The Ohio works now (OWN) program provides additional food assistance benefits to food assistancesupplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) assistance groups with minor children and employed parents to help offset the cost of being employed. The Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefit is part of the temporary assistance for needy families program (TANF) and therefore is subject to the requirements of Title IV-A of the "Social Security Act," 110 Stat. 2113 (1996), 42 U.S.C. 601.

(A)Who will receive the Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefit?

(1)Participation in the Ohio works nowOWN program is determined automatically on a monthly basis based on data in the client registry information system-enhanced (CRIS-E)statewide automated eligibility system.

(2)For members of a food assistanceSNAP assistance group to receive the Ohio works nowOWN benefit, data in CRIS-Ethe statewide automated eligibility system must indicate the assistance group:

(a)Includes a minor child as defined in rule 5101:1-1-01 of the Administrative Code and the biological or adoptive parents of the minor child residing in the same household; or a pregnant woman with no other children who is at least in her sixth month of pregnancy; and

(b)At least one parent must be working thirty hours per week, with the exception of a single parent with a child under age six who is required to work twenty hours per week. Two-parent households are required to work a combined fifty-five hours per week with one parent working at least thirty hours per week.

(c)Meets federal TANF requirements under Title IV-A of the "Social Security Act," 110 Stat. 2113 (1996), 42 U.S.C. 601, including citizenship.

(B)Who will not receive the Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefit?

(1)Any food assistanceSNAP assistance group that includes a member that is also receiving Ohio works firstOWF benefits in the month, including Ohio works firstOWF benefits received pending a state hearing pursuant to rule 5101:6-4-01 of the Administrative Code;

(2)A member of a food assistanceSNAP assistance group that is receiving food assistanceSNAP pending a state hearing on the issue of termination of benefits pursuant to rule 5101:6-4-01 of the Administrative Code; and

(3)Any food assistanceSNAP assistance group that no longer meets the criteria set forthdescribed in paragraph (A)(2) of this rule.

(C)How are Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefits issued?

(1)Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefits will be issued to eligible assistance groups on their existing food assistanceSNAP electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card.

(2)Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefits shall be used pursuant to rule 5101:4-5-155101:4-1-04 of the Administrative Code.

(D)Are Ohio works nowOWN benefits subject to Ohio works firstOWF and food assistance programSNAP requirements?

(1)A family in receipt of Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefits is not subject to Ohio works firstOWF requirements, including, but not limited to:

(a)Assigning child support or cooperating with child support enforcement as set forthdescribed in rule 5101:1-3-10 of the Administrative Code.

(b)Participating in work activities as set forthdescribed in rule 5101:1-3-12 of the Administrative Code.

(c)Counting any month of receipt toward the time-limited receipt of TANF assistance as set forthdescribed in rule 5101:1-23-01 of the Administrative Code.

(2)Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefits shall not be used in the calculation of participation hours for the food assistanceSNAP employment and training program as set forthdescribed in rule 5101:4-3-31 of the Administrative Code.

(3)The Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefit shall not be considered in the food assistanceSNAP income eligibility determination and allotment amount.

(E)How are the amount and duration of the Ohio works nowOWN benefit determined?

(1)The amount of Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefits to be issued will be determined by the Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS) and will be the same amount for each eligible food assistanceSNAP assistance group. The monthly amount of Ohio works nowOWN food assistance will be set forthdescribed in an Ohio department of job and family servicesODJFS cash assistance action change transmittal letter whichthat will be distributed to all county agencies.

(2)No more than one Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefit may be issued to a food assistanceSNAP assistance group per month.

(3)In order to confine Ohio works nowOWN expenditures to appropriated state funds, the director of the Ohio department of job and family servicesODJFS, or his designee, may issue an order at any time suspending the program or reducing the benefit amount. The order will be distributed to all county agencies on the same day and will remain in effect until rescinded.

(F)What is the county agency's responsibility in the case of erroneous payments or fraud?

(1)Each county agency shall take action to recover fraudulent assistance as defined by rule 5101:1-23-75 of the Administrative Code.

Cash, check, money order and credit or debit cards are acceptable forms of repayment; however, ifwhen a county agency does not have the capability to accept credit or debit cards it does not have to accept this form of repayment.

(2)Ohio works nowOWN food assistance benefits shall not be used to repay a claim of erroneous payment or overpayment for any public assistance program.