Policy Directive                                                             Issuance Number: TEA 99-6

Transitional Employment Assistance Manual      Issuance Date: April 1, 1999

From: Ruth Whitney, Director                                       Expiration Date: Until Superseded

Subj: Employment Bonus & ESS Transportation Payments

The purpose of this directive is to provide general clarification regarding when the Employment Bonus and Extended Support Service Transportation payments will be authorized.

TEA recipients whose cash assistance case closes with earnings involved are eligible to receive the Employment Bonus and Extended Support Service Transportation payments. The closure can be at the client's request or through a continued eligibility determination by the TEA worker. The action reasons that will generate the Employment Bonus and ESS Transportation payments are 500 (case closed due to earnings, provide additional payment) and 501 (closed at client's request due to earnings, provide additional payment).

Example 1: Ms. Green started to work on January 10^th. She reported the employment and provided verification of her earnings in order to determine her continued eligibility. Based on her earnings, she was no longer eligible. Ms. Green's TEA cash case was closed with an action reason of 500 (case closed due to earnings, provide additional payments).

Example 2: Ms. Williams started to work on February 1^st. She contacted the county office and requested that her TEA cash case be closed due to her now being employed. Ms. Williams' case was closed with an action reason of 501 (case closed at client's request due to earnings, provide additional payment).

Example 3: Mr. Johnson is a TEA recipient and is currently employed. He reported to his worker that his children are now receiving SSA benefits. This income, along with his earnings, causes the family to be ineligible for TEA benefits. The TEA cash case was closed with an action reason of 500 authorizing the Employment Bonus and Transportation payments because earnings were involved in the closure.

The Employment Bonus and the first month of the Extended Support Service Transportation payment will be available via the client's EBT account on the first day of the month following case closure. The second ESS Transportation payment will be issued the second month following case closure.

If it is determined that an individual is not eligible for an Employment Bonus or Transportation payment after it has been keyed, the cancellation will be made by the county office via the TEAX screen.

Example 4: Mr. Jones TEA cash case was closed due to earnings. The Employment Bonus and Extended Support Service Transportation payments were authorized. It was later determined that Mr. Jones was no longer employed. He also had one month of ESS Transportation to receive. Because Mr. Jones is no longer employed, he is not eligible for the second month of ESS Transportation. Therefore, the ESS Transportation payment will be cancelled via the TEAX screen.

NOTE: The Employment Bonus and ESS Transportation payments should be cancelled if the individual quits the job or is terminated prior to receipt.

Medicaid-Only recipients whose TEA Medicaid or other Medicaid case (including Transitional Medicaid) closes due to employment are not eligible for the Employment Bonus and ESS Transportation payments. The case will be closed using one of the other closure codes (008, 009, 010, 011, 012, 013, or 014) due to earnings.

TEA recipients whose cash case was closed due to a sanction and who then found employment while under sanction are not eligible for the Employment Bonus and ESS Transportation payments.

Example 5: Ms. Wilson's TEA cash case was closed due to non-compliance with a TEA work activity (sanctioned). She contacted her case manager and reported that she had found employment. Because the employment was found while she was under a sanction, she is not entitled to the Employment Bonus and ESS Transportation payment. The case will not be reopened to authorize the payment and then closed. If Ms. Wilson can cure her sanction, her continued eligibility for TEA will be determined. Otherwise, the case will remain closed.

Conclusion

We hope that this directive provides some guidance to you for determining when the Employment Bonus and ESS Transportation payments should be authorized. If you have any questions, please contact your Program Support Specialist.

Inquiries to: Lorie Williams, TEA Unit, 682-8256

    Ron Johnson, TEA Unit, 682-8182

    Renee Green, TEA Unit, 682-8266