State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
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90_SB1668

      305 ILCS 5/9A-7           from Ch. 23, par. 9A-7
          Amends the "education, training, and  employment  program
      for  TANF  (formerly  AFDC) recipients" Article of the Public
      Aid  Code.   Provides  that  good  cause   for   failure   to
      participate  in  a  required  program  or to accept or retain
      suitable employment includes a  breakdown  in  transportation
      arrangements or lack of reasonable available transportation.
                                                     LRB9011250DJsb
                                               LRB9011250DJsb
 1        AN  ACT to amend the Illinois Public Aid Code by changing
 2    Section 9A-7.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section  5.   The  Illinois Public Aid Code is amended by
 6    changing Section 9A-7 as follows:
 7        (305 ILCS 5/9A-7) (from Ch. 23, par. 9A-7)
 8        Sec. 9A-7.  Good Cause and Pre-Sanction Process.
 9          The Department shall establish by rule what constitutes
10    good cause for failure to participate in education,  training
11    and   employment   programs,   failure   to  accept  suitable
12    employment or terminating employment or reducing earnings.
13        The Department shall establish, by rule,  a  pre-sanction
14    process   to  assist  in  resolving  disputes  over  proposed
15    sanctions and in determining if good cause exists. Good cause
16    shall include, but not be limited to:
17             (1)  temporary illness for its duration;
18             (2)  court   required   appearance   or    temporary
19        incarceration;
20             (3)  (blank);
21             (4)  death in the family;
22             (5)  (blank);
23             (6)  (blank);
24             (7)  (blank);
25             (8)  breakdown  in  transportation  arrangements  or
26        lack of reasonable available transportation (blank);
27             (9)  extreme inclement weather;
28             (10)  (blank);
29             (11)  lack  of  any  support service even though the
30        necessary service is not specifically provided under  the
31        Department  program, to the extent the lack of the needed
                            -2-                LRB9011250DJsb
 1        service presents a significant barrier to participation;
 2             (12)  if an individual is engaged in  employment  or
 3        training  or  both that is consistent with the employment
 4        related goals of the  program,  if  such  employment  and
 5        training is later approved by Department staff;
 6             (13)  (blank);
 7             (14)  failure   of  Department  staff  to  correctly
 8        forward the information to other Department staff;
 9             (15)  failure  of  the  participant   to   cooperate
10        because  of  attendance at a test or a mandatory class or
11        function at an educational program  (including  college),
12        when  an  education  or  training  program  is officially
13        approved by the Department;
14             (16)  failure of the participant due to his  or  her
15        illiteracy;
16             (17)  failure  of  the  participant  because  it  is
17        determined  that  he  or  she  should  be  in a different
18        activity;
19             (18)  non-receipt by the  participant  of  a  notice
20        advising  him  or  her of a participation requirement, if
21        documented by the participant. Documentation can include,
22        but is not limited to: a written statement from the  post
23        office  or other informed individual: the notice not sent
24        to the participant's last  known  address  in  Department
25        records;  return  of the notice by the post office; other
26        returned mail; proof of  previous  mail  theft  problems.
27        When  determining  whether  or  not  the  participant has
28        demonstrated non-receipt, the Department shall take  into
29        consideration  a  participant's history of cooperation or
30        non-cooperation  in  the   past.    If   the   documented
31        non-receipt  of  mail  occurs  frequently, the Department
32        shall explore an alternative means of  providing  notices
33        of participation requests to participants;
34             (19)  (blank);
                            -3-                LRB9011250DJsb
 1             (20)  non-comprehension  of  English, either written
 2        or oral or both;
 3             (21)  (blank);
 4             (22)  (blank);
 5             (23)  child care (or day care for  an  incapacitated
 6        individual  living in the same home as a dependent child)
 7        is necessary for the participation or employment and such
 8        care is not available for a child under age 13;
 9             (24)  failure to participate in an activity due to a
10        scheduled job interview;
11             (25)  the   individual   is   homeless.     Homeless
12        individuals   (including  the  family)  have  no  current
13        residence and no expectation of acquiring one in the next
14        30 days.  This includes individuals residing in overnight
15        and transitional (temporary)  shelters.   This  does  not
16        include  individuals  who  are  sharing  a residence with
17        friends or relatives on a continuing basis;
18             (26)  circumstances  beyond  the  control   of   the
19        participant which prevent the participant from completing
20        program requirements; or
21             (27)  (blank).
22        (b)  (Blank).
23        (c) (1)  The  Department shall establish a reconciliation
24        procedure to assist in resolving disputes related to  any
25        aspect   of  participation,  including  exemptions,  good
26        cause,  sanctions  or  proposed   sanctions,   supportive
27        services,  assessments, responsibility and service plans,
28        assignment to activities, suitability of  employment,  or
29        refusals   of   offers   of   employment.   Through   the
30        reconciliation   process  the  Department  shall  have  a
31        mechanism to identify good cause, ensure that the  client
32        is  aware  of the issue, and enable the client to perform
33        required activities without facing sanction.
34             (2)  A participant may  request  reconciliation  and
                            -4-                LRB9011250DJsb
 1        receive  notice  in  writing of a meeting.   At least one
 2        face-to-face  meeting  may  be   scheduled   to   resolve
 3        misunderstandings  or  disagreements  related  to program
 4        participation  and  situations  which  may  lead   to   a
 5        potential   sanction.    The  meeting  will  address  the
 6        underlying reason for the dispute and plan  a  resolution
 7        to   enable   the   individual  to  participate  in  TANF
 8        employment and work activity requirements.
 9             (2.5)  If the individual  fails  to  appear  at  the
10        reconciliation    meeting   without   good   cause,   the
11        reconciliation is unsuccessful and a  sanction  shall  be
12        imposed.
13             (3)  The reconciliation process shall continue after
14        it  is  determined  that the individual did not have good
15        cause for non-cooperation.  Any  necessary  demonstration
16        of  cooperation  on  the  part of the participant will be
17        part  of  the   reconciliation   process.    Failure   to
18        demonstrate   cooperation   will   result   in  immediate
19        sanction.
20             (4)  For the first instance of  non-cooperation,  if
21        the  client  reaches  agreement  to cooperate, the client
22        shall be  allowed  30  days  to  demonstrate  cooperation
23        before  any  sanction  activity  may  be imposed.  In any
24        subsequent instances of non-cooperation, the client shall
25        be provided the opportunity to show good cause or  remedy
26        the   situation   by   immediately   complying  with  the
27        requirement.
28             (5)  The  Department  shall  document  in  the  case
29        record the proceedings of the reconciliation and  provide
30        the client in writing with a reconciliation agreement.
31             (6)  If  reconciliation  resolves  the  dispute,  no
32        sanction  shall be imposed. If the client fails to comply
33        with the reconciliation agreement, the  Department  shall
34        then  immediately  impose  the  original sanction. If the
                            -5-                LRB9011250DJsb
 1        dispute  cannot  be  resolved  during  reconciliation,  a
 2        sanction shall not be imposed  until  the  reconciliation
 3        process is complete.
 4    (Source: P.A. 90-17, eff. 7-1-97.)

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