SECTION 340:10-3-58. Income determination procedures

(a)   The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance benefit amount is determined based on actual income received for the current or past month, when known, and the best estimate of the income that can be anticipated for future months.

(1)   When the client receives income in varying amounts,the past 30-calendar days of income is averaged to determine what income can be anticipated unless:

(A)   the client starts new employment and paystubs are not available. When pay stubs are not available, the employer's statement regarding the client's hourly wage, number of hours worked, and frequency of pay is obtained;

(B)   the hourly wage changed. The new hourly wage is verified by a paystub(s) that includes the new hourly wage. When a paystub reflecting the hourly wage change is not available, the employer is contacted for verification;

(C)   there is a change in the number of hours worked. When paystubs are not available, the increase or decrease in hours is verified with the employer and then multiplied by the hourly wage to anticipate the next paycheck amount;

(D)   the client obtains a second job. The monthly earnings from each job is computed separately and then added together for the total month's gross; or

(E)   paystubs are not representative of the normal circumstances. In this instance, income is anticipated by using only the paystubs that are representative.

(2)   Income received more often than monthly must be converted to a monthly amount as described in (A) - (D) of this paragraph.

(A)   Income received on a daily basis is converted to a weekly amount, then multiplied by 4.3.

(B)   Income received weekly is multiplied by 4.3.

(C)   Income received twice a month is multiplied by 2.

(D)   Income received every two weeks is multiplied by 2.15.

(b)   When income verification is needed, the worker gives or sends Form 08AD092E, Client Contact and Information Request, to the client specifying the income verification needed and gives the client at least 10-calendar days to provide the verification.

(1)   When a certification is for a past month, actual income, when known, is used to determine income eligibility for the past month.

(2)   Once acceptable verification is provided, no further information is required unless a change occurs or the renewal is due.

(3)   When the client reports new employment and representative pay has not been received yet, the best estimate is determined from the information provided by the client and the employer.

(c)   The TANF cash assistance benefit may be closed based on actual or anticipated income. When the TANF cash assistance payment is closed based on anticipated income and the client reports within 30-calendar days of the effective closure date that the anticipated income was not received or was received in a lesser amount that does not cause ineligibility, the TANF cash assistance benefit is reopened using the administrative error process, per Oklahoma Administrative Code 340:65-5-6.

(d)   A client is responsible for reporting changes within 10-calendar days of when the change takes place. The worker is responsible for taking timely action within 10-calendar days of the date the client reports the change. All client notices must include the timely reporting requirement.

[Source: Amended at 10 Ok Reg 527, eff 12-8-92 (emergency); Amended at 10 Ok Reg 2813, eff 6-25-93; Amended at 10 Ok Reg 4337, eff 7-19-93 (emergency); Amended at 11 Ok Reg 1639, eff 5-12-94; Amended at 17 Ok Reg 2271, eff 5-1-00 (preemptive); Amended at 27 Ok Reg 1173, eff 6-1-10; Amended at 37 Ok Reg 1776, eff 9-15-20]