(a) Payment amount.

1. (1) The Arkansas Work Pays Program payment amount is two hundred four dollars ($204) monthly unless the participant is under a sanction.
2. (2) Arkansas Work Pays Program income will be countable in the same capacity as transitional employment assistance (TEA) cash in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) and Medicaid cases.
3. (3) All changes reported to the Program Eligibility Specialist will be entered in the automated system.

(b) Payment authorization.

1. (1)

   1. (A) The Program Eligibility Specialist will authorize the payment when verification of participation is received.
   2. (B) The participant must provide verification of work hours such as payroll printouts, employer documents, or pay stubs for each week of the month.
   3. (C) The verification may be submitted:

(i) By fax;

1. (ii) By mail;

   1. (iii) By email; or

      1. (iv) In person.

2. (2)

   1. (A) If the participant was in a paid work activity for at least twenty-four (24) hours per week and met the federal participation rate, full payment will be authorized.
   2. (B) Refer to subsection (c) of this section.

3. (3)

   1. (A) If the participant does not meet the federal participation rate and good cause for noncompliance is established, a good cause payment will be authorized.
   2. (B) Refer to subsection (c) of this section and 20 CAR § 503-1517.
4. (4) If the participant does not meet the federal participation rate and good cause is not established, a sanction payment may be authorized, except for the third consecutive sanction or third sanction out of the past six (6) months.

5. (5) No payment will be authorized for the:

   1. (A) Third consecutive month of noncompliance; or

   2. (B) Third month out of the past six (6) months.

      1. (c) Payment process.

6. (1)

   1. (A) Families participating in the Arkansas Work Pays Program will receive a monthly cash assistance payment in the amount of two hundred four dollars ($204), regardless of family size, for up to twenty-four (24) months, provided they meet the Arkansas Work Pays Program eligibility requirements.

   2. (B) Arkansas Work Pays Program payments are made:

      1. (i) Once per month; and
      2. (ii) In the month following the month in which the participant participates.
   3. (C) Payment will be made via the participant’s electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card.
7. (2) For Temporary Assistance for Needy Families federal purposes, an Arkansas Work Pays Program case is considered cash assistance. Example: Ms. Harris applies for the Arkansas Work Pays Program in July. In August, she provides verification of hours worked in July. The Program Eligibility Specialist determined that the participant met the work requirement and authorizes payment for July (to be paid in August) by placing a check in the payment box on the Arkansas Work Pays Program payment screen in the automated system.

8. (3)

   1. (A) By the fifth workday of each month, the Arkansas Work Pays Program participant should provide documentation to the Program Eligibility Specialist regarding work activity hours for each week of the preceding month.

   2. (B) If the participant provides documentation by the fifth workday of the month the Program Eligibility Specialist will:

      1. (i) Key the work hours into the automated system; and
      2. (ii) Select the full payment indicator.

9. (4)

   1. (A) The Program Eligibility Specialist can average the weekly hours worked for the participation requirement if the participant worked over or under the required weekly participation hours during that month.
   2. (B) However, the Program Eligibility Specialist must key actual weekly hours into the automated system.
10. (5) By the fifth workday of the month, participants must submit sufficient documentation showing they met the twenty-four (24) paid hours/week work requirement and/or the federal work participation requirement.

11. (6)

    1. (A) If no documentation or insufficient documentation is received by the fifth workday of the month, the Program Eligibility Specialist will send a ten-calendar-day advance notice (TEA-1) on the next business day.

    2. (B) The notice will:

       1. (i) Request proper documentation showing that participants met work requirements;
       2. (ii) Request that participants show good cause for not meeting work participation, if appropriate;
       3. (iii) Indicate that a home visit is required each month of noncompliance; and
       4. (iv)

(b) (b) See 20 CAR § 503-1519.

1. (7) If the requested information is submitted within ten (10) calendar days, the Program Eligibility Specialist will key the actual hours into the automated system and select the full payment indicator.

2. (8)

   1. (A) If the requested information is not submitted within ten (10) calendar days, the Program Eligibility Specialist will key the actual hours into the automated system and select the sanctioned payment indicator.
   2. (B) Refer to 20 CAR § 503-1515 for noncompliance requirements.