§ 42-2-202 — Participation required; exemptions; disqualification of benefits

Wyoming § 42-2-202

• Jurisdiction: Wyoming
• Title 42: Welfare
• Ch. 2: PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND SOCIAL SERVICES
• Art. 2: EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAM

Text

(a) If available within the county of his residence, any
person receiving benefits from the department under the
supplemental nutrition assistance or personal opportunities with
employment responsibilities (POWER) programs shall as a
condition of receiving any benefits, participate in the
employment and training program unless he:
(i) Is not physically able to work;
(ii) Is determined to be unemployable by an
employment assessment conducted pursuant to department rule or
regulation; or
(iii) Qualifies for a good cause exemption under rule
and regulation of the department.
(b) Any person not exempt under this section and failing
to participate in the program as required under this article may
be disqualified from receiving benefits under the supplemental
nutrition assistance or personal opportunities with employment
responsibilities (POWER) programs. A good cause exemption may
be requested at any time by a benefit recipient.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this title all
nonexempt recipients under the personal opportunities with
employment responsibilities (POWER) program in the state shall
be required to work or perform community service as defined by
rules and regulations of the department subject to coordination
with the United States department of health and human services
if required. Recipients may be exempted from the requirement
under this subsection if one (1) of the nonexempt recipients
within the assistance unit:
(i) Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 196, § 2.
(ii) Repealed By Laws 1997, ch. 196, § 2.
(iii) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(iv) of this
section, has a child who has not attained the age of three (3)
months;
(iv) Gives birth to a child after ten (10) months as
a recipient under the personal opportunities with employment
responsibilities (POWER) program. The recipient under this
paragraph shall be exempted from the requirements under this
section for a period of three (3) months after the child is
born, unless the parent is a minor child in which case the
recipient shall be required to attend school in accordance with
paragraph (v) of this subsection;
(v) Is a minor child who is required to attend school
pursuant to W.S. 21-4-102; or
(vi) For other good cause as determined by the
department.
(d) Benefits and eligibility requirements under the
personal opportunities with employment responsibilities (POWER)
program shall be modified for assistance units under subsection
(c) of this section as follows:
(i) Assistance units complying with subsection (c) of
this section shall receive full benefits to which they are
otherwise entitled under this title;
(ii) In an assistance unit having a minor who has
completed the eighth grade or has attained sixteen (16) years of
age, but has not yet graduated from high school and refuses to
attend school or accept suitable employment if the parent will
not cooperate with the appropriate authorities as specified in a
plan approved by the department to resolve the problem, the
assistance unit shall not receive a performance payment for any
month the minor refuses to attend school or accept suitable
employment;
(iii) Monthly earned income of a dependent full-time
student up to the age of eighteen (18), excluding minor parents,
shall not be included as income and resources in determining the
eligibility of the assistance unit for assistance and the amount
of assistance while the student is living in the residence of
his caretaker relative;
(iv) In assistance units in which recipients not
otherwise exempted from the requirements of subsection (c) of
this section, the assistance unit shall not receive a
performance payment for any month the recipient fails to comply
with subsection (c) of this section and the recipient shall not
be eligible for medical assistance under chapter 4 of this title
until the recipient complies with the provisions of this
section;
(v) Excluding allowance for personal motor vehicles
as specified under W.S. 42-2-109(b), the amount of assets an
assistance unit may own shall be not greater than five thousand
dollars ($5,000.00).