43. Can you get a waiver or good cause exception to TAFDC rules because of domestic violence?

También en

Notas finales

Por
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Reviewed
Revisado
Text

If you or your child are survivors of domestic violence, you can get certain TAFDC rules waived or a "good cause" exception to certain rules.

Widgets
Waiver due to domestic violence

If you (or your child) are a survivor of domestic violence, you may request a waiver of welfare requirements, including the time limit, the Work Program, the drug felon bar, and teen parent and child support requirements. You can also ask to have your Pathways to Work plan changed if you cannot comply with it because of domestic violence.

To get a requirement waived, you will need to show that the requirement will make it harder for you or your child to escape domestic violence or will penalize you or your child for past violence. You can verify your claim for a waiver on the basis of domestic violence with your own statement, plus court or medical records or the statement of at least one other person with knowledge of the circumstances. The statements will have to explain why the welfare rule should be waived. 106 C.M.R. § 703.110.

You can get a domestic violence waiver form from your worker or a DTA Domestic Violence Specialist. If you want, the Domestic Violence Specialist will help you fill out the domestic violence waiver request form and help you get counseling, legal and other services to deal with the violence or the effects of the violence.

DTA may say it will not consider a request to waive the time limit until you reach your 22d month of time limited benefits. Contact your local legal services program, Appendix D, if you need to know sooner so you can plan for the future.

Example 1

Katherine Farrell was living with her boyfriend who hit her if she would not have sex with him. She moved out with her 4-year-old child Sam and applied for TAFDC benefits. Sam was upset by the beatings and is misbehaving at home and in school. Ms. Farrell takes him to psychologist appointments, goes to frequent meetings at the school, and spends lots of extra time with him. She does not feel she can work or go to education or training right now. She requests a waiver of the time limit and the Work Program, explaining why she cannot meet Work Program requirements. Her child’s psychologist writes a statement for her.

Example 2

Susan Moriarty’s husband Tom was controlling and physically abusive. He would not let her leave the house without him and would not let her go to school to get her HiSET certificate. She finally left with her daughter and began receiving TAFDC. Ms. Moriarty wants to get a HiSET certificate, but the HiSET program is only 10 hours a week, and DTA says she must participate in a work activity for 30 hours a week. She and her therapist think trying to go do another activity plus school will put too much stress on her. She can ask for a waiver of the Work Program hours requirement because making her comply would penalize her for past domestic violence. She can support her request with a statement from her therapist.

Good cause due to domestic violence

Instead of or in addition to asking for a domestic violence waiver, you can ask DTA to grant you “good cause” for not meeting a DTA rule, including the time limit, the Work Program, and teen parent school attendance requirements. See Appendix E (DTA Online Guide Links).

Advocacy Reminders
¿Le resultó útil esta página?