PDFWAC 388-444-0055

What are the penalties if I refuse or fail to meet basic food work requirements?

(1) If we register you for work you must meet the work requirements under WAC 388-444-0005 or 388-444-0030 unless you have good cause as defined in WAC 388-444-0050. If you do not follow these rules, you will become an ineligible assistance unit member as described under WAC 388-408-0035. The remaining members of the assistance unit continue to be eligible for basic food.
(2) If you do not meet work requirements and we find that you did not have good cause, you cannot receive basic food for the following periods of time and until you meet program requirements:
(a) For the first failure, one month;
(b) For the second failure, three months; and
(c) For the third or subsequent failure, six months.
(3) If you become exempt under WAC 388-444-0010 and are otherwise eligible, you may begin to receive basic food.
(4) If you do not comply with the work requirements of the following programs, you cannot receive basic food unless you meet one of the conditions described under WAC 388-444-0010 except subsections (4) or (5):
(a) WorkFirst;
(b) Unemployment compensation;
(c) The refugee cash assistance program.
(5) Within ten days after learning of your refusal to participate in your program, the financial worker will send you a notice that your basic food benefits will end unless you comply with your program requirements.
(6) If you do not comply within ten days, you will be issued a notice disqualifying you from receiving basic food until you comply with your program, or until you meet the work registration disqualification requirements in subsection (2) of this section.
(7) After the penalty period in subsection (2) of this section is over, and you meet work requirements and you are otherwise eligible, you may receive basic food:
(a) If you are alone in the assistance unit and apply to reestablish eligibility; or
(b) If you are a member of an assistance unit, you may resume receiving basic food.
(8) During the penalty period, if you begin to participate in one of the programs listed in subsection (4)(a) through (c) and that penalty is removed, the work registration disqualification also ends. If you are otherwise eligible, you may begin to receive basic food.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, and 7 C.F.R. § 273.7. WSR 13-21-126, § 388-444-0055, filed 10/22/13, effective 11/22/13. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.500, 74.04.515, 74.08.090, 74.08A.120, 74.08A.903, and 7 U.S.C. 2015 (d)(1); 7 C.F.R. § 273.7. WSR 10-18-048, § 388-444-0055, filed 8/26/10, effective 10/1/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057. WSR 04-05-010, § 388-444-0055, filed 2/6/04, effective 3/8/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050 and 74.04.510. WSR 00-04-006, § 388-444-0055, filed 1/20/00, effective 3/1/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. WSR 98-16-044, § 388-444-0055, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]