808.07 Verification of Exemptions SR 01-03, 07/01 (FAM-A)

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District Offices are responsible for determining exemption status based on acceptable documentation and verification of the exemption claim. Acceptable documentation must contain specific detail and address each item listed under the appropriate heading. General or incomplete statements that do not thoroughly address each specific item are considered unacceptable.

Do not grant an exemption if the individual fails to provide acceptable verification within 10 days of the request or fails to notify the District Office of difficulty in obtaining 3rd party documentation. Proceed with referral to the NHEP team after the verification time frame has elapsed.

Exception: Allow more than 10 days if notified by the individual of difficulty in obtaining 3rd party documentation. Assist the individual, upon request, in identifying sources of alternate documentation when documentation from the original source cannot be obtained.

Illness or Incapacity of the Individual

The physician or board certified psychologist must complete Form 752, Physician/Psychologist Statement for Exemption/Limitation from NHEP Work Requirement, which certifies:

. the specific type of illness, injury, or incapacity;

. how and why the illness, injury, or incapacity prevents a specific activity from being done;

. what activities can be done; and

. how long the illness, injury, or incapacity will last.

Exception: If the individual is eligible for financial assistance based on a verified incapacity/disability, a separate verification is not required.

Individual Needed in the Home to Take Care of Another Household Member

The physician or board certified psychologist must complete Form 752, Physician/Psychologist Statement for Exemption/Limitation from NHEP Work Requirements, which certifies:

. the reasons why care is considered necessary;

. the illness or incapacity of the household member that requires care;

. why the individual's presence is required in the home;

. the duration that care must be provided and the expected date of recovery; and

. an assurance that no other member of the household is available or appropriate to provide care.

Child Conceived While on Assistance and "Rebuttable Presumption"

The actual date of conception is problematic to determine and is, therefore, a rebuttable presumption. The biological parent(s) must be allowed the opportunity to claim and document that the child was not conceived while receiving * TANF financial assistance. Acceptable documentation is medical records or a physician's written statement indicating the child's date of conception does not fall within the time-period of receipt of financial assistance. If the documentation supports the claim, the individual remains exempt until the child in their care turns age 2, unless:

. another child is conceived while the individual is receiving assistance; or

. the individual has received 39 or more months of NHEP financial assistance and their youngest child is 12 weeks of age. See FAM 808.05 Exemptions from Participation in NHEP, and FAM 808.27, Hourly Participation Requirements.

Child Conceived as a Result of Incest or Rape

Acceptable documentation that the child was conceived as a result of incest or rape is a court record, police log, social service agency or Division of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) record, hospital, physician or psychological record attesting to the circumstances of the child's conception.

Pregnancy

A signed statement from a licensed physician, advanced registered nurse practitioner, licensed nurse midwife or other licensed medical practitioner documenting that the woman is or will be in her fourth month of pregnancy when the NHEP activity will begin.

All Other Exemptions

Accept any documentation that reasonably establishes the individual's exemption status.