(a)

1. (1) If a payee notifies the county office that a reimbursement, diversion, or relocation check has not been received, the worker will determine:

   1. (A) If a check has been issued and mailed;
   2. (B) If it has been at least ten (10) days since the check was issued and mailed; and
   3. (C) The current status of the check.
2. (2) These determinations will be made utilizing the Check Register (RSCR) screen or by contacting the Program Support Unit of the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services.

(b) Procedure for replacing a missing transitional employment assistance (TEA) check:

1. (1)

   1. (A) If a TEA check has not been returned to the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services within ten (10) days of the check issue date and the payee states he or she has not received the check, the county office will:

(i) Complete section A of Form DHS-80, Claim of Lost, Stolen and/or Forged Assistance Warrant/Check; and

1. (ii) Issue to the payee at the time the report is received.

   1. (B) The county office will fully explain the purpose and assure completion of all sections of the form.
   2. (C) The payee will be responsible for completion of sections B and C.
   3. (D) Section B will be completed by a member of an appropriate local law enforcement agency.
   4. (E) Section C will be completed by the payee in the presence of a notary public.
   5. (F) Form DCO-1461, Surety Bond for Reissuing Checks, will also be issued to the payee to be returned to the county office with the DHS-80.

   6. (G) Note.

      1. (i) If there is a notary public in the county office, all sections of the forms relative to notary public may be completed while the payee is in the office (the payee will still be required to have section B of form DHS-80 completed as stated on the form).
      2. (ii) For completion of Form DCO-1461, the payee must have the individual who will act as surety present during the visit;

2. (2)

   1. (A) Forms DHS-80 and DCO-1461 along with a cover memo will be forwarded to the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services, Program Support Unit, Slot 3350, no later than the next working day following submission from the payee.
   2. (B) If the payee cannot secure a surety, no replacement will be made.
   3. (C) Representatives of the Department of Human Services will not act as a surety for a payee;

3. (3)

   1. (A) Upon receipt of the DHS-80 and DCO-1461, the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services will determine if all necessary information has been submitted.
   2. (B) If the forms are not completed correctly or are incomplete, the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services will return the forms to the county office for necessary action;

4. (4)

   1. (A) Upon receipt of the original completed Lost, Stolen, and/or Forged Check forms from the county office (by mail only), the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services will verify the status of the check.
   2. (B) If the check has not been returned or cashed, Program Support will initiate a stop payment if the check is fifteen dollars ($15.00) or over.
   3. (C) A stop payment action will not be made for checks which are less than fifteen dollars ($15.00), but such checks will be canceled on the system by the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services.
   4. (D) Canceled checks issued through the WISE system of less than fifteen dollars ($15.00) will be reissued by the county office once the Check Register screen shows that the status code has been changed to “X” indicating the check has been canceled on the system by the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services.
   5. (E) The county office will inform the payee to return the original check if it is received.

   6. (F) Note.

      1. (i) The Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services will reissue checks of fifteen dollars ($15.00) or more.
      2. (ii) See subdivision (b)(6) of this section;

5. (5)

   1. (A) If the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services verifies the check has already been cashed and cleared the bank, a copy of the canceled check will be sent to the county office with a cover memo requesting the worker to contact the payee to determine the status of the check.
   2. (B) If the payee reports not receiving the check or states that the signature does not belong to him or her, the county office will notify the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services to continue processing the replacement check; and

6. (6) The Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services will reissue a replacement check to the payee within seven (7) working days from the date the completed forms are received.

   1. (c)
7. (1) If the original check is later found or returned to the payee, he or she is required to return the check immediately to the county office.
8. (2) The county office will accept the check from the payee (write “void” across the check) and forward it to the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services, Program Support Unit, Slot 3350, along with a cover memo explaining the circumstances.
9. (3) All identifying information, e.g., payee, casehead if different, check number, etc. will be included in the memo.

10. (4) A copy of both the memo and the voided check will be retained in the county office.

    1. (d) Checks returned to the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services. If a check has been returned by the post office to the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services, the following procedures will be followed:

11. (1)

    1. (A) Upon receipt of a returned check issued through the WISE System, the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services will access the Check Register (RSCR) screen and key “U” indicating the check was returned by the post office as undeliverable.
    2. (B) This means that the check can only be mailed at the county’s request.
    3. (C) A system-generated report showing such returned checks will be forwarded to the county office the following day;
12. (2) The county office will be notified either by phone call or memorandum if a diversion or relocation check is returned to the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services;
13. (3) Upon receipt of the notice of a returned check, or in situations where the payee contacts the county office regarding the check, the county office will inquire to the Check Register (RSCR) screen to determine the reason for the return; and

14. (4)

    1. (A) If the check was returned due to an incorrect address, the county office will contact the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services by mail or fax with the correct mailing information no later than the following work day and request that the check be remailed to the correct address.
    2. (B) For checks issued through the WISE system, the county offices will also update ACES to reflect the correct address.

(e) Mutilated checks.

1. (1) A check that has been damaged or marred to the point that it cannot be cashed is considered to be mutilated.

2. (2) If a mutilated check is brought to the county office by the payee, the following procedures will be followed:

   1. (A) The mutilated check will be mailed to the Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services, Program Support Unit, Slot 3350, along with a cover memo explaining the circumstances surrounding the check and authorizing reissuance; and
   2. (B) The Secretary’s Office of the Department of Human Services will complete the necessary steps to reissue the check to the payee.