Recently-enacted law changes the treatment of the weekly $25 supplemental Unemployment Insurance authorized by ARRA. FNS had issued guidance on March 18, 2009 stating that counties must count this $25 weekly amount as income in determining eligibility and benefits. On November 6, 2009, President Obama signed the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 which now requires exclusion of the $25 payments from food stamp calculations of resources and income.

All eligibility decisions for all months, beginning November 1, 2009, must exclude the weekly $25 from resources and income. Additionally, the counties are to re-calculate the benefits and restore any that are lost for cases from 11/1/09 through implementing this new provision. The letter advises Counties to examine their records, including application denials and terminations, to identify all households in this situation. For denials, the county should re-open the household’s application, certify the household if the household is still eligible, and restore any lost benefits back to November 2009.

If the county does not examine their records, it should issue a mass change notice advising households of this change. The county should also notify the general public about this change in policy, and the possibility of restored benefits, through a notice on the county agency’s web site, or through other means. [Download]

The ARRA suspends the ABAWD work requirement from 4/1/09 through 9/30/09, so counties should have (already) restored food stamps to otherwise eligible ABAWDs who were part of an ongoing food stamp household, but were sanctioned for not meeting the work requirements. In addition, an ABAWD in a closed case previously discontinued an ABAWD work failure can reapply for aid. And, out with the old, in with the new: The ABAWD calendars are erased, and start anew 10/2010, when the ARRA provisions phase out. [Download]

A 2nd Errata, this one clarifying a question and answer to more clearly state that although SSI/SSP recipients may be responsible for the O/I, counties cannot demand repayment be paid from the SSI/SSP. [Download]

Instructions on the waiver of the FS in-person interview at initial application and recertification for all food stamp households at county option. If a county opts to take advantage of the waiver, it must be done on a county-wide basis. “Implementing this waiver will reduce the application process burden for the household, increase timeliness, increase program access, decrease the volume of activity in the local offices, and remove barriers that prevent households from completing an interview.” The letter lists when the in-person interview is required, too. [Download]