When an applicant who has used his/her 60-day work search period reapplies, you must keep in mind that:
an applicant who reached a Level 4 sanction (case was closed) who reapplies can cure the sanction by completing pre-benefit job search.
if prior to application a client participated in any activity that would have been an approved ESP activity, such as working or going to school, the activity will count to cure the sanction.
if the applicant who reached a Level 4 sanction reapplies and now has good cause for failure to meet the work program, the entire case (including the sanctioned applicant), must be reopened, if otherwise eligible, and the applicant must be given good cause.
if at reapplication, the applicant states that s/he cannot meet the work program requirement for a good cause reason, the appropriate Meets Compliance reason should be selected from the Compliance Reason drop down box on the Work Requirements – TAFDC page, to prevent a sanction from occurring.
Example |
If the applicant’s child care slot will not be available for two weeks or more, you should set the Meets Compliance radio button to Yes and select the No Child Care Available compliance reason. The Compliance End Date should be set to the date child care will be available. |
As long as the applicant remains in a pending status, the automatic work program tracking process will not begin and any community service site referrals issued during this pending period will not be tracked. The process will not start until the case is active. You must explain the work program requirement to the applicant at the application interview and discuss available options and the benefit of participating right away.
Prior to approving the applicant’s request for reapplication of benefits, you must check to see if any ESP components that are no longer applicable are still active (e.g., have an expired end date. These active ESP components must be terminated. Failure to do so before taking the application or processing the reopening could cause either the ESP Participation and Attendance Record (ESP-7 A) form or the Participation and Attendance Record for Employment Ready Activities(ESP-7 B) form to be generated and could cause the applicant to be incorrectly sanctioned.
Reminder |
When an applicant comes back in to reapply, you must update the PSS workflow, terminate any previous activities and reflect the applicant’s current ESP status. Applicants who are already enrolled in an activity at approval need to have their PSS page updated to reflect this. For an applicant who is WPR without an activity at case approval, a Work Planning referral should be given to the client. Accept the referral and set up the EDP, this could be done during the application approval or PSS assessment. |
Once an applicant who has already used his/her 60-day work search period (within the 60-month federal clock) becomes active for benefits and is not meeting the work program requirement (no active activity), a mandated EDP (Level 2 sanction) is generated. It is mailed the next day and informs the applicant s/he must participate within 10 days or be sanctioned. Once a community service site referral is generated, the automatic work program tracking process begins.
If a work program required grantee is sanctioned, entering a good cause, meets compliance or exemption reason will suspend the automated sanction process.
If a work program required grantee is at sanction Level 3 (grantee closure) or Level 4 (case closure) and is about to have a meets compliance or good cause reason expire, 20 days before the end of the expiration s/he will receive a work program required notice informing him/her that the meets compliance reason is expiring. A community service referral will be sent to the grantee on the expiration date. The grantee will have 10 days to enroll in a community service and/or other activity to meet the work program requirement. If the grantee does not submit proof of enrollment within the 10-day period, the sanction will occur.
Important |
A client’s work program sanction level will reset when a new 60-month period begins, and the client is either currently exempt from the work program, meeting the work program requirement or has been closed for more than 30 days and reapplies for benefits. The work program sanction level will not reset when a new 60-month period begins, and the client is in the sanctioning process. |
Work Program Sanctions Policy and Procedures