1007-1          PENALTY TYPES AND THEIR IMPACT

A penalty may be requested when a client does not:

• Develop and sign a Family Self-Sufficiency Plan (SSSupportive Services penalty);
• Cooperate with Child Support Services Division (CSChild Support penalty), see ATAP MS 717-4; or,
• Comply with their FSSPFamily Self Sufficiency Plan by failing to participate in work or self-sufficiency activities (WAWork Activity penalty).

Once an activity has been agreed to on an FSSPFamily Self Sufficiency Plan, a WAWork Activity penalty may be imposed for failure to participate in the activity regardless of the type of activity or the client's work requirement status. However, if the client and case manager find that the activity was not appropriate or achievable for the client in the current circumstances, an incomplete activity may be replaced with an alternative activity on an updated FSSPFamily Self Sufficiency Plan, see MS 1007-3 B.

These penalties initially result in a 40% reduction of TATemporary Assistance benefits. Any of these penalties are subject to progression according to the Penalty Resolution guidelines in MS 1007-9. If non-compliance is unresolved by the 4th consecutive month, the penalty may progress to 75%. If non-compliance is unresolved by the 8th consecutive month, the penalty may progress to 100% resulting in ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program case closure, see ATAP MS 723-4 B.

Note:

If an ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program benefit is reduced due to a penalty, an existing SNAPSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps) benefit will also automatically be reduced by 25%, see SNAP MS 602-3 B (1) (c).

An applicant or recipient may not be penalized for failing to provide timely verification of participation when other means are available to verify that they engaged in the activity.

However, verification of some activities, such as Work Search, may be required from the participant in order to confirm the applicant or recipient engaged in the activity. If required verification is not provided, then it is presumed that the individual did not participate, and a penalty may be appropriate if there is no good cause, see MS 1003.