SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

(Economic Services Administration)

[Filed June 22, 2020, 2:12 p.m., effective June 22, 2020, 2:12 p.m.]

Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing.

Purpose: Amending WAC 388-14A-3205 to implement Sections 1 and 2 of SHB 2302 (chapter 227, Laws of 2020) regarding income calculation. Relevant provisions of SHB 2302 take effect on June 11, 2020. These provisions change the definition of full-time earnings to thirty-two hours a week for imputation purposes and clarify certain criteria for income calculation.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: WAC 388-14A-3205.

That immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest; and that state or federal law or federal rule or a federal deadline for state receipt of federal funds requires immediate adoption of a rule.

Reasons for this Finding: The legislature enacted SHB 2302 during the 2020 legislative session. Several provisions, including amendments to RCW 26.19.011 and 26.19.071, have a June 11, 2020, effective date. Emergency rule making is necessary to effectuate these statutory changes. There is insufficient time between enactment of this legislation and the effective date to implement without emergency rules.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: June 17, 2020.

Katherine I. Vasquez

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 11-12-006, filed 5/19/11, effective 6/19/11)

WAC 388-14A-3205How does DCS calculate my income?

(1) The division of child support (DCS) calculates a parent's income using the best available information. If a parent is voluntarily unemployed or underemployed, either DCS or the administrative law judge (ALJ), or both may impute income to that parent. In the absence of records of a parent's actual earnings, either DCS ((and/or))or the administrative law judge (ALJ), or both may impute a parent's income under RCW 26.19.071(6) in the following order of priority:

(a) Full-time earnings at the current rate of pay;

(b) Full-time earnings at the historical rate of pay based on reliable information, such as employment security department data;

(d) ((Full-time))Earnings of thirty-two hours per week at minimum wage in the jurisdiction where the parent resides if the parent ((has a recent history of minimum wage earnings,)) is on or recently coming off ((public assistance, disability lifeline benefits))temporary assistance for needy families or recently coming off aged, blind, or disabled assistance benefits, pregnant women assistance benefits, essential needs and housing support, supplemental security income, or disability, has recently been released from incarceration, or is a ((high school student or)) recent high school graduate. Imputation at thirty-two hours per week under this subsection is a rebuttable presumption; ((or))

(e) Full-time earnings at minimum wage in the jurisdiction where the parent resides if the parent has a recent history of minimum wage earnings, has never been employed and has no earnings history, or has no significant earnings history; or

(f) Median net monthly income of year-round full-time workers as derived from the United States bureau of census, current population reports.

(2) When a parent is currently enrolled in high school full-time, either DCS or the ALJ, or both may consider the totality of the circumstances of both parents when determining whether each parent is voluntarily unemployed or voluntarily underemployed. If the parent who is enrolled in high school is determined to be voluntarily unemployed or voluntarily underemployed, either DCS or the ALJ, or both may impute earnings of twenty hours per week at minimum wage in the jurisdiction where the parent resides. Imputation of earnings at twenty hours per week under this subsection is a rebuttable presumption.

(3) DCS and the ALJ impute ((full time)) earnings of thirty-two hours per week at the minimum wage to a TANF recipient in the absence of actual income information. You may rebut the imputation of income if you are excused from being required to work while receiving TANF, because:

(a) You are either engaged in other qualifying WorkFirst activities which do not generate income, such as job search; or

(b) You are excused or exempt from being required to work in order to receive TANF, because of other barriers such as family violence or mental health issues.