An official State of Texas website.
Revision 05-3; Effective July 1, 2005
SNAP
If an applicant or participating household reports the loss of earned income or reduction in work hours to less than 30 hours a week, determine whether the household member voluntarily quit his job or reduced his work hours.
Note: See A-2123 for TANF Voluntary Quit policy.
A—1851 Applying Voluntary Quit
Revision 13-3; Effective July 1, 2013
SNAP
Voluntary quit procedures apply to:
- any local, state, or federal government employee who loses his job because he participates in a strike;
- a person who leaves a job unannounced or does not return to work without good cause, even if he technically was fired; or
- a person who voluntarily reduces his work hours to less than 30 hours a week.
Voluntary quit procedures do not apply to people who
- are exempt from E&T registration;
- end a self-employment enterprise;
- resign a job at the employer's demand; or
- are currently on strike.
A—1851.1 How to Determine if Voluntary Quit Applies
Revision 13-3; Effective July 1, 2013
SNAP
| - | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Has a household member (including a disqualified member) quit a job or reduced his hours of employment to less than 30 hours a week within 60 days before the application date or anytime after? | For quits, go to Step 2. For reduction of work hours, go to Step 3. | Not applicable. Stop. |
| 2. Did the job involve at least 30 hours per week at federal minimum wage or equivalent earnings? | Go to Step 3. | Not applicable. Stop. |
| 3. Did the person have good cause for quitting his job or reducing his work hours? | Not applicable. Stop. | Go to Step 4. |
| 4. Was the person exempt from E&T on the quit date or date hours were reduced? | Not applicable. Stop. | Go to Step 5. |
| 5. The voluntary quit penalty applies. | ||
A—1852 Determining PWE for Voluntary Quit Situations
Revision 13-3; Effective July 1, 2013
SNAP
Determine a household's primary wage earner as follows:
| If ... | then the ... |
|---|---|
(a) the household includes
| household may select the PWE. All adult members must agree to the selection. The PWE selected must:
A selection must be made at certification, recertification, or when household composition changes. |
| (b) adult household members cannot agree on a PWE, or Item (a) does not apply, | PWE is the member (including a disqualified member) who earned the most income in the two months before the month of quit if he was:
|
| (c) a PWE cannot be designated using the criteria in Item (a) or (b) above, | PWE is the head of household on the quit date (for active EDGs only) if he was required to register on the quit date (or would have been if not disqualified). |
Exception: For Items (b) and (c) in the chart above, a person (any age) may not be considered the primary wage earner if he lives with his parent (or person fulfilling the role of his parent) who is:
- registered for work through the SNAP E&T program; or
- exempt from registration.
The household can change the PWE during the certification period.
Exception: The household cannot change the PWE if the current PWE has failed to cooperate with SNAP E&T requirements or has voluntarily quit a job, unless a new member has joined the household and is selected as the PWE.
A—1853 Advisor Action on Voluntary Quit or Reduction in Work Hours
Revision 23-3; Effective July 1, 2023
SNAP
| If you discover the quit ... | then ... | |
|---|---|---|
| before completing certification, | apply the sanction using the penalty periods found in the related minimum penalty period policy. | |
| after certification and early enough to prevent issuance of the last month's benefits, | apply the sanction using minimum penalty periods. Start the sanction the first month after the adverse action notice period ends. | |
| too late in the certification period to prevent issuance of the last month's benefits, | if the household ... | then... |
| - | reapplies before the end of the certification period, | apply the penalty. Notify the household on Form TF0001, Notice of Case Action, that the penalty period starts the first month of the new certification period. |
| - | does not reapply by the last day of the certification period, | on the last day of the certification period send Form TF0001 to notify the household of the sanction period beginning with the month after the old certification period expires. |
If the primary wage earner (PWE) noncomplies, deny the EDG.
If the non-PWE noncomplies, disqualify the non-PWE and change the person’s work registration code to Code T (Disqualified household member). Send Form TF0001 by the next business day. Provide the person advance notice of adverse action.
For voluntary quit, ensure TIERS sends Form H1808, Agreement to Follow SNAP Rules, with the TF0001. Add comments to the TF0001 that the disqualified person or household may comply as early as the last month of the penalty period by signing the Form H1808 and could regain eligibility as early as the month after that.
A household denied due to the PWE’s voluntary quit must file a new application to re-establish eligibility but may do so the last month of the penalty period with eligibility beginning the month after.
If the PWE moves to another household and would have been the PWE, deny that household for the remainder of the penalty period. If the PWE moves, but would not have been the PWE of the new household, disqualify the person for the remainder of the penalty period.
If the person quits or voluntarily reduces work hours without good cause but does not report it or HHSC does not act timely, apply the penalty as soon as possible after the adverse action notice expires.
Related Policy
Minimum Penalty Periods, A-1841
Tracking the Number of Sanctions, A-1844.2
A—1854 Re-establishing Eligibility During the Penalty Period
Revision 13-3; Effective July 1, 2013
SNAP
A person or household, disqualified or denied because of a voluntary quit or a reduction in work hours, may re-establish eligibility during the penalty period if the non-complying member becomes exempt from E&T registration.
A household denied because the PWE voluntarily quit a job, or voluntarily reduced work hours, may also re-establish eligibility during the penalty period if:
- the PWE leaves the home; or
- a new member joins the household who would have been the PWE. If the household is otherwise eligible, certify it and disqualify the old PWE for the remainder of the penalty period.
A—1855 Re-establishing Eligibility After the Penalty Period
Revision 23-3; Effective July 1, 2023
SNAP
To re-establish eligibility after the penalty period for a voluntary quit, the disqualified PWE or non-PWE must:
- become exempt from E&T registration;
- agree to comply by signing Form H1808, Agreement to Follow SNAP Work Rules; or
- get a new job comparable to the one the person quit. Consider a job comparable if it involves one of the following:
- equal or increased salary or hours; or
- fewer hours or lower net salary, with the person's statement that the new job offers better chances to improve job skills or provide advancement opportunities.
To re-establish eligibility after the penalty period for voluntarily reducing work hours, the person must:
- become exempt from E&T registration; or
- return to work for 30 or more hours a week.
End the disqualification effective the first day of the month after the person complies or becomes exempt if the minimum penalty period has ended.
Notes:
- The disqualified person may comply in the last month of the penalty period and be added to the SNAP household the first day of the next month.
- A denied household may file a new application and be certified in the last month of the penalty period, but the household is not eligible for SNAP for any month the household was previously disqualified.