UPSTATE AND NYC MESSAGE   
DSS-4357EL                                                                 
WGIUPD                  GENERAL INFORMATION SYSTEM               06/25/01  
                   DIVISION:  Temporary Assistance               PAGE    
GIS 01 TA/DC024                                                            
 
TO:  IM Directors, FS Directors, CAP Coordinators, TOP Coordinators,       
      Staff Development Coordinators                                       
FROM:  Patricia A. Stevens, Deputy Commissioner, Division of Temporary     
       Assistance                                                          
SUBJECT:  June mailout to Non-TA/FS cases regarding the six-month          
          reporting rule                                                   
                                                                           
EFFECTIVE DATE:  June 25, 2001                                             
CONTACT PERSON:  Eastern Regional Team at 1-800-343-8859, ext. 3-1469      

Districts were notified, in GIS message 01 TA/DC010 on April 2, 2001, that temporary assistance/food stamp (TA/FS) cases are no longer required to quarterly report for FS purposes.  For employed Upstate Non-TA/FS cases, the quarterly reporting requirement is replaced by the six-month reporting rule effective 7/1/01.  The six-month reporting rule also is effective 7/1/01 for employed New York City Non-TA/FS cases.  For FS purposes, households who have earned income and a six-month certification period (four-month certification period in New York City) are not required to report changes in household circumstances between recertifications except when total gross monthly income exceeds 130 percent of the poverty level for their household size.   

The attached letter will be sent during the week beginning June 25, 2001 to Non-TA/FS cases subject to six-month reporting requirement.  The mass mailing version of this letter will include only the income amounts applicable to each recipient's FS household size in the current stored ABEL budget.

The six-month reporting system will be most successful when districts thoroughly explain the reporting requirement to earned income households during application and recertification interviews and when households first gain employment.  Districts should reproduce the text of this letter, filling in the appropriate amounts, and provide the notice to Non-TA/FS households that apply or recertify beginning June 25, 2001 and have earnings, and to Non-TA/FS households that gain employment on or after June 25, 2001.  The last page of this message is a chart that provides the 130 percent of poverty levels in monthly, weekly and biweekly amounts, by household size, to assist workers in completing these notices.  In addition, the six-month reporting rule will be included in the next revision of the client information booklet (LDSS-4148A) and the Food Stamp Change Report 
Form (LDSS-3151) that are provided to all (TA and Non-TA) Food Stamp households.

More information regarding the new six-month reporting system will be released soon in an Administrative Directive.

There has been no change in quarterly reporting provisions for Temporary Assistance (TA).  This Office currently is assessing whether any modifications should be made to quarterly reporting for TA.  If it is determined that any changes are appropriate, districts and TA recipients will receive appropriate advance notice.

The text of the FS six-month reporting letter follows: 

LOCAL COUNTY DSS							IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT
123 MAIN STREET				   WHAT CHANGES YOU ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT
TOWNVILLE, NY  12308
					Esta carta est traducida al espaol en la pgina 2.

[Local Office #]							Case Number:  1234567890
							Loc. Off./Unit/Worker: 001/00001/00002
FOOD STAMP RECIPIENT
456 ELM STREET		2F
TOWNVILLE, NY 12309						General Telephone No. for
									Questions or Help: 518-370-4000

Dear Food Stamp Recipient:

A change in Food Stamp Program rules makes it easier for working households to report changes that may affect eligibility or benefit levels.    

As a household with earned income, you are now only required to report changes about your household at the time of your next recertification, with one exception:

If your gross monthly household income is more than $________________ you must report this monthly amount to your social services district within 10 days after the end of the month.  You may report your income to the agency by phone, in writing, or in person.

What we mean by gross income is the amount of income before taxes and other payroll deductions are taken out. Even though your net income, the amount you receive when you cash your check, is lower than the gross, we use the gross income in figuring your eligibility for food stamps.

For example, if your only income is from earnings, you are paid weekly and your gross income is over $______________ a week, or if you are paid biweekly and your gross income is over $_________________ biweekly, you must report this to us as soon as possible.
Any other kind of income that  you receive besides earnings must be added to your gross earned income to know if you are over 130% of the poverty level.  Examples of other income we count include child support payments, Unemployment Insurance, temporary assistance payments, Workers Compensation or disability payments such as Social Security, SSI or private disability payments.

Any other changes to your Food Stamp household including who lives with you, rent costs, and gross income changes under 130% of the poverty level do not need to be reported until your next recertification.  You may still voluntarily report changes about your household and, if these changes  will increase your benefit level, we will process them.

