WSR 21-19-040
PERMANENT RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
[Filed September 10, 2021, 10:44 a.m., effective October 11, 2021]
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: The department is amending WAC 388-444-0015 How can the basic food employment and training (BF E&T) program help me find work? and 388-444-0025 What expenses will the department pay to help me participate in BF E&T? These amendments better align basic food employment and training (BFET) rule language with federal regulations and clarify eligibility rules and services available through the program.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-444-0015 and 388-444-0025.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 21-09-075 on April 20, 2021.
Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: The department is not proceeding with adoption of proposed subsection (1)(b)(iii) of WAC 388-444-0015, "participation in a job club" as this activity is no longer allowed in SNAP employment and training programs.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 2, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: September 10, 2021.
Katherine I. Vasquez
Rules Coordinator
SHS-4845.5
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 13-24-043, filed 11/26/13, effective 1/1/14)
WAC 388-444-0015How can the basic food employment and training (((BF E&T)))(BFET) program help me find work?
The basic food employment and training (((BF E&T)))(BFET) program is the name for Washington's voluntary supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) employment and training program.
(1) If you receive federally funded basic food benefits and are at least sixteen years of age or older (see additional requirements to serve sixteen to seventeen year olds below) and are able to work at least twenty hours per week (see additional requirements below), you may choose to receive services through the ((BF E&T))BFET program in one or more of the following activities, if we currently provide the service in the county where you live:
(a) Job search((;))and training, which may include:
(i) Labor market information;
(ii) Job seeking skills instruction;
(iii) Resume writing;
(iv) Job skills assessment;
(v) Coaching;
(vi) Work ethic training; or
(vii) Job placement services.
(b) Supervised job search, which may include:
(i) Use of computer, email, fax, telephone;
(ii) Search of job listings; and
(iii) Securing identification, professional license, or certifications.
(c) Basic education, which may include:
(i) Education in basic computer skills;
(ii) Literacy or math training;
(iii) High school equivalency (formerly GED);
(iv) Basic education for adults (BEA); or
(v) English as a second language (ESL).
(d) Life skills, which may include:
(i) Work preparation;
(ii) Health and well-being;
(iii) Effective communication;
(iv) Personal strength builders;
(v) Community engagement.
(e) Vocational education, which may be:
(i) Credentialed;
(ii) Recognized by an independent third party; or
(iii) Accepted by local industry employers.
(f) Job retention services, which may include:
(i) Counseling;
(ii) Coaching;
(iii) Case management; and
(iv) Participant reimbursements.
(g) Paid or unpaid work((;
(c) Training or work experience;
(d) High school equivalency classes; or
(e) English as a second language (ESL) classes)).
(2) If you are eligible to participate in ((a BF E&T activity, there is no limit to the number of hours you can participate))BFET activities, you must be able to participate in BFET twenty hours per week, up to forty hours per week.
(a) Youth ages sixteen to seventeen may participate in BFET programs, whether they receive basic food benefits independently or through their parents basic food case.
(i) The participation exception for youth are secondary education, or high school equivalency classes.
(ii) Youth may participate in vocational education programs if they have received or in the process of receiving their high school equivalency.
(iii) Youth sixteen years and older do not require parental consent to participate in BFET.
(iv) Persons with a verified disability (which may include those receiving services from the division of vocational rehabilitation) may be eligible for BFET services.
(3) If you are an able bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) and able to work, you may be eligible for BFET services.
(4) If you receive employment and training services within multiple department of social and health services administrations, you cannot receive duplication of services, nor duplication of support services.
(5) If you receive benefits under the state-funded food assistance program (FAP), you are not eligible to participate in ((BF E&T))BFET.
(6) If you receive temporary assistance to needy families (TANF), you are not eligible to participate in BFET.
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 10-18-048, filed 8/26/10, effective 10/1/10)
WAC 388-444-0025What ((expenses will))support services may the ((department))basic food employment and training (BFET) program pay to help me participate ((in BF E&T))?
(((1))) The ((department pays))BFET program may pay certain actual expenses needed for you to participate in the ((BF E&T))BFET program. ((We will))The BFET program may pay for the following expenses:
(((a)))(1) Transportation related costs; ((and
(b)))(2) Books and training supplies;
(3) Clothing;
(4) Educational or credential testing;
(5) Housing or utilities;
(6) Personal hygiene; or
(7) Child care or medical;
(a) Dependent care costs for each dependent through twelve years of age.
(((2)))(b) We do not pay your dependent care costs if:
(((a)))(i) The child is thirteen years of age or older unless they are:
(((i)))(A) Physically and/or mentally unable to care for themselves; or
(((ii)))(B) Under court order requiring adult supervision; or
(((b)))(C) Any member in the food assistance unit provides the dependent care.
(((3)))(ii) We do not use the cost of dependent care the department pays for under subsection (1) of this section as an income deduction for your household's dependent care costs under WAC 388-450-0185.