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Department
of Human Services Families
First Online Policy Manual Treatment of Income |
Revised: |
21.32 |
INCOME OF RESIDENT FARM LABORERS, MIGRANT AUs, SCHOOL EMPLOYEES, AND OTHER CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYEES |
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Resident
Farm Laborer The regular monthly income figure will be used to determine the amount
of the Families First grant. Irregular Income - Single
Employer In some instances, the AU is paid for work done only during the work
season, but resides year round on the farm and may receive advance or
deferred payments, (sometimes known as “furnish”), during the non-work
season. Some difficulty may be
experienced in assigning an income figure to the farm worker whose income is
high during the work season and correspondingly low during the non-work
season when income is only from advance or deferred payments. Irregular income is to be averaged over a 12-month period. Regular or Irregular Income -
Multiple Employers When a farm laborer works regularly for more than one employer, the
total income from all employers must be determined and then it is treated in
the same manner as that received from a single employer. If work for multiple employers as
irregular, the food stamp certification period should reflect actual income
or variable basis of issuance should be assigned. Migrant Farm Laborer It must be determined whether migrants have out-of-state income from
real property in the home base area.
A migrant family is permitted one home and lot as an exemption from
resources as any other AU. The income of children in migrant households will be treated as that
of any other child for whom eligibility is being determined. If the amount of income belonging
exclusively to a child cannot be determined, prorate equally the total income
of all household members and treat the child’s prorata
share as his/her own income. School Employees The average monthly income of school employees will be considered
available during the months it is received.
Please note that some school employees are paid 9 months of the year,
some are paid 10 months, and some receive pay 12 months. The caseworker must determine the pay
arrangement a school employee may have so that income can be considered in
appropriate months. Income of Other Contractual
Employees The average monthly income of persons employed on a contractual basis
(other than school employees) will be considered as income during the period
covered by the contract. Temporary Employment of Person
Under Contract In some instances, an employee under contract may accept temporary
employment. For example: Many teachers and other school employees
accept temporary employment during the summer months. After the appropriate earned income exclusions, disregards and
deductions, income from temporary employment will be budgeted as available
only in the months received. The same
procedures outline in the section below on unemployment compensation will be
followed. Unemployment Compensation Employees with annual contracts such as school employees may be
eligible for unemployment compensation when their employment ends. The client must be questioned to determine: ·
Whether or
not he/she has filed a claim for unemployment compensation benefits. ·
If benefits
are being received. ·
The amount
of the benefits. Count unemployment compensation as income only in the months in which
it is received. Do not annualize
unemployment compensation benefits with income from contractual
employment. The monthly amount of the
unemployment compensation benefit will be added to the annualized monthly
income from employment to determine income available to meet current
needs. This will require possible
adjustments in the grant both at the beginning and the end of the
unemployment compensation benefit period. |
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