Quarterly Reporting Clarification and Expansion of Waivers

The Food and Nutrition National Office sent the memorandum below to all FNS regions on December 9, 1999, for sharing with food stamp State agencies.  The memorandum clarifies policy on quarterly reporting, and expands the kinds of changes that States can allow recipients to report quarterly, rather than when they occur.  States will need to ask for waivers of the food stamp rules to expand quarterly reporting.   This memorandum lists the information needed in States' waiver requests.

December 9, 1999

Subject:  FSP - Expansion of Quarterly Reporting Waivers

To: All Regional Directors Food Stamp Program

This is a follow-up to our memorandum of July 14, 1999, regarding the status reporting waiver and the quarterly reporting waiver. In that memorandum we indicated that we would approve quarterly reporting waivers for households with earned income. We also indicated that we would allow quarterly reporting of both earned and unearned income. Although we did not specifically address quarterly reporting of other information, we have received questions regarding quarterly reporting of other types of changes which must be reported under 7 CFR 273.12(a).

We will be able to approve waivers which, in addition to income, would allow the quarterly reporting of other factors of eligibility, such as household composition, deductible expenses, and changes in the household’s residence. Quarterly reporting waivers will continue to be limited to households with earned income. We believe that by allowing all reportable changes to be included in quarterly reporting, this reporting option should be easier for participants to understand and for States to administer.

As we stated in the July 14, 1999, memorandum, State agencies desiring to apply for a quarterly reporting waiver must do so using the regular waiver request process. We have outlined below the essential questions each State agency needs to answer in its waiver request. We believe this minimal information will enable us to respond quickly to each request, to process such requests fairly and consistently, and to provide a uniform data base to share with State agencies seeking technical assistance in implementing a quarterly reporting system. Please note there have been modifications to reflect the expanded quarterly reporting waivers which are now approvable.

• Which households with earned income will the waiver cover?
• What information will be included in the quarterly report and what information, if
  any, will remain subject to change reporting?
• When will the State agency mail the report form to the household and when should the household return it?
• What will happen if the household does not timely submit the quarterly report form?
• What period of time does the quarterly report cover (e.g., just the current month’s situation, or information from the past two months and anticipated circumstances for the third)?
• How does the State agency intend to determine the allotments for the next quarter (e.g., will they be determined prospectively based on information reported on the quarterly report or retrospectively)?
• What verification procedures will the State agency use (e.g., does a recipient send in just the current month’s pay stubs as verification, or pay stubs for all the months covered in the quarter)?
• How, if at all, will the State agency adjust quality control procedures?
• How will the State agency determine the effectiveness of the waiver?

Please convey this information to your State agencies immediately. If you have any questions, please contact Larry Tropp of my staff at (703) 305-2437.

/S/ Judith M. Seymour, for

Arthur T. Foley
Director
Program Development Division
cc: Bob Dalrymple (OAE)

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