If you have questions about this new reporting requirement, or if your gross income exceeds the 130% poverty level printed above, you may call the number printed at the top of this letter.  Otherwise you will be required to recertify at your next scheduled recertification date and can report any changes you have at that time. 

<To print only for cases with a 12 month certification period, including Monroe County > Since you only report once a year for recertification you will  be required to report your changes on one mail report received 6 months into your certification period.

LOCAL COUNTY DSS					           INFORMACION IMPORTANTE 
123 MAIN STREET 					SOBRE LOS CAMBIOS QUE DEBE REPORTAR
TOWNVILLE, NY  12308

           Esta carta est traducida al espaol en la pgina 2

[Local Office #]					           Nmero de Caso: 1234567890
					Oficina Local/Unidad/Trabajador(a):001/00001/00002
FOOD STAMP RECIPIENT
456 ELM STREET		2F
TOWNVILLE, NY 12308			           No. de Telfono General para  
						           Preguntas o Ayuda:  518-370-4000

Estimado(a) Beneficiario(a) de Cupones de Alimentos:
Un cambi en las reglas del Programa de Cupones de Alimentos facilita a hogares con miembros que trabajan a reportar cambios que puede que afecten asuntos de elegibilidad o niveles de beneficios.    

Como hogar que recibe ingresos ganados, a usted slo se le requiere reportar cambios acerca de su hogar durante su prxima recertificacin, con una excepcin:

Si el ingreso mensual bruto de su hogar excede  <como se indica en el frente de esta carta>(130% del nivel de probreza) usted debe reportar esta cantidad mensual a su distrito de servicios sociales dentro de 10 das despus del fin de mes.  Usted puede reportar su ingreso a la agencia por telfono, por escrito, o en persona.

El ingreso bruto se refiere a la cantidad de ingresos antes de pagar impuestos y descontar otras deducciones salariales.  A pesar de que su ingreso neto, o la cantidad que usted recibe cuando usted cobra su cheque, es menor que la cantidad en bruto, nosotros utilizamos el ingreso bruto para calcular su elegibilidad para cupones de alimentos.

Por ejemplo, si su nico ingreso proviene de ganancias, si se le paga semanalmente, y si su ingreso bruto excede <como se indica en el frente de esta carta> por semana,  o si a usted se le paga cada dos semanas y su ingreso bruto excede  <como se indica en el frente de esta carta> cada dos semanas, usted nos debe reportar esto lo ms pronto posible.

Cualquier otro tipo de ingreso que usted reciba adems de ganancias deben aadirse a su ingreso bruto ganado  para determinar si usted est por encima de 130% del nivel de pobreza.  Ejemplos de otros ingresos que tomamos en cuenta incluyen pagos de manutencin infantil, Seguro por Desempleo, pagos de asistencia temporal, Compensacin Laboral o pagos por incapacidad, tales como los del Seguro Social, SSI o pagos privados por incapacidad.

Cualquier otro cambio que se efecte en su hogar de Cupones de Alimentos, incluyendo las personas que viven con usted, costos de renta/alquiler, y cambios de ingreso por debajo del 130% del nivel de pobreza no necesitan ser reportados hasta su prxima recertificacin.  Usted todava puede reportar cambios voluntariamente acerca de su hogar, y, si estos cambios van a incrementar su nivel de beneficios, nosotros los procesaremos.

Si tiene alguna pregunta acerca de este nuevo requisito de reporte, o si su ingreso bruto excede el 130% del nivel de pobreza indicado anteriormente, usted puede llmar al nmero de telfono impreso en la parte superior de esta carta.  De otra manera, usted tendr que recertificar durante su prxima cita de recertificacin y podr reportar cualquier cambio que tenga en ese momento.

<To print only for cases with a 12 month certification period, including Monroe County > Debido a que usted se reporta slo una vez al ao para la recertificacin, a usted se le requerir reportar sus cambios en un informe por correo que recibir a los seis meses dentro de su perodo de certificacin.

Table of 130% Poverty Level Values

HH
Size					130% of Poverty Level

			MONTHLY		BI-WEEKLY		WEEKLY

1			$  905		$  417.70		$  208.85

2			$1,219		$  562.62		$  281.31

3			$1,533		$  707.54		$  353.77

4			$1,848		$  852.93		$  426.47

5			$2,162		$  997.85		$  498.93

6			$2,476		$ 1142.77		$  571.39

7			$2,790		$ 1287.70		$  643.85

8			$3,104		$ 1432.62		$  716.31

Each Add'l	+  315		+  145.39		+   72.70
Member