State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services

HISTORY

The policy on this page is from a previous version of the handbook. 

23-02 Version of 6.6 Good Cause

The FSET agency is responsible for documenting FSET non-participation in assigned activities, while taking into consideration reasons that justify granting good cause.

Good cause should only be applied to participants that are subject to meeting the FoodShare work requirement. Granting good cause may allow an ABAWD participant to maintain FoodShare eligibility if they remain enrolled in FSET but are temporarily unable to meet the work requirement. Before the FSET agency indicates that an individual’s monthly work requirement was unmet, a decision must be made to determine if there was good cause for the non-participation.

Good cause hours may be granted for temporary circumstances beyond the participant’s control that resulted in the participant missing assigned activity hours such as, but not limited to:

• Work activity was cancelled
• Illness or personal health reasons
• Inclement weather
• Lack of transportation

The FSET worker indicates good cause on a monthly basis as part of tracking FSET participation hours, if necessary. When making decisions about granting good cause, the FSET worker must consider all facts and circumstances and seek additional information from other sources for clarification, as needed. Good cause hours do not require verification unless the reported good cause reason is questionable. If the reported good cause reason is questionable, request verification. IM and FSET workers can only apply up to a combined total of 40 good cause hours per month toward a member’s TLB month. 

If a participant requests greater than 40 hours of good cause, the FSET worker must have a conversation with the participant to determine if the issue is temporary or chronic and if the participant meets the criteria for an exemption. The participant’s circumstances may align with a qualifying exemption (see FoodShare Handbook, Section 3.17.1.3 Determining Exemptions from the FoodShare Work Requirement). 

Example 1

Lindsey is an ABAWD subject to TLBs. Lindsey is enrolled in FSET and assigned 80 hours per month of activities to meet the work requirement. Lindsey failed to complete 30 hours of activities in December. Lindsey tells the FSET worker that she was ill for about two weeks and unable to complete her assigned activities. The FSET worker determines that Lindsey’s circumstance is not questionable and applies 30 hours of good cause for December.

If the FSET participant is not attending their activities without valid good cause, their participation hours should reflect the lack of participation. Non-participation of an ABAWD participant without good cause will result in use of one of the three TLB months. If all three TLB months have been exhausted, non-participation without good cause may result in loss of FoodShare eligibility, unless the participant meets an exemption has a change in circumstance for which they no longer have a TLB referral type.

6.6.1 Good Cause Reasons

Good cause may be granted for temporary circumstances beyond the ABAWD’s control, such as, but not limited to:

• Illness
• Illness of another household member serious enough to require the participant's presence
• Unavailability of transportation
• Unanticipated emergency
• Employment or work program placement is no longer suitable
• The participant is terminated from a job or work program assigned activity due to circumstances beyond their control
• The participant is unable to meet participation requirements because they were disenrolled and re-enrolled in FSET in the same month (this may occur if the FSET agency receives a referral update indicating that the participant is FoodShare ineligible, but FoodShare never truly closed)
• Unavailability of participant reimbursement for expenses reasonable and necessary to participate in FSET

Note	The FSET worker must document in PIN comments when good cause is granted. The description in PIN comments should include the reason and circumstances for granting good cause.

6.6.2 Verification of Good Cause

Agencies may verify good cause in cases where a pattern of absences exists, and the agency identifies that the explanation provided is questionable. A “pattern of absences” must extend beyond three consecutive working days or five working days in a rolling 30 calendar day period.

The FSET agency must determine whether there is a reasonable explanation on a case-by-case basis using their knowledge, experience, and familiarity with the case.

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Publication Number: P-00419