55 Pa. Code § 501.9 - Certification
(a)
Determination of benefit levels of application-
7 CFR
273.10(a)(1)(ii). A
household's benefit level for the initial month of certification will be based
on the day of the month it applies for benefits. Using a 30-day calendar,
households will receive benefits prorated from the day of application to the
end of the month. A household which applies on the 31st of a month will be
treated as though it applied on the 30th of the month. Applications for
recertification will be processed in accordance with
7 CFR
273.10(a)(2) (relating to
determining household eligibility and benefit levels).
(b)
Proration of a household's
benefits- 7 CFR
273.10(a)(1)(iii)(A) and
(C). To determine the amount of the
prorated allotment, the CAO will use either the food stamp allotment proration
table that is provided to the state agencies or use a 30-day calendar formula
as follows: when the date of application for someone applying is on the 31st of
a month, the 30th is the date of application. Using the preceding calendar
formula in the determination of a prorated allotment, round the product down to
the nearest lower whole dollar. If the resultant allotment is less than $10, no
issuance will be made for the initial month.
(c)
Calculating net monthly income:
Rounding down and rounding up allotment amounts-
7 CFR
273.10(e)(1)(ii)(A).
In calculating net monthly income, the county worker will round down in each
income and allotment calculation that ends in 1¢ through 49¢ and
round up each calculation that ends in 50¢ through 99¢. This rounding
procedure will be applied to all calculations including shelter and medical
computations.
(d)
Calculating the household's monthly allotment-
7 CFR
273.10(e)(2)(ii)(A)(1).
The monthly allotment of the household will be equal to the Thrifty Food Plan
for the size of the household reduced by 30% of the net monthly income of the
household. If 30% of the household's net income ends in cents, the CAO will
round the 30% of net income up to the nearest higher dollar.
(e)
Net income exceeds the level for
which benefits are issued- 7
CFR
273.10(e)(2)(iii)(A).
For eligible households with three or more members which are entitled to no
benefits-except those households entitled to no benefits as a result of
proration and the provision precluding issuance of less than $10 in an initial
month-the CAO will deny the household's participation on the grounds that its
net income exceeds the level for which benefits are issued.
(f)
Certification period for
expedited service households- 7 CFR 273.10(f)(4)(i) and (ii) and
(g)(1)(i)(B). When a household's
application is approved on an expedited basis without verification, in
accordance with 7 CFR
273.2(i) (relating to
application processing), and the application indicates the household is
eligible in subsequent months, the longest certification period possible will
be assigned based on the predictability of the household's circumstances.
Normal certification periods may vary from 3 to 12 months. The initial
certification period for expedited service households may be 1 or 2
months.
(g)
Certification
period for monthly reporting household-
7 CFR
273.10(f)(8) and
273.21(a)(3).
A participant required to submit the monthly reporting form shall be assigned a
12-month certification period, which is to be effective with the initial month
of certification. To provide for the timely receipt of benefits, reapplication
is required in the 12th month of the certification period by the monthly
reporting form due date.
(h)
Adequate notice period; adverse action-
7 CFR
273.13(a)(1). Prior
to an action to reduce or terminate a household's food stamp benefits within
the certification period, the CAO will provide the household with timely and
adequate notice before the adverse action is taken. The adverse action notice
will be sent at least 10 days before the proposed effective date of the action
so that the change is effective with the first issuance after the expiration of
the advance notice period.
(i)
Time frame to submit required verifications at recertification-
7 CFR
273.14(c)(3). To
ensure its rights to uninterrupted benefits, the household will be allowed to
submit required verification requested at the interview within 30 calendar days
from the date of the CAO's initial request for the particular verification that
is missing. The CAO will ensure that a household which timely reapplies under
7 CFR
273.14(c)(1) (relating to
recertification) does not lose its right to uninterrupted benefits for failure
to submit requested verification prior to the date the household submits a
timely application for recertification, and that the household is adequately
informed of this procedure.
(j)
Opportunity to participate by normal issuance cycle-
7 CFR
273.14(a)(2). An
eligible household shall be provided an opportunity to participate by the
household's normal issuance cycle in the month following the end of its current
certification period. However, the household shall lose its right to
uninterrupted benefits for failure to attend an interview scheduled on or after
the deadline for timely filing of the application for recertification or
failure to submit necessary verification within the time frame established as
long as the time frame elapses after the deadline for filing a timely
application for recertification. Although a household loses its right to
uninterrupted benefits for these failures, the household may not be denied at
that time, unless it refused to cooperate or the certification period has
lapsed.
(k)
Households
certified under the normal processing time frames-
7 CFR
274.2(b)(2). The
CAO will issue benefits for the first 2 months of eligibility for applications
received after the 15th of the month if the household has completed the
application and if all required verification within 30 days of the date of
application and has been determined eligible to receive benefits for the
initial month of application and the subsequent month.
Notes
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