be the fault of the household.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1329, eff. 12/30/2016.