Background: On March 9, 2020 Governor
Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency for the entire state of Ohio
(Executive Order 2020-01D) to protect the well-being of the citizens of Ohio
from COVID-19. In order to protect the
lives, safety and health of Ohio’s citizens, various orders have been issued from
the Governor and the Ohio Department of Health to limit social interaction.
These orders include: prohibiting mass gatherings (100 or more people in a single
room); closing schools; prohibiting visitors in hospitals and jails; closing
restaurants and bars; encouraging businesses to allow employees to work from
home as well as asking parents to keep children out of day care settings.
As part of this effort and continued compliance with Ohio
Administrative Code rules 5101:4-3-29 and 5101:4-3-11.2, which require the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training
(E&T) program employability plan to be signed as well as the JFS 03804
“Ohio Works First/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Sanction
Compliance Agreement”, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS)
has established the following procedure for accepting verbal signatures over
the telephone for a SNAP E&T employability plan and/or the JFS 03804
compliance form.
New Procedure: While under the state of
emergency declared through executive order 2020-01D, a county agency may opt to
accept a verbal signature over the telephone for a SNAP E&T employability
plan and/or the JFS 03804 compliance form. During the telephone appraisal the
county agency must read to the client the contents of the E&T employability
plan, including the rights, responsibilities and assigned activities. Following
the appraisal and verbal signature, a copy of the SNAP E&T employability
plan must be mailed to the individual. The JFS 03804 compliance form must also
be mailed to the individual after obtaining a verbal signature.
The county agency must record the following information in the case
journal notes to document the verbal signature: “On [insert date] [Insert
client name] provided a verbal signature to the [SNAP E&T employability
plan or JFS 03804 compliance form]. This verbal signature is in accordance with
Food Assistance Change Transmittal Letter No. 67. A copy of the [SNAP E&T employability
plan or JFS 03804 compliance form] has been mailed to the individual.”