(1)
What happens after I receive 60 or more months of TANF/SFA cash
assistance?
After you receive 60 or more months of TANF/SFA cash
assistance according to WAC
388-484-0005, you may qualify for
additional months of cash assistance. We call these additional months of
TANF/SFA cash assistance a hardship TANF/SFA time limit
extension.
(2)
Who is
eligible for a hardship TANF/SFA time limit extension?
You are eligible for a hardship TANF/SFA time limit extension
if you are on TANF, are otherwise eligible for TANF, received 60 cumulative
months of TANF and you:
(a) Are
approved for one of the exemptions from mandatory participation according to
WAC
388-310-0350 (1)(a) through
(d); or
(b) Are a Social Security disability
insurance recipient; or
(c) Are at
least 65 years old, blind as defined by the Social Security Administration or
disabled as determined under chapter
388-449 WAC; or
(d) Have an open child welfare case with a
state or tribal government and this is the first time you have had a child
dependent under
RCW
13.34.030 in this or another state or had a
child a ward of a tribal court; or
(e) Are working in unsubsidized employment
for 32 hours or more per week; or
(f) Document that you meet the family
violence option criteria in WAC
388-61-001 and are participating
satisfactorily in specialized activities needed to address your family violence
according to a service plan developed by a person trained in family violence or
have a good reason, as described in WAC
388-310-1600(3)
for failure to participate satisfactorily in specialized activities;
or
(g) Are homeless by reason of
hardship, including when your family includes a child or youth who is without a
fixed regular, and adequate nighttime residence as described in the federal
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (Title 42. U.S.C. 11434a(2), chapter
119, subchapter VI, part B) as it existed on January 1, 2020; or
(h) Were an active TANF recipient from July
1, 2021, through June 30, 2023; or
(i) Were an active TANF recipient, beginning
July 1, 2022, when Washington state employment security department's most
recently published unemployment rate is seven percent or above.
(j) Do not qualify for other time limit
extension criteria in this section and received TANF during a month on or after
March 1, 2020, when the Washington state employment security department's
unemployment rate was at seven percent or above. The extension provided for
under this subsection (2)(b)(ix) is equal to the number of months that you
received TANF on or after March 1, 2020, when the Washington state employment
security department's unemployment rate was at seven percent or
above.
(3)
Who
reviews and approves a hardship time limit extension?
(a) Your case manager or social worker will
review your case and determine whether a hardship time limit extension type
will be approved.
(b) This review
will not happen until after you have received at least 52 months of assistance
but before you reach your time limit or lose cash assistance due to the time
limit.
(c) Before you reach your
time limit or lose cash assistance due to the time limit, the department will
send you a notice that tells you whether a hardship time limit extension will
be approved, when your time limit expires, and how to request an administrative
hearing if you disagree with the decision.
(4)
When I have an individual
responsibility plan, do my Work-First participation requirements change when I
receive a hardship TANF/SFA time limit extension?
(a) Even if you qualify for a hardship
TANF/SFA time limit extension you will still be required to participate as
required in your individual responsibility plan (WAC
388-310-0500). You must still
meet all of the WorkFirst participation requirements listed in chapter
388-310
WAC while you receive a hardship TANF/SFA time limit extension.
(b) If you do not participate in the Work
First activities required by your individual responsibility plan, and you do
not have a good reason under WAC
388-310-1600, the department will
follow the sanction rules in WAC
388-310-1600.
(5)
Do my benefits change if
I receive a hardship TANF/SFA time limit extension?
You are still a TANF/SFA recipient and your cash assistance,
services, or supports will not change as long as you continue to meet all other
TANF/SFA eligibility requirements.
During the hardship TANF/SFA time limit extension, you must
continue to meet all other TANF/SFA eligibility requirements. If you no longer
meet TANF/SFA eligibility criteria during your hardship time limit extension,
your benefits will end.
(6)
How long will a hardship TANF/SFA time limit extension last?
(a) We will review your hardship TANF/SFA
time limit extension and your case periodically for changes in family
circumstances:
(i) If you are extended under
WAC
388-484-0006
(2)(a) then we will review your extension at
least every 12 months;
(ii) If you
are extended under WAC
388-484-0006 (2)(b), (2)(c), (2)(d), or
(2)(e) then we will review your extension at
least every six months.
(b) Your hardship TANF/SFA time limit
extension may be renewed for as long as you continue to meet the criteria to
qualify for a hardship time limit extension.
(c) If during the extension period we get
proof that your circumstances have changed, we may review your case and
determine if you continue to qualify for a hardship TANF/SFA time limit
extension. When you no longer qualify for a hardship TANF/SFA time limit
extension we will stop your TANF/SFA cash assistance. You will be notified of
your case closing and will be given the opportunity to request an
administrative hearing before your benefits will stop.
Notes
Wash. Admin.
Code §
388-484-0006
Amended by
WSR
15-24-056, Filed 11/24/2015, effective
1/1/2016
Amended by
WSR
20-05-046, Filed 2/13/2020, effective
3/15/2020
Amended by
WSR
21-12-077, Filed 5/28/2021, effective
7/1/2021
Amended by
WSR
21-22-053, Filed 10/28/2021, effective
11/28/2021
Amended by
WSR
23-01-020, Filed 12/8/2022, effective
1/8/2023
Amended by
WSR
23-24-036, Filed 11/30/2023, effective
12/31/2023
Statutory Authority:
RCW
74.04.050,
74.04.055,
74.04.057,
74.08.090,
chapters
74.08A and
74.12 RCW, 2011 1st sp.s. c 42, and
2011 1st sp.s. c 2. 12-05-039, § 388-484-0006, filed 2/10/12, effective
3/12/12. Statutory Authority:
RCW
74.04.050,
74.04.055,
74.04.057,
74.08.090, and
chapters
74.08A and
74.12 RCW. 10-24-013, §
388-484-0006, filed 11/18/10, effective 12/19/10. Statutory Authority:
RCW
74.04.050,
74.04.055,
74.04.057,
74.08.090, and
chapter
74.08A RCW. 06-10-034,
§ 388-484-0006, filed 4/27/06, effective 6/1/06. Statutory Authority:
RCW
74.08.090,
74.04.050, and 74.08A.340.
03-24-057, § 388-484-0006, filed 12/1/03, effective 1/1/04. Statutory
Authority:
RCW
74.08A.010(4), 74.08A.340,
74.08.090,
74.04.050. 02-12-068, §
388-484-0006, filed 5/31/02, effective
6/1/02.