WAC 388-444-0005   Food stamp employment and training (FS E&T) program--General requirements.  (1) To receive Basic Food some people must register for work and participate in the food stamp employment and training (FS E&T) program.

     (2) We determine if you must register for work and participate in FS E&T under WAC 388-444-0010:

     (a) If we require you to register for work and participate in FS E&T you are nonexempt from FS E&T.

     (b) If you meet one of the conditions under WAC 388-444-0015, you are exempt from FS E&T. If you are exempt, you may choose to receive services through the FS E&T program.

     (3) If you are nonexempt from FS E&T requirements, we register you for work:

     (a) When you apply for Basic Food benefits or are added to someone's assistance unit; and

     (b) Every twelve months thereafter.

     (4) If you are nonexempt, you must meet all the FS E&T program requirements in subsections (5) through (7) of this section. If you fail to meet the requirements without good cause, we disqualify you from receiving Basic Food benefits:

     (a) We define good cause for not meeting FS E&T requirements under WAC 388-444-0050; and

     (b) We disqualify nonexempt persons who fail to meet E&T requirements as described under WAC 388-444-0055.

     (5) If you are nonexempt, you must:

     (a) Report to us or your FS E&T service provider and participate as required;

     (b) Provide information regarding your employment status and availability for work when we ask for it;

     (c) Report to an employer when we refer you; and

     (d) Accept a bona fide offer of suitable employment. We define unsuitable employment under WAC 388-444-0060.

     (6) If you are nonexempt, you must participate in one or more of the following FS E&T activities:

     (a) Job search;

     (b) Paid or unpaid work;

     (c) Training or work experience;

     (d) General education development (GED) classes; or

     (e) English as a second language (ESL) classes.

     (7) If you must participate in WorkFirst under WAC 388-310-0200, you have certain requirements for the Food Stamp Employment and Training Program:

     (a) Your FS E&T requirement is to fully participate in the WorkFirst activities approved in your Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP) under WAC 388-310-0500; and

     (b) If your IRP includes unpaid community service or work experience, we use your TANF grant and the Basic Food benefits received by members of your TANF assistance unit to determine the maximum hours of unpaid work we include in your plan.

     (8) Your FS E&T activities including paid or unpaid work will not exceed one hundred twenty hours a month whether you are exempt or nonexempt.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090, and 7 C.F.R. 273.7 and 273.25. 07-14-125, § 388-444-0005, filed 7/3/07, effective 8/3/07; 06-24-026, § 388-444-0005, filed 11/29/06, effective 1/1/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-444-0005, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]