You may have to do things like go to an education or training program, do community service, or cooperate with child support enforcement to stay on TAFDC.
You do not need to do these things if current or past domestic violence makes it unsafe or hard for you to do them. If domestic violence or healing from domestic violence makes it hard for you to follow a welfare rule, you can apply for a "domestic violence waiver" of that rule.
You do not have to do things that you cannot do because of a disability. Domestic Violence often causes both physical and emotional disabilities. You can get an exception called a "disability exemption" from the welfare work rules and the welfare time limit. If your disability makes it hard for you to meet other welfare rules, you can get extra help.
MassLegalHelp has more information about particular TAFDC rules and how to get exemptions from them:
- TAFDC work requirement
- Exceptions to the work requirement
- Time Limit and exceptions
- Parents with Disabilities
- Parents Caring for a Disabled Family Member
- Domestic Violence and Welfare
- Domestic Violence Waiver
- Teen Parent rules
- Immunization rules
- Child support and good cause for not cooperating
- Other welfare rules
- Getting extra help or exceptions from rules based on disability
Produced by an AmeriCorps Project of Western Massachusetts Legal Services updated and revised Massachusetts Law Reform Institute Last updated June 2008