M E M O R A N D U M

IM-30  03/31/99  WAIVER 18-50 YR. OLD LIMIT ON RECEIPT OF FS


SUBJECT:
COUNTIES WAIVED FROM MEETING THE 18 TO 50 YEAR OLD WORK REQUIREMENT
 
DISCUSSION:
The 18 to 50 year old food stamp recipients who are able-bodied and without dependents must comply with two work requirements to receive food stamps:
  • the Missouri Employment and Training Program; and

    •  
  • for 20 hours a week, work or participate in an approved training program.
Eighteen to fifty (18 to 50) year olds who do not comply with the 20 hour per week work requirement are limited to receiving food stamps 5 months in a 36-month period.  In our policy, we refer to the 20 hour per week work requirement as the 18 to 50 year old work requirement.

Recognizing that the 20 hour per week work requirement creates a hardship for individuals who live in areas with high unemployment and without enough approved training slots, Congress allows waiver of this requirement in some areas.  Due to economic factors, the 20 hour per week work requirement can be waived in areas of a state in which:

  • the unemployment rate is over 10 percent; or

    •  
  • there is an insufficient number of jobs to provide employment for individuals residing in the area (labor surplus).
Missouri received approval this year to waive the 18 to 50 year old work requirement in 28 counties and St. Louis City.  The waiver applies only to the 18 to 50 year old work requirement.  All 18 to 50 year olds, who are mandatory work registrants, must still meet all Missouri Employment and Training (METP) requirements.

Missouri's waiver request of the 18 to 50 year old work requirement has been approved for the following counties:

Bollinger Hickory  Ozark  Texas
Buchanan Iron   Pemiscot  Washington
Caldwell Laclede  Ripley  Wayne
Camden Linn   Shannon  Wright
Carter Madison  St. Francois St. Louis City
Crawford Miller  Stoddard
Douglas Mississippi Stone
Dunklin New Madrid Taney

Caldwell, Camden and Ozark do meet the criteria and are added to the list of counties in which the waiver applies.  NOTE:  Benton, Dallas, Howell, Pike, Pulaski, and St. Clair Counties do not meet the waiver criteria this year.

Since all counties with an unemployment rate over 10% also have an insufficient number of jobs to provide employment, Missouri applied for only a waiver due to an insufficient number of jobs to provide employment for individuals residing in the area (labor surplus).  Waiver code 40 has been eliminated.  Waiver code 41 is the only valid entry for waived counties.

Impact on Non-Waived Counties

Benton, Dallas, Howell, Pike, Pulaski and St. Clair Counties are no longer waived counties effective March 1, 1999.  Evaluate the continued eligibility of participants subject to the 18 to 50 year old work requirement at recertification.  Evaluate new applicants for the 18 to 50 year old work requirement at application.

When determining non-work months for individuals residing in Benton, Pike, and Pulaski Counties, any month from December 1996 through February 1999 does NOT count as a non- work month.  These counties were under a waiver during this period of time.  The first month that counts as a non-work month is March 1999.  A non-work month is a month in which the individual receives food stamps while not meeting the 18 to 50 year old work requirement.

Any month from March 1998 through February 1999 in which individuals resided in Dallas, Howell, and St. Clair Counties does NOT count as a non-work month.  Dallas, Howell, and St. Clair Counties were under a waiver during that time.

Continue to show the non-work months accumulated while an individual lived in a non-waived county in FTWR.  Any month in which an individual lived in a non-waived county continues to count as a non-work month.

FTWR will not allow a waiver code for Benton, Dallas, Howell, Pike, Pulaski, and St. Clair Counties as of March 1, 1999.

Impact on Newly Waived Counties

Individuals residing in the newly waived counties who were denied food stamps because they did not meet the 18 to 50 year old work requirement are eligible as of March 1, 1999.  At any contact with a household that has a member subject to the 18 to 50 year old work requirement, redetermine the eligibility of that member and take appropriate action.  Action must be taken at recertification to determine if members denied benefits due to the 18 to 50 year old work requirement are now eligible.  Individuals who were rejected due to not meeting the 18 to 50 year old work requirement can receive food stamps if they meet all other eligibility requirements.

FTWR Entries
Remove March 1999 and later months from FTWR if they were entered as non-work months for individuals who resided in a waived county during these months.  When making entries into FTWR, do not enter non-work months for any month in which an individual subject to the 18 to 50 year old work requirement resided in a waived area.

FTWR is changed to allow waiver code 41 for Caldwell, Camden and Ozark Counties as of March 1999.  Entry of code 41 will allow an individual to receive food stamps even though FTWR shows 3 non-work months.

18 to 50 Year Old Work Requirement Flyer

A flyer listing this year's newly waived counties will be sent with a separate memorandum.  The flyer will notify individuals residing in the newly waived areas of possible food stamp eligibility.
 
NECESSARY ACTION:
  • Discuss this memorandum with appropriate staff.
JKW
Distribution #6
[ 1999 Memorandums ]