NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA
March 27, 2007

IM 5005

TO:		County Social Service Directors
Economic Assistance Policy Regional Representatives
Economic Assistance Policy Quality Control Reviewers

FROM:	Blaine Nordwall, Director, Economic Assistance Policy

SUBJECT:	Voluntary Job Quit at Six Month Report or Recertification for Simplified Reporting Households 430-05-40-30

PROGRAMS:	Food Stamps

EFFECTIVE:	April 1, 2007

RETENTION: 	Until Manualized

Effective with six month reports and recertifications for simplified reporting households received on or after April 1, 2007, if a household reports a job quit on the six month report or recertification, the voluntary quit disqualification may be pursued only if the quit occurred 30 days prior to the date of receipt of the six month report or recertification.  

If the household reports an individual quit a job on the six month report or recertification and the quit occurred in the 30 days prior to the date of receipt of the six month report or recertification, the worker must determine if a voluntary job quit penalty must be imposed.  If the individual is a mandatory work registrant and the quit was without good cause, a job quit disqualification must be imposed for month seven or the first month of the new certification period.  

	Example:

Household reports on the six month report filed April 5th, that a mandatory work registrant in the household quit a job on March 20th.  Since the quit occurred within 30 days prior to April 5th, the job quit penalty must be pursued.  

If the quit occurred on March 5th or earlier, a job quit penalty may not be imposed as the quit occurred more then 30 days prior to the date on the six month report.

For ongoing cases, if a household reports that a job ended during the certification period (other than six month report or recertification), the worker must send Notice F419 – Request for Verification – Simplified Reporting for verification of the loss of income.  The worker must not request verification of the reason for the loss of income.    
	
If the household responds and provides the requested verification within 10 days of the mailing date of the notice, the change must be acted on to increase benefits and the appropriate notice of eligibility must be sent to the household. 

If the household fails to provide the requested verification within the 10 days, the previously verified amount of income is used and the benefit stays the same.

If the household fails to provide the requested verification within the 10 days, but provides it at a later date, benefits are increased the month after receipt of the verification.

If verification from the employer substantiates a job quit without good cause and the individual was a mandatory work registrant, the change must be acted on regardless of whether it results in an increase or decrease in benefits.

If verification from the employer does not substantiate a job quit without good cause, the voluntary quit disqualification may only be pursued at six month report or recertification if the quit occurred 30 days prior to the date of the six month report or recertification.  

The system generated six month report form question regarding employment ending was updated to read “Has anyone’s employment stopped within the last 30 days?”  The SFN 109 padded form will be updated at the next printing.