When deprivation is established due to incapacity of either parent or due to unemployment, the CAO must authorize C if the incapacity exempts the parent from participating in work or work-related activities. Authorize U if the parent’s incapacity does not prevent participation in work or work-related activities. See Appendix B, Desk Guide for Determining Category - Two-Parent Families.
Examples:
Mr. and Mrs. Topper, who are both unemployed, apply for cash assistance for themselves and their two minor children. Mr. Topper has no health problems. Mrs. Topper is asthmatic, limiting the type of work she may seek and establishing deprivation based on incapacity. The incapacity does not exempt Mrs. Topper or give good cause from participating in work or work-related activities. The CAO authorizes U.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams live with their twin sons. They ask for cash benefits for all family members. Mr. and Mrs. Williams are both unemployed. Mr. Williams is temporarily disabled with a broken leg. The twins may be considered deprived either due to their father’s incapacity or due to the unemployment of their parents. The category for the entire budget group is TANF-C.
NOTE: U takes precedence over C as the budget group category when a budget group has two or more TANF dependent children who qualify under different factors. For example, some members may qualify for TANF-C and others qualify for TANF-U.
Mr. and Mrs. Hill, their daughter, Sue and Mrs. Hill's son Tom from a previous marriage live together. The Hills ask for a cash benefit for all family members. Mr. and Mrs. Hill are unemployed. Tom qualifies as a TANF dependent child based on the absence of his father. Sue is included in the budget group because she is a half sibling of Tom and meets TANF dependent child conditions based on unemployment. The category of the entire budget group is TANF-U.
Ms. Haynes, who is unemployed, lives with her boyfriend, Mr. Sampson, Ms. Haynes’ daughter and a common child (paternity established) of Ms. Haynes and Mr. Sampson. Mr. Sampson works. His income, with allowable deductions, is greater than the FSA for four people. No deprivation exists for the common child. He is not considered a TANF child. Ms. Haynes and her daughter are eligible for TANF-C, if otherwise eligible. If Mr. Sampson were not working and receiving UC, their common child would be deprived and a TANF child. If the UC was greater than a four person FSA, no one in the household would be eligible for TANF.
When the disability deprivation of a C budget group is resolved, transfer the budget group from C to U if the budget group was eligible for U at application or would now be eligible for U. 55 Pa. Code § 153.44(d)(3)
When the absence deprivation of a C budget group is resolved, transfer the budget group from C to U if the budget group meets the requirements for U as of the date when the absent parent who has returned is added.
Reissued September 21, 2012; replacing January 31, 2012