SECTION 340:10-2-8. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Work support services

(a)   Scope. The worker provides or arranges payments and services for the participant to ensure successful completion of the participant's employability plan to become self-supporting.

(1)   Payments are authorized for items or services directly related to employment as an outcome.

(2)   When support services are available and part of the employability plan, the participant's failure to cooperate in obtaining the support services constitutes a failure to participate in the TANF Work program.

(3)   Items and services covered by the participant's medical card are not paid for by the support service fund.

(4)   The only support services available to an applicant are the participant allowance and work activity payment.

(5)   Payments are not authorized for reimbursement of expenses already paid by client or others.

(b)   Flexible funds. The intent of flexible funds is to provide a participant with the necessary support services needed to accomplish his or her employment goals.

(1)   Flexible funds are not available to the applicant.

(2)   To be eligible for flexible funds, the participant must:

(A)   otherwise be ready to participate in a required work activity for the minimum number of hours;

(B)   have a guaranteed offer of employment; or

(C)   be employed.

(3)   Payments for the services through flexible funds are not an automatic entitlement to the participant.

(4)   Flexible funds are not used for fines including traffic fines or any cost related to a criminal offense, such as legal fees or court costs.

(5)   Designated county staff or the career development specialist has final authority to determine authorizations.

(6)   One-time payments of specific services are not approved for reimbursement of expenses already paid by the participant or others.

(7)   Ongoing maintenance payments are not allowed.

(8)   Relatives of the client are not eligible for payment. Refer to Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:10-9-1 for degree of relationship.

(c)   Other support services.

(1)   Work activity payments. Work activity payments are issued to purchase specific items, such as a tank of gas, clothing, or personal items, when needed to participate in assigned work activities. The maximum amount approved cannot exceed $40 per month.

(2)   Participant allowances. Daily cash allowances, up to a $13 maximum per day, are made to participants in assigned scheduled, structured, and supervised work activities.

(A)   Lunch hours and travel time are not included as actual attendance hours.

(B)   For persons in Job Search, travel time between job interviews and job applications is included as actual attendance hours.

(C)   The participant makes appropriate daily entries on Form 08TW013E, Time and Progress Report, to document actual attendance hours and submits it to the worker by the time frame shown on the form.

(D)   The daily allowance paid is:

(i)   $8 per day when the work activity equals four hours or less; or

(ii)   $13 per day when the work activity equals more than four hours.

(3)   Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigations (OSBI) background checks. OSBI background checks may be requested for a participant who is placed in job skills training that requires an OSBI background check as a prerequisite for employment. The job skills training may include vocational training, hands-on work experience, or public or private sector work experience.

(4)   Child care. Child care arrangements are made for each child in the home younger than 13 years of ageor younger than 19 years of age when the child is mentally or physically incapable of self-careor under court supervision, per Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:40-7-3. The worker includes the child care plan on Form 08TW002E, TANF Work/Personal Responsibility Agreement. When the person begins active participation in TANF Work activities, the worker and client complete a child care application based on the TANF Work plan, per OAC 340:40.

(5)   Transportation contracts. Transportation contracts are initiated to provide transportation for TANF recipients who have no means of transportation to access required TANF Work training activities. To initiate a transportation contract, designated county office staff contact Adult and Family Services (AFS) TANF staff.

(6)   Disability Advocacy Program (DAP). DAP is available to assist a TANF Work participant or a child(ren) receiving a TANF benefit, who has an application for disability pending with the Social Security Administration (SSA) or who the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) determines has a potentially meritorious claim for such benefits.

(A)   The worker makes a referral to the DHS-contracted law firm to assist the recipient(s) with the:

(i)   application;

(ii)   reconsideration;

(iii)   Administrative Law Judge hearing; and

(iv)   review by the SSA Appeals Council.

(B)   The evaluation of merit determines if the appropriate SSA test for disability would be met if evidence was available to prove all conditions claimed by the TANF recipient. When the evaluation of merit determines there is:

(i)   sufficient evidence, the law firm represents the TANF recipient.

(I)   Statewide representation consists of assisting the recipient with the application through an unfavorable SSA Appeals Council decision.

(II)   In counties in which representation by a lawyer or experienced non-lawyer advocate is not available without advance payment, the contracted law firm assists with the pending application for disability through an unfavorable decision by the SSA Appeals Council; or

(ii)   insufficient evidence to prove conditions claimed by the TANF recipient, no further services are provided by DAP. Representation by the law firm ceases at any time the law firm determines there is insufficient evidence to support the TANF recipient's claim for disability benefits.

(7)   Achievement bonuses. TANF recipients participating in TANF Work are eligible for bonuses related to achievement of certain goals when funding is available. TANF recipients may receive one bonus payment per achievement, for activities in (A) of this paragraph.

(A)   Achievements are completion of a:

(i)   high school diploma; or

(ii)   high school equivalency certificate.

(B)   Refer to DHS Appendix H-4-C for bonus payment amounts.

[Source: Added at 15 Ok Reg 147, eff 10-9-97 (emergency); Added at 15 Ok Reg 897, eff 2-1-98 (emergency); Added at 15 Ok Reg 1277, eff 3-1-98 (emergency); Added at 15 Ok Reg 2616, eff 6-25-98; Amended at 15 Ok Reg 3736, eff 8-1-98 (emergency); Amended at 16 Ok Reg 1010, eff 4-26-99; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 444, eff 11-1-99 (emergency); Amended at 17 Ok Reg 2075, eff 7-1-00; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 1217, eff 6-1-01; Amended at 19 Ok Reg 1737, eff 6-14-02; Amended at 20 Ok Reg 88, eff 12-1-02 (emergency); Amended at 20 Ok Reg 850, eff 6-1-03; Amended at 21 Ok Reg 814, eff 5-1-04; Amended at 22 Ok Reg 764, eff 5-12-05; Amended at 23 Ok Reg 980, eff 6-1-06; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 14, eff 8-3-07 (emergency); Amended at 25 Ok Reg 903, eff 6-1-08; Amended at 26 Ok Reg 767, eff 4-1-09 (emergency); Amended at 26 Ok Reg 2219, eff 6-25-09; Amended at 26 Ok Reg 767, eff 4-1-09 (emergency); Amended at 27 Ok Reg 1173, eff 6-1-10; Amended at 32 Ok Reg 1839, eff 9-15-15; Amended at 37 Ok Reg 1776, eff 9-15-20]