A-2530, Counting TANF Months Toward State Time Limit

Revision 17-3; Effective July 1, 2017

TANF

TIERS tracks the number of months counted toward an individual's state time limit. TIERS uses the Notification Effective Date (NED) and counts a month toward an individual's state time limit each month the individual:

  • receives TANF;
  • is certified as a caretaker or second parent; and
  • has an open Choices case without Choices good cause indicated, or is sanctioned for Choices non-participation.

The advisor must:

  • evaluate the accuracy of the months counted toward the individual's state time limit; and
  • contact the IEE/TIERS help desk to address any issues with the individual's time limit months counted.

Notes:

  • The automated procedures for counting months for Tiers 5 and 6 are different than for Tier 7.
  • See A-2533, Changes to State Time Limit Months Counted, for changes to the individual's time-limited months' history.
  • In minimum service Choices counties, all individuals are considered exempt from Choices participation even when the advisor codes them as M – mandatory. TIERS counts months toward the individual's time limit if the Choices case status is Open.

 

A—2531 Counting Months for Tiers 5 and 6

Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

TANF

For individuals in Tier 5 or 6, TIERS counts months based on the Notification Effective Date (NED).

The Choices specialist enters a Notice Date in the Choices system as follows:

  • the appointment date for an individual who is a mandatory Choices registrant, or
  • the report date for an exempt volunteer.

TIERS adds one month to the notice date to compute the individual's TIERS Notification Effective Date. (See A-2533.3, Deleting Months When the NED Changes.)

TIERS counts the months toward the individual's state time limit (12 or 24 months) as follows:

If the individual's work registration status is ... TIERS counts each month ...
mandatory participant after the month the individual is notified to participate in the Choices program.
exempt after the month the individual
  • volunteers, and
  • has an open Choices case.
sanctioned for Choices non-participation the individual is sanctioned for refusing to participate in the Choices program.

 

Beginning with the NED month, TIERS counts each month the individual

  • receives TANF,
  • is certified as a caretaker or second parent, and
  • has an open Choices case without Choices good cause indicated, or is sanctioned for Choices non-participation.

In addition, if an individual’s work registration status is:

  • mandatory registrant, or
  • sanctioned for Choices non-participation, then

TIERS counts any months between the NED and the month the:

  • Choices case opens, or
  • individual is sanctioned.

 

A—2532 Counting Months for Tier 7

Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

TANF

For individuals in Tier 7, TIERS counts months beginning one year after the Choices functional literacy assessment. Example: The individual's Literacy Assessment Date month is 1/98 (month 0). TIERS adds 12 months and, if the Tier 7 individual meets the appropriate criteria, begins counting toward the state time limit with 2/99 (month 13.)

TIERS counts each month the individual

  • receives TANF;
  • is certified as a caretaker or second parent; and
  • has an open Choices case without Choices good cause indicated, or is sanctioned for Choices non-participation.

If the individual does not have an open Choices case without Choices good cause indicated or is sanctioned for Choices non-participation, TIERS counts months beginning with the Notification Effective Date after the assessment anniversary date.

 

A—2533 Changes to State Time Limit Months Counted

Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

TANF

Evaluate the accuracy of the state time limit months counted if

  • requested to do so by the individual, or
  • Texas Works or Choices/Texas Workforce Commission staff discovers a possible error.

TIERS keeps a record of the individual's participation status, work registration status and work registration reason, which can change from month to month.

 

A—2533.1 Deleting Months When TANF Benefits are Cancelled or Recouped

Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

TANF

TIERS will remove a month counted toward the individual’s state time limit when an overpayment referral is processed for a full month’s benefits.

 

A—2533.2 Deleting Months in Error Situations

Revision 17-3; Effective July 1, 2017

TANF

Contact the IEE/TIERS Technical Help Desk to address any issues with the individual's Time Limited history in the following situations.

  • The advisor discovers errors including incorrect work registration status or incorrect Choices penalties that result in months being counted erroneously. (Example: The advisor entered the individual mandatory instead of exempt while the individual was caring for a disabled child or the advisor deletes a Choices penalty in TIERS that was imposed in error.)
  • Choices staff send notification that the individual's open Choices case status in TIERS is incorrect. (Example: The Choices automated interface sent a closed date for the Choices case status but the Choices case status is not showing closed in TIERS.)

 

A—2533.3 Deleting Months When the NED Changes

Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

TANF

An individual's NED may change for many reasons. A change in the NED may indicate that the Time Limited months counted before the new NED were counted in error.

Example: An exempt individual voluntarily participates in the Choices program for a few months and then stops participating. The advisor changes the individual's work registration code to mandatory when the individual is no longer eligible for the exemption. Choices then outreaches the individual and sends TIERS a new appointment date. The individual's original NED was created because the individual participated in Choices while exempt. When TIERS receives a new Choices appointment date, TIERS creates a new NED. However, all months counted before the new NED are accurate and should remain counted. Do not request that SODI delete these months.

 

A—2533.4 Adding State Time Limit Months

Revision 13-2; Effective April 1, 2013

TANF

The advisor should rarely request that SODI add months to the individual's Time Limited Months history. If there is a question concerning whether the months should be added, contact your regional Field Policy Specialist/mailbox (or other regional designee).