PERMANENT RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
Effective Date of Rule: June 1, 2006.
Purpose: Amend WAC 388-426-0005 Client complaints, to adopt updated civil rights guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture consistent with regulations for the food stamp program under Title 7 of the United States Code of Federal Regulations and guidance issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services for the temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) program.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-426-0005.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.04.515, 74.08.090.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 06-07-076 on March 13, 2006.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.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: April 26, 2006.
Andy Fernando, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit
3644.1(a) DSHS, Division of Access and Equal Opportunity, PO Box 45012, Olympia, WA, 98504;
(b) Administrator, Food and Nutrition Services, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, VA, 22302; or
(c) Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington D.C., 20250.
(2) Clients with a complaint about a department decision or action have the right to present their complaint, in writing, to a supervisor.
(a) Within ten days of the receipt of the complaint:
(i) A decision will be made on the client's complaint; and
(ii) The client will be sent written notice of the decision, including information about the right to further review by the local office administrator.
(b) Clients not satisfied with the decision of a supervisor have the right to present a written complaint to the local office administrator. Within ten days of the receipt of the complaint:
(i) A decision will be made on the complaint, and
(ii) The client will be sent written notice of the decision.
(c) Written notice of the administrator's decision concludes the complaint procedure.
(d) The filing of a written complaint does not prevent a client from requesting a fair hearing under chapter 388-02 WAC.
(e) Clients have the right to speak to a worker's supervisor or have a decision or action reviewed by the supervisor, whether or not a formal complaint has been filed)) If you do not agree with a decision we made or an action we took, you can make a complaint. We address your concerns based on the nature of your complaint.
Civil Rights:
(1) We will not discriminate based on your race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, or political beliefs. This agrees with:
(a) Federal law and policy of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that ban discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability; and
(b) The Food Stamp Act and USDA policy, which bans discrimination on religion or political beliefs.
(2) To file a complaint that we discriminated based on your race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, or political beliefs, contact USDA or HHS:
| Write: | |
| USDA | HHS |
| Director, Office of Civil Rights | Director, Office for Civil Rights |
| 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. | Room 506-F |
| Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 | 200 Independence Avenue, S.W. |
| Washington, D.C. 20201 | |
| Or call: | |
| USDA | HHS |
| (800) 795-3272 (voice); or | (202) 619-0403 (voice); or |
| (202) 720-6382 (TTY). | (202) 619-3257 (TTY). |
| USDA and HHS are equal opportunity providers and employers. | |
(3) If you do not agree with a decision we made or an action we took, you may use our complaint process:
(a) Supervisor review: You may give a supervisor a written complaint. We will:
(i) Make a decision about your written complaint within ten days of the date we get it; and
(ii) Send you a letter telling you what we decided and that you may have another review by the local office administrator if you ask for it.
(b) Administrator review: If you do not accept the decision you get from a supervisor, you may give the local office administrator a written complaint. We will:
(i) Make a decision about your written complaint within ten days of the date we get it; and
(ii) Send you a letter telling you what we decided.
(4) When we send you a letter with the administrator's decision, this ends the complaint process.
(5) If you file a written complaint, you may still ask for a fair hearing under chapter 388-02 WAC.
(6) You may always speak with your worker's supervisor or have them review your worker's decision even if you do not file a formal complaint.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057. 04-03-050, § 388-426-0005, filed 1/15/04, effective 2/15/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.04.510. 99-17-025, § 388-426-0005, filed 8/10/99, effective 10/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-426-0005, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]