From the Policy and Program Development Team
Summer is here and that means more employment opportunities for Alaska Temporary Assistance recipients. It also means that the July, August, and September benefits for most two-parent families will be reduced by 50 percent.
Informing Families
We are mailing two letters informing two-parent families of the upcoming seasonal benefit reduction: a letter from Director Anthony Lombardo on May 20th and EIS notice X067 on May 30th. Both letters encourage families to contact their case manager for additional help in finding work. These letters also market the array of services we have available to help support employment opportunities. Copies of the letters being mailed are attached.
Exemption Policy
Two-parent families are not subject to the seasonal benefit reduction if one parent is needed in the home to care for a disabled child who requires 24-hour care. A physician or other licensed medical professional must certify the child’s disability and the need for 24-hour care.
The X067 notice advises families of this policy and instructs the family to contact their case worker if they think it applies to them. In some cases, a family may have already provided the necessary medical evidence. In others, the information may still be needed. If a family contacts you about this provision, please tell them about the need for medical certification. Once the necessary medical information is provided, and it’s determined that the family is not subject to the seasonal reduction, enter a “Y” in the SEASONAL OVR (Override) field on the TAPD screen to stop the seasonal benefit reduction from occurring.
FLSA Reminder
The seasonal benefit reduction may affect two-parent families in Community Work Experience (CWE) placements. CWE generally does not meet the federal requirements for a training activity; therefore, participants in CWE activities are subject to federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) compensation requirements. Case managers should review CWE placements to ensure compliance with FLSA by checking to see that the hours of CWE activity do not exceed the family's monthly Temporary Assistance benefit divided by federal minimum wage ($5.15). More information about this policy is included in the Community Work Experience Guide at http://dpaweb.hss.state.ak.us/node/15.
If you have any questions or need additional information about these policies, please e-mail the Policy and Program Development Team at DPA Policy. Regional Managers and Site Managers, please ensure that this information is shared with our service providers.