Letter of Verification Results and Adverse Action
This memorandum provides clarification of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) comparable disqualification policy.
This memo is in response to questions raised through Quality Control reviews related to student eligibility for SNAP benefits. Section 6(e) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and federal regulations at 7 CFR 273.5(a) prohibit students enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education from receiving SNAP benefits unless specific exemptions are met.
This policy applies to all TANF-funded subsidized employment paid to SNAP clients or applicants in the form of wages, regardless of the source of TANF funding, including but not limited to funds available to states and Indian tribes through the Emergency Contingency Fund for state TANF programs.
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.
Attached are questions and answers in response to issues raised by the states, through various discussions, concerning SNAP provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
FNS staff is working on making improvements to the QC process. One of the major components of the improvements that we are working towards is the development of a paperless work environment for both state and federal QC staff.
It has come to our attention that there is confusion over the Quality Control application of the certification policy that allows state agencies to disallow deductions when the households fails to provide requested verification or fails to report an expense after being advised that failure to do so would result in the loss of a deduction.
The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify the meaning of within 10 days for issuing a notice of adverse action.
This is to advise you that we are revising conditions associated with waivers of 7 CFR 273.10(f)(4) which would allow state agencies to shorten the certification periods of food stamp households