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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".19" citation="COMAR 07.03.03.19" title_num="07" subtitle_num="03" chapter_num="03" heading="Conciliation, Sanctions, and Other Penalties.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Conciliation Process.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Conciliation and sanction are applied to recipient assistance units only.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The local department shall allow one 30-day conciliation period for each recipient’s failure to comply with requirements for each of the following:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Work as specified in Regulation .07-1 of this chapter;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Child support as specified in Regulation .10A of this chapter;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Substance abuse treatment and testing as specified in Regulation .09 of this chapter;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Long term disability requirements as specified in Regulation .08A and B of this chapter; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Minor parent school enrollment and attendance as specified in Regulation s.07H and .07-1 of this chapter.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>During the 30-day period, the case manager shall advise the individual of the noncompliance and help the individual to comply by:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Sending the individual a letter to schedule a conciliation conference;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Following up on the letter through telephone contact or personal contact as appropriate and feasible;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Investigating with the individual any barriers or good cause reasons for the noncompliance; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Assisting the individual in resolving the barriers to compliance.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>After the 30-day period, a later instance of noncompliance with the same program requirement does not entitle the individual to another 30-day conciliation period.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Sanctions for Noncompliance.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Except as provided in Regulation .09D and E of this chapter for substance abuse, when an adult recipient is found to be in noncompliance with program requirements, the:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Entire assistance unit is ineligible; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Case manager shall:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Investigate the reasons for noncompliance; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Make personal contact with the assistance unit to the extent it is appropriate and feasible.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>When a child is found to be in noncompliance with program requirements, the:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Child remains a member of the assistance unit;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Child’s incremental portion of the grant is deducted from the family’s TCA grant; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Case manager shall:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Investigate the reasons for noncompliance; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Make personal contact with the assistance unit to the extent it is appropriate and feasible.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>When implementing a sanction:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>For a first instance of noncompliance, a sanction may not be imposed less than 30 days from the first written notice of noncompliance with a program requirement, and:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>TCA shall be resumed immediately upon compliance with the work activity; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>If the noncompliance continues into a new month, TCA shall be prorated from the day after the day of compliance;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>For a second or subsequent instance of noncompliance, a sanction may be imposed:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>After the case manager investigates the reasons for the noncompliance;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Following adequate and timely adverse action; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>TCA shall be resumed and prorated from the day after the 10 calendar day period during which the sanctioned individual complied with the work activity for all available activity days; or</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>For a third and any subsequent instance of noncompliance, TCA shall be resumed and prorated from the day after the 30 calendar day period during which the sanctioned individual complied with the work activity for all available activity days.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>If an individual fails to comply during a sanction period without good cause:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The sanction period shall start over;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>No additional instance of noncompliance is counted against the noncomplying individual; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>The TCA benefit may not be resumed until compliance is met.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>All individuals in the assistance unit are sanctioned except a child who is:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Placed with another caretaker relative by the Social Services Administration;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>In the legal custody of another caretaker relative; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Living with another caretaker relative when the sanctioned caretaker relative is institutionalized.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Transitional Assistance.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>After termination of TCA, transitional assistance may be available to assistance units in which an adult is not in compliance with a work requirement to the extent that a third-party payee is available to administer funds.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Upon a determination that transitional assistance shall be provided, the TCA that would have been paid to the assistance unit shall be paid instead to a third-party payee on behalf of the recipient for a period not to exceed 3 months.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Priority for transitional assistance shall be given to an assistance unit with:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>An active child protective service case;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>An active intensive family service case;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>An adult member who is disabled;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>An adult member who is illiterate; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(v)">
          <text>An adult member who is not fluent in English if notices are not translated in the individual's language.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Sanctions for Fraud and IPV. An assistance unit is ineligible for TCA benefits upon a finding of fraud or an IPV by a court of law, through an administrative disqualification hearing, or through the waiver of an administrative disqualification hearing in accordance with the requirements in COMAR 07.03.10.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>Fraudulent Misrepresentation of Residence.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>An individual is ineligible for TCA for a period of 10 years when the individual fraudulently misrepresents residence to obtain benefits from two or more states.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The 10 years begins with the date the individual is convicted in federal or state court of having made a fraudulent statement or representation in order to receive assistance simultaneously from two or more states.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>All of the income of the convicted individual is counted as available to the remaining assistance unit members.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>A parent or caretaker who fails to report the absence of a dependent child, when the absence is expected to be more than 180 days, is not eligible for assistance for 3 consecutive months, according to the following:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The absence shall be reported by the end of a 5 calendar day period that begins with the date it becomes clear that the child is absent;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The income and assets of the parent are counted as being available to the remaining assistance unit members; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>The 3 months shall begin the first day of the month following the adverse action period.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>