Part 503. Transitional Employment Assistance and Work Pays Policy Manual

20 CAR § 503-1515. Noncompliance. (a) Noncompliance occurs when a person who is required to participate in certain activities fails to do so. (b) Below are two (2) reasons that an Arkansas Work Pays Program participant’s case may be deemed in noncompliance. (c) The participant: (…

20 CAR § 503-1516. Compliance with the Office of Child Support Enforcement. (a) The participant will be required to comply with the Office of Child Support Enforcement of the Revenue Division of the Department of Finance and Administration. (b) Failure to comply without good caus…

20 CAR § 503-1517. Good cause for work noncompliance. (a) The sanction process will not be applied if the person demonstrates that he or she had good cause for not complying. (b)(1) The determination of good cause is a decision made by each local office. (2) For acceptable good c…

20 CAR § 503-1518. Determining good cause for work noncompliance. (a) Once failure to comply with Arkansas Work Pays Program requirements has been established, the following procedures will be followed: (1)(A) Contact the participant to give him or her the opportunity to explain …

20 CAR § 503-1519. Noncompliance sanction. (a)(1) If on the fifth workday of the month, verification of hours has not been received, a ten-calendar-day advance notice (TEA-1) will be sent on the sixth workday of the month requesting documentation. (2) If the documentation is not …

20 CAR § 503-1520. Lifting the sanction. (a) If the participant fully participates in the next month following a sanctioned payment, the Program Eligibility Specialist will authorize a full payment. (b) If the payment was reduced due to an Office of Child Support Enforcement of t…

20 CAR § 503-1521. Case closure. (a) An Arkansas Work Pays Program case will be closed if the participant fails to meet the general eligibility requirements, including, but not limited to, one (1) of the reasons listed below: (1) Participant failed to meet the work requirement fo…

20 CAR § 503-1522. Reentry to the Arkansas Work Pays Program. (a) Reentry into the Arkansas Work Pays Program is through the Transitional Employment Assistance Program. (b) A participant can reenter the Arkansas Work Pays Program if they are within six (6) months of their last tr…

20 CAR § 503-1523. Overpayment. (a) Any payment received by or for a participant that is in excess of the amount that should have been paid is an overpayment. (b) However, only those overpayments described in 20 CAR § 503-1201 et seq., will be reported and collection pursued.…

20 CAR § 503-201. Work activity supportive services generally. (a) Some participants, or other household members, will need additional assistance or services to help solve problems that may delay or adversely affect the participants’ employment or employment-related activities. (…

20 CAR § 503-202. Transportation. (a) Availability of transportation is important for the participant’s self-sufficiency. (b)(1) The participant should be encouraged to make transportation arrangements for work activities. (2) If arrangements cannot be made, the Program Eligibili…

20 CAR § 503-203. Vehicle down payment assistance. (a) The purpose of this section is to provide policy and procedures for assisting an employed TEA participant and former participant with the down payment on a vehicle. (b)(1) The availability of transportation plays a significan…

20 CAR § 503-204. Sales tax assistance. (a) The Program Eligibility Specialist can preapprove one (1) lifetime sales tax payment for a current or former transitional employment assistance (TEA) participant who is currently engaged in an allowable work activity. (b) In the case of…

20 CAR § 503-205. Vehicle tags assistance. (a) The Program Eligibility Specialist can preapprove one (1) lifetime vehicle tags payment for a current or former transitional employment assistance (TEA) participant who is currently engaged in an allowable work activity. (b) In the c…

20 CAR § 503-206. Insurance assistance. (a)(1) The Program Eligibility Specialist can preapprove one (1) lifetime payment of vehicle insurance for a current or former TEA participant who is currently engaged in an allowable work activity. (2) The lifetime payment may cover up to …

20 CAR § 503-207. Vehicle repair assistance. (a) When a transitional employment assistance (TEA) participant or former participant has a vehicle that needs repair, the local office may determine the best solution to the participant’s transportation problem is to repair the vehicl…

20 CAR § 503-208. Activity-related expenses. (a) Activity-related expenses are payments made to assist current transitional employment assistance (TEA) participants with expenses that may arise during a documented work activity. (b)(1) Payment or reimbursement up to a cumulative …

20 CAR § 503-209. Emergency rent and utilities assistance. (a)(1) Assistance with rent and utilities is not considered an allowable supportive service expense. (2) Rent and utilities are basic living expenses for which the monthly cash grant is intended and are not solely associa…

20 CAR § 503-210. Educational expenses. (a)(1) The purpose of educational expenses is to cover costs not covered by financial aid. (2) The participant must explore all other options before requesting assistance. (3) The Program Eligibility Specialist should advise the participant…

20 CAR § 503-211. Relocation assistance. (a)(1) One-time-only cash assistance to help a transitional employment assistance (TEA) participant family move from an area of limited job opportunities to a new location within Arkansas for full-time employment may be available on a limi…

20 CAR § 503-212. Childcare assistance. (a) Childcare assistance will be guaranteed for eligible participants to the extent that it is necessary for a participant to participate in any transitional employment assistance (TEA) activity. (b)(1) Child care will be guaranteed for the…

20 CAR § 503-213. Extended support services (ESS). (a)(1) Extended support services (ESS) are available to certain families who lose eligibility for TEA due to earnings. (2) These services are: (A) Child care; (B) ESS employment bonus and transportation assistance; (C) ESS job re…

20 CAR § 503-214. ESS Medicaid. (a) In certain situations, a family that becomes ineligible for transitional employment assistance (TEA) benefits due to employment may receive up to one (1) year of extended Medicaid coverage. (b) Refer to the Medical Services Policy Manual, 2061.…

20 CAR § 503-215. Employment bonus. (a)(1) Transitional employment assistance (TEA) cases that close due to employment, by agency determination or participant request, or have reached the time limit and the individual is employed will be eligible to receive an employment bonus pa…

20 CAR § 503-216. Transportation bonus. (a)(1) Transitional employment assistance (TEA) cases that close due to employment, by agency determination or at participant request, or have reached the time limit and the participant is employed will automatically be eligible to receive …

20 CAR § 503-217. Extended support services employment bonus and transportation examples. (a) The following are situations in which extended support services (ESS) employment bonus and/or transportation assistance will be authorized. (b) Note. A system edit will prevent more than…

20 CAR § 503-218. Extended support services job retention. (a)(1) Those participants who become ineligible for continued transitional employment assistance (TEA) cash assistance benefits due to employment may receive, during the twelve-month period following case closure, cash pa…

20 CAR § 503-219. Extended case management services. (a)(1) Case management is the process of coordinating and brokering the multiple services needed to achieve progress toward self-sufficiency. (2) Program Eligibility Specialists serve as a point of contact for participants and …

20 CAR § 503-220. Individual development account (IDA). (a)(1) The Family Savings Initiative Act, Acts 1999, No. 1217, provides for the establishment of individual development accounts (IDAs). (2) Acts 2007, No. 252, transferred the Family Savings Initiative to the Division of Wo…

20 CAR § 503-221. Provider eligibility guidelines for nonchildcare providers. (a) Individuals providing supportive services to transitional employment assistance (TEA) participants are required to meet established guidelines. (b) Providers must have on file the following: (1) One…

20 CAR § 503-222. Services not paid by TEA. When the participant has made transportation or other arrangements that will be provided at no cost or will be paid by another agency, the Program Eligibility Specialist should obtain a written statement from the participant or document…

20 CAR § 503-223. Authorizing supportive services. (a)(1) The following must be obtained from the provider before any services are authorized: (A) Proof of EIN/SSN; (B) Signed W-9; and (C) Signed signature page of TEA-1400. (2) Services cannot be authorized until all necessary in…

20 CAR § 503-224. Employment services — Noncompliance. (a)(1) The purpose of the noncompliance process is to encourage the participant to comply with the work activity requirement. (2) It is expected this process will assist the participant in successfully reaching the goal of fu…

20 CAR § 503-225. Noncompliance sanction. (a)(1) An act of noncompliance opens the initial sanction process. (2) The sanction process is as follows: (A) Transitional employment assistance (TEA) benefits will be suspended for one (1) month; (B) If the participant fails to comply a…

20 CAR § 503-226. Reapplication after closure. (a) Cases closed due to noncompliance. (1)(A) If a participant whose case has been closed due to noncompliance reapplies for transitional employment assistance (TEA), the application will be held until he or she has complied for two …

20 CAR § 503-227. Cooperation with quality assurance. (a) A family must cooperate with the Quality Assurance Unit if the case is selected for a Transitional Employment Assistance Program review. (b) Failure to cooperate will cause the entire family to be ineligible. (c) Upon noti…

20 CAR § 503-228. Failure to comply with non–work-related aspects of the personal responsibility agreement. (a) Child support. (1) Failure to comply with child support requirements will result in a twenty-five percent (25%) reduction in the transitional employment assistance (TEA…

20 CAR § 503-229. School attendance. (a) School attendance is required in order for an eligible child to receive assistance. (b)(1) For purposes of this section, school attendance relates only to children and not minor parents. (2) Refer to 20 CAR § 503-135 for minor parent educa…

20 CAR § 503-230. Immunizations. (a)(1) Immunizations of preschool-age children is a requirement for transitional employment assistance (TEA). (2) Exemptions to this requirement due to religious beliefs or medical problems may be approved as described below. (b)(1) During the app…

20 CAR § 503-301. Continuing eligibility generally. (a) The Division of County Operations has a continuing responsibility to: (1) Provide assistance for eligible participants as adequately as funds will permit; and (2) Ensure that no ineligible participant continues to receive as…

20 CAR § 503-302. Timely (advance) and adequate notice for reduction, hold, or termination of assistance. (a) When the county office proposes to terminate, reduce, or hold the assistance payment or change the payee to a protective payee, a timely and adequate notice (DCO-1 or sys…

20 CAR § 503-303. When a timely (advance) notice is not required. (a) Advance notice is not required when: (1) The agency has factual information confirming the death of the transitional employment assistance (TEA) payee and there is no relative to serve as the new payee; (2) The…

20 CAR § 503-401. Periodic reviews. (a) Time-limited cases. (1) During employment updates and other periodic contacts with the participant, the Program Eligibility Specialist will ensure that participants continue to meet eligibility requirements that are subject to change, e.g.,…

20 CAR § 503-402. Resources. (a) Newly acquired resources should be reported to the county office within ten (10) days of receipt. (b) Resources will be verified according to the same standard used to determine original eligibility. (c) If the total countable resources available …

20 CAR § 503-403. Income. (a)(1) The worker will discuss income changes during periodic contacts with the participant. (2) The participant will be advised that he or she must report changes within ten (10) days. (b) Income and eligibility will be redetermined only when a signific…

20 CAR § 503-404. Recomputing income. (a) When a family reports a significant change in income, the budget will be recomputed to determine the family’s continued eligibility. (b)(1) If the net countable income exceeds two hundred twenty-three dollars ($223) (Income Eligibility St…

20 CAR § 503-405. Child support income exceeds assistance payment. (a)(1) The Office of Child Support Enforcement of the Revenue Division of the Department of Finance and Administration sends the transitional employment assistance (TEA) family any current monthly child support co…