SNAP - 120-Day Quality Control (QC) Variance Exclusion for Section 8 of the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009

On Nov. 6, 2009, President Obama signed the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009. On Nov. 19, 2009, the Program Development Division issued guidance on how to implement Section 8 of that act requiring state agencies to exclude the $25 a week increased unemployment compensation payments from all calculation of resources and income.

A 120-day variance exclusion period for QC variances is in effect for implementation of Section 8 of the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009. The variance exclusion period is effective 30 days from the date of the guidance memorandum and continues for 120 days from that date, April 17, 2010. If a state implements the revised guidance prior to 30 days from the date of the guidance, the 120-day variance exclusion period begins on the date of the state agency's implementation and continues for 120 calendar days from that date. If the state agency's implementation is later than 30 days from the date of the guidance, the variance exclusion will begin on the date of implementation and end on April 17, 2010, the date 120 days from the date 30 days after the date of the Nov. 19, 2009, guidance memorandum, regardless of the date of implementation.

In addition, variances shall be excluded from Nov. 1, 2009, through Dec. 19, 2009, (30 days from the date of the implementation memorandum) or the date of implementation by the state agency if that implementation occurs prior to Dec. 19, 2009.

Any QC variances related to including the $25 weekly increased unemployment compensation payment as either a resource or income that occur in cases that are new applications, recertifications, or have changes made during the applicable part of the 120-day variance exclusion will be excluded until the case is recertified or otherwise acted upon outside of the 120-day variance exclusion period.

QC reviewers should be alerted to identify those QC cases which were inappropriately denied benefits to ensure that the households receive the appropriate restorations.

Karen J. Walker
Director
Program Accountability and Administration Division