WELFARE REFORM: PART 2

There are two provisions in the new Welfare Reform that have dramatically affected the lives of its poor and needy recipients: time limits and work requirements. The following is a basic summary of these two provisions and the exceptions that exist for certain people.

Qualified people can receive Temporary Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC) for only 24 months out of a 60-month period. This means that even if a recipient gets a small grant every month because they have some income, it still counts against their time limit. A special waiver is made if another relative or parent receives custody or guardianship of a child on TAFDC because the past guardian is dead, incarcerated, institutionalized or incapacitated. Sometimes the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) will grant special extensions and will take into consideration if the family complied with DTA rules.

In general, anyone with school aged children receiving TAFDC is required to work at least 20 hours a week doing paid work or unpaid community service called workfare. If a person does not comply and find a job or workfare within 60 days s/he will at first lose part of her/his grant. If s/he does not eventually find a job, the person will lose the entire grant. Some people may choose to take part in the Employment Services Program, which offers education opportunities, job search assistance and employer subsidy programs. All participants are eligible for low-cost or subsidized daycare during the hours they work.

Below is a chart compiled by the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI) that summarizes the exemptions made by DTA for the time limit and work requirements. If you know of a person on TAFDC that is at risk and needs Welfare advocacy, call MLRI at (617) 357-0700.

Are You Exempt from TAFDC Rules?
By the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute

Your Family’s Situation (for one-parent families only)	Exempt time limit?	Exempt work requirement?
Your youngest child (except for family cap child) is of full-time school age (usually age 6), and you don’t qualify for any other exemptions.	No	No
Your youngest child (except for family cap child) is at least age 2 but under school age (usually age 6).	No	Yes
Your family is living in a substance abuse shelter and is participating in substance abuse treatment.	No	Yes
Your family is in the first 120 days of living in a homeless shelter and complying with housing search.	No	Yes
You are caring for a foster child of any age who has special needs, as determined by DSS or DTA.	No	Yes
You are caring for a foster child under school age (usually age 6) who does not have special needs.	No	Yes
You are caring for your grandchild while your teen child attends school (and you all live together).	No	Yes
You have a "good cause" reason for not doing work¾ a crisis or emergency during work hours, such as problems with housing, child care, transportation, child’s behavior, illness, death in the family, or court appearance.	No	Yes
The rules put your family at risk of domestic violence, make it harder for your family to escape domestic violence, or would unfairly penalize your family because of past, current or threatened domestic violence.	No	Yes
Your Youngest child (except for family cap child) is under age 2.	Yes	Yes
You are disabled and getting SSI or SSDI, or have been determined to be disabled by DTA.	Yes	Yes
Doctor verifies that you are needed to take care of a disabled person in your family¾ child, spouse, other parent of your child, or the parent or grandparent of you, your spouse, or the other parent of your child.	Yes	Yes
You are pregnant and within 120 days of your due date.	Yes	Yes
You get a child-only grant for a child whom you have no legal obligation to support (e.g., niece/nephew, grandchild).	Yes	Yes
Your baby (whether or not excluded by family cap) is under 3 months old.	Yes	Yes
You are a teen parent who is meeting the living arrangement and school attendance requirements.	Yes	Yes
You are age 60 or older.	Yes	Yes
You are an immigrant who does not have work authorization but you receive TAFDC for your child.	Yes	No

A family cap child is a child was not born within 10 months of applying for TAFDC. This child is barred for life from receiving cash benefits unless the child meets a special exception. Contact Joscelyn Ruelle-Kersker for more detail at x#6-8182.

Unless you have already used up 22 months and DTA approves your request.

If DTA approves your request.

You must do community service, a.k.a. workfare.