I.          RTW Waivers Effective July 1, 2004

 

Effective July 1, 2004, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has granted the State permission to waive the Food Stamp Program Requirement to Work (RTW) in the following counties:

 

1.      Arkansas County	16.     Grant County	31.  Ouachita County
2.      Ashley County	17.     Greene County	32.  Perry County
3.      Baxter County	18.     Hot Spring County	33.  Phillips County
4.      Bradley County	19.     Independence County	34.  Poinsett County
5.      Calhoun County	20.     Izard County	35.  Polk County
6.      Chicot County	21.     Jackson County	36.  Prairie County
7.      Clay County	22.     Jefferson County	37.  Pulaski County
8.      Cleveland County	23.     Lawrence County	38.  Randolph County
9.      Craighead County	24.     Lee County	39.  Searcy County
10.  Crittenden County	25.     Lincoln County	40.  Sharp County
11.  Cross County	26.     Lonoke County	41.  St. Francis County
12.  Dallas County	27.     Marion County	42.  Stone County
13.  Desha County	28.     Mississippi County	43.  Union County
14.  Drew County	29.     Monroe County	44.  Van Buren County
15.  Fulton County	30.     Newton County	45.  White County
		46.  Woodruff County

 

These waivers are effective until further notice.

 

 

II.        Waiver Application

 

The RTW waivers apply to individual recipients who actually live in an area covered by a waiver.  This statement remains true no matter which county a household selects as its service county under the alternate service provisions in FSC 1301 – 1304.  When a food stamp household actually lives in an area not covered by a waiver, the RTW will apply.  However, if a food stamp household actually lives in an area covered by a waiver, the RTW will not apply.  When a food stamp household physically moves into an area covered by an RTW waiver, household members will no longer be subject to the RTW. 

 

Participation in the E&T Program is in no way related to waiver or non-waiver status. 

 

If any county has an E&T Program operating, the county office workers must refer all food stamp participants who are subject to the RTW to the E&T Program regardless of whether:  A) the county has an RTW waiver or B) a personal exemption has been granted to this individual. 

 

Other participants who are subject to the work registration requirements but not the RTW may be referred if they volunteer.

 

III.       Counties Where An RTW Waiver Is Being Continued

 

No special actions are required in these counties where the waiver is continued without interruption..

 

IV.       Counties Where An RTW Waiver Is Effective July 1, 2004

 

This year there are no counties where an RTW waiver will be effective for the first time or after a break of one year.

 

V.        Counties Where An RTW Waiver No Longer Applies

 

Until July 1, 2004, an RTW waiver applied in the following counties.  Effective July 1, 2004, this waiver has ended.

 

1.      Conway

2.      Lafayette County

 

These counties must resume applying RTW exemptions and submitting a monthly report of exemptions as explained in item VI below.

 

 

 

 

 

VI.              Actions Required In Counties Where No RTW Waiver Applies

 

There is no RTW waiver in the following counties:

 

1.      Benton County	11.  Garland County	21.  Nevada County
2.      Boone County	12.  Hempstead County	22.  Pike County
3.      Carroll County	13.  Howard County	23.  Pope County
4.      Clark County	14.  Johnson County	24.  Saline County
5.      Cleburne County	15.  Lafayette County	25.  Scott County
6.      Columbia County	16.  Little River County	26.  Sebastian County
7.      Conway County	17.  Logan County	27.  Sevier County
8.      Crawford County	18.  Madison County	28.  Washington County
9.      Faulkner County	19.  Miller County	29.  Yell County
10.  Franklin County	20.  Montgomery County

 

These counties must apply RTW personal exemptions as explained below and must report these exemptions to the Food Stamp Section.

 

FNS grants each state a certain number of RTW exemptions to be applied in areas not covered by a RTW waiver.  The State of Arkansas has chosen to apply these exemptions across the board to all individuals who are subject to the RTW and reside in an area not covered by a RTW waiver.

 

In counties with no RTW waiver, whenever an application, semi-annual report or reported change is processed, the worker must determine if any household member would be subject to sanction because of the RTW.  (See FSC 3500.)  If so, that individual will be granted an exemption from the RTW requirement for a twelve-month period beginning with the month the exemption was granted.  The decision to exempt an individual from the RTW and the month in which the exemption will end must be documented in the case record. 

 

Exemptions will not be granted to:

 

§         Individuals who are the parents of a minor child,

§         Individuals who are disabled,

§         Individuals who are younger than age 18 or older than age 49,

§         Individuals who are exempt from the work registration requirements, or

§         Individuals who are otherwise in compliance with the RTW because they are working at least 20 hours per week or participating in a job training program as specified in FSC 3500.

 

Counties must track each food stamp recipient granted a personal exemption from the RTW so that we can maintain an accurate record of these exemptions.  The county may track this information manually or by using a PC based system.  Any system devised should track, at a minimum, the name and social security number (SSN) of the exempted individual and the date of the exemption.

 

Policy Directive

Food Stamp Requirement to Work (RTW) Waivers – Annual Update

Page 3

 

 

 

At the first semi-annual report or recertification, whichever comes first, following the end of the 12-month exemption period, the worker will review the exempted individual’s RTW status.  If the individual is still subject to the RTW but has not complied with the RTW, another exemption will be granted to that individual.

 

Each month, the county must submit to the Food Stamp Section, Central Office, a report of the total number of personal RTW exemptions granted during the month.  (It is not necessary to submit the names and SSNs of exempted individuals.)  The report should be submitted by the 10^th of each month for the prior calendar month.  The report may be mailed or faxed to the Manager of the Food Stamp Program.  The slot number for the Food Stamp Section is S335.  The fax number in the Food Stamp Section is (501) 682-1469.  The Manager’s e-mail address is Georgia.Gilkey@arkansas.gov.