EMERGENCY RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
Date of Adoption: October 18, 2000.
Purpose: WAC 388-444-0075 What are the disqualification periods for quitting a job without good cause? This amendment will allow clients to serve the disqualification period, and if they do not find employment, be allowed to reapply for food assistance after they served the disqualification period.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-444-0075.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.510.
Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds 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.
Reasons for this Finding: WAC 388-444-0075 What are the disqualification periods for quitting a job without good cause?, does not allow a client living in an exempt area to reestablish eligibility after the disqualification except by getting a job. If a client in an exempt area cannot find a job, then the client cannot receive food assistance. This can cause a hardship on a family if the amount of food assistance is cut, and the client is unable to find work.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0. Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.
October 18, 2000
Edith M. Rice, Chief
Office of Legal Affairs
2875.1(1) If you are an applicant who quits a job without good cause sixty days before applying for food assistance, the department will deny your application. The penalty period in subsection (3) of this section begins from the date of application.
(2) If you are already receiving food assistance and you quit your job without good cause, the department must send you a letter notifying you that you are going to be disqualified from food assistance. The disqualification in subsection (3) of this section begins the first of the month following the notice of adverse action.
(3) You are disqualified for the following minimum periods of time and until the conditions in subsection (4) of this section are met:
(a) For the first quit, one month;
(b) For the second quit, three months; and
(c) For the third or subsequent quit, six months.
(4) You may re-establish eligibility after the disqualification, if otherwise eligible by:
(a) Getting a new job;
(b) In nonexempt areas, participating in the FS E&T program;
(c) Participating in Workfare as provided in WAC 388-444-0040;
(d) In an exempt area, serving the penalty period.
(5) The department can end the disqualification period if you become exempt from the work registration requirements as provided in WAC 388-444-0015 unless you are applying for or receiving unemployment compensation (UC), or participating in an employment and training program under TANF.
(6) If you are disqualified and move from the assistance unit and join another assistance unit, you continue to be treated as an ineligible member of the new assistance unit for the remainder of the disqualification period.
(7) If you are disqualified and move to a FS E&T exempt area, you must serve the remainder of the disqualification period.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050 and 74.04.510. 00-04-006, § 388-444-0075, filed 1/20/00, effective 3/1/00. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.510. 99-07-024, § 388-444-0075, filed 3/10/99, effective 4/10/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-444-0075, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]