2.1.4 Expedited Service at Application

7 CFRCode of Federal Regulations 273.2(i)

2.1.4.1 Eligibility for Expedited Services at Application

2.1.4.2 Verification Requirements for Expedited Services

2.1.4.4 Postponing the Interview for Expedited Benefits

Expedited Services are designed to ensure if eligible, expedited benefits are issued to the FS group by the 7th day after the date of the application. The applicant must be allowed to complete the interview quickly and benefits must be issued timely. The two phases of expedited services are:

Priority Service – Screens all applications for potential eligibility for expedited issuance (2.1.4.1).
Expedited Issuance – Benefits must be issued by the 7th day after the application is filed. Benefits will be available on the recipient’s Quest card the same day the application is confirmed in CWWCARES Worker Web. An interview is still required prior to issuance unless postponed. All food units that apply after the 15th of the month and who are eligible for expedited issuance must receive the prorated initial allotment and next month's allotment by the 7th day after the application filing date.

Local agencies must provide priority service and expedited benefits to those households that qualify for them.

When contact is made by phone, effort should be made to complete the FS interview the same day whenever possible. If an interview cannot be completed that day, an interview appointment within the seven day timeframe must be scheduled at the time of contact with the agency. If the applicant cannot make the scheduled appointment, the household loses their right to expedited benefits.

2.1.4.1 Eligibility for Expedited Services at Application

A person or food unit may be eligible for priority services and expedited issuance if:

Their total monthly gross income and available assets are less than the monthly Heating Standard Utility Allowance (HSUA) (See 8.1.3 Deductions) and rent or mortgage; or
Their gross monthly income is less than $150 and they have $100 or less in available liquid assets; or
Their household includes a migrantany person who temporarily leaves a principal place of residence outside of his state and comes to this state for not more than 10 months in a year to accept seasonal employment in the planting, cultivating, raising, harvesting, handling, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading, or storing of any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state /seasonal farm worker, who is also defined as "destitute" by meeting all of the following criteria:

1. Liquid assets are less than $100,
2. Income prior to the day of application was from a terminated source,
3. Income received on a monthly or more frequent basis, shall be considered as coming from a terminated source if it will not be received again during the balance of the month of application or during the following month,
4. If income is normally received less often than monthly, (i.e. quarterly) it is considered terminated if the source has been terminated and no future payments are made, and
5. They don't expect to receive more than $25 from a new source ten days after the date of application.

Treatment of Income for Destitute Migrants:

Budget income from a terminated source which was received by the food unit between the first of the month of application and the application date, as income available for the food unit’s needs in the month of application.
Disregard any income from a new source expected during the month of application. This income may not be more than $25.00 or must be received at least 10 days after the date of application.
After the application month, budget income from a new source for the months it will be received.

The home of a migrant worker in his/her state of residencyResidency refers to