1. (1) Time spent in the following activities may count toward the 80-hour community engagement requirement in ARM 37.84.116:

   1. (a) work, including employment that meets at least one of these conditions:

      1. (i) the participant earns at least the amount equal to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 80 hours each month;
      2. (ii) the participant works at least 80 hours each month, even if they earn less than the minimum wage; or
      3. (iii) for seasonal workers as defined in 26 U.S.C. 45R(d)(5) their average monthly income for the past six months is at least the minimum wage multiplied by 80 hours;
   2. (b) community service;
   3. (c) participation in a work program as defined in ARM 37.84.102;

   4. (d) enrollment in an educational program at half-time status or greater, which includes:

      1. (i) an educational program offered by an institution of higher education as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, Pub. L. No. 89-329; or
      2. (ii) a program of career and technical education as defined in section 3 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006, Pub. L. No. 109-270; or
   5. (e) any combination of the activities described in (1)(a) through (d).
2. (2) On application of initial or renewed eligibility for the HELP program, the department will review electronic data sources to determine if a participant meets the community engagement activity participation requirement. If the department cannot verify community engagement activity participation through a data review, the participant may submit documentation to show they meet the requirement.

Authorizing statute(s): 53-2-215, 53-6-113, 53-6-1309, 53-6-1318, MCA

Implementing statute(s): 53-2-215, 53-6-101, 53-6-113, 53-6-1302, 53-6-1303, 53-6-1304, 53-6-1305, 53-6-1308, 53-6-1309, MCA

History: NEW, 2020 MAR p. 2438, Eff. 1/1/21; AMD, 2026 MAR, Notice No. 2026-514, Eff. 7/1/26.