As used in this section, "cost-of-living adjustment" means the cost-of-living adjustment made by the United States commissioner of social security under 42 U.S.C. 415(i) for benefits provided under Title II of the "Social Security Act of 1935."
The department of job and family services shall make all cash assistance payments for Ohio works first from funds appropriated for the Ohio works first program. The amount of a cash assistance payment the department is to make to an assistance group shall be determined in accordance with rules adopted under section 5107.05 of the Revised Code and shall not exceed the payment standard. The department shall increase the payment standard on January 1, 2009, and the first day of each January thereafter by the cost-of-living adjustment made in the immediately preceding December.
A county department of job and family services may use county funds to increase the amount of cash assistance an assistance group receives. An increase in the amount of cash assistance that results from such a use of county funds shall not be included as countable income, gross earned income, or gross unearned income of the assistance group.
R.C. §5107.04