Chapter XI - TANF Economic Support for Working FamiliesI. The Working Families Supplement is part of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and provides a food benefit to households consisting of employed parents with minor children who receive food supplement benefits and who meet TANF work requirements. The goal of the benefit is to help transition these families to self-sufficiency. This benefit is a food assistance benefit, not a cash benefit, and may be used only as permitted by Maine's Food Supplement Program.
II. Eligibility Criteria a) Eligibility is determined automatically on a monthly basis based on data in the Automated Client Eligibility System (ACES). For the household to receive the benefit, data in ACES must show that during the benefit month the household: 1) Received food supplement benefits; and 2) Did not include a member who is also receiving TANF cash assistance; and3) Included a minor child whose biological or adoptive parent(s) reside in the same household; and4) Met the following work requirements: (A) One parent household with a child(ren) over the age of six - 30 hours per week.(B) Single parent with a child under age six - 20 hours per week.(C) Two parent household - 35 hours per week or 55 hours if receiving federally funded childcare subsidies; andb) Except as provided above, all other TANF requirements or limitations including time limits on receipt of TANF, child support assignment and participation with ASPIRE, do not apply to this program.III. Amount of Benefit The amount of the Working Families Supplement benefit will be determined by the Department and will be the same amount for each eligible household. No more than one benefit may be issued to a household per month. The Department may, at any time, suspend the Working Family Supplement or reduce the benefit amount.
IV. Notice of Eligibility Eligible households will receive monthly notice of their eligibility for the Working Families Supplement. When a household that has previously received the benefit becomes ineligible, a notice will be sent informing the household of the change in its eligibility, the reason the change, and the right to appeal.
V. Issuance The Working Families Supplement benefit will be issued to eligible households on their existing food supplement electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card. The benefit will be issued during the first five business days of the month based on the prior month's work hours.
C.M.R. 10, 144, ch. 331, XI