Rule 18-17-5.6 - Proof of Work/Education or Training (parent/applicant)Parent(s) must work at least twenty-five (25) hours per week; or be enrolled in a full-time educational program; or a combination of both. In two parent families, both parents must meet the work/education requirement.
A. Proof of Work - parents must provide proof of work for the last thirty (30) days to include one (1) of the following:1) Check stubs a. One (1) if paid monthly- must include the most recent check stub issued; orb. Two (2) if paid bi-monthly- must include the last two consecutively issued check stubs; orc. Four (4) if paid weekly-must include the last four consecutively issued check stubs.2) New Employment or Employment at Temporary Agency - letter from the employer on company letterhead verifying start date of employment, income, rate of pay, and number of hours worked.3) Paid in Cash - a wage verification form, or a notarized letter from the employer verifying employment, income, rate of pay, and number of hours worked. The letter must also include the employer's name, address, and telephone number, and state that the employee is paid in cash.4) Self-Employed - a wage verification form and a copy of the business license.5) Paid by Personal Check - applicants must submit copies of the front and back of two checks that have cleared the bank.6) Medical Leave- if the parent is on medical leave at the time of application or redetermination, a letter on employer letterhead may be submitted to satisfy this requirement. This letter must include rate of pay, hours typically worked per pay period, frequency of pay, and an expected date of return to work.B. Proof of Education/Job Training - if the parent is not working at least twenty-five (25) hours per week, he/she must be enrolled in an approved full-time educational or training program resulting in a degree or certificate designed to promote job skills and employability, including but not limited to GED classes. Educational programs must be accredited by the State of Mississippi or a national organization. Full-time enrollment is defined by the institution providing the education and/or job training program. Acceptable proof includes: 1) Letter from the institution confirming current full-time enrollment, or2) Printout of the current class schedule verifying full-time status with applicant's name on schedule. If redetermination is occurring between semesters/quarters, a copy of the applicant's future course schedule may be submitted, provided that the next semester/quarter begins within 30 days of the submission.C. Combination of Employment and School - if the parent shows proof of less than twenty-five (25) work hours per week, or less than full-time enrollment in an educational or job training program, educational hours from an approved educational or training program may be combined with work hours, to meet the requirement.1) Educational hours- may be a combination of actual classroom hours and designated study hours2) Actual classroom hours- the time actually spent in the classroom setting3) Designated study hours- allowed in a 1:1 ratio with actual classroom hours, and cannot exceed actual classroom hours45 CFR 98.20; 45 CFR 98.21; Miss. Code Ann. § 43-1-2(4); Miss. Code Ann. § 43-1-4 Revised: May 2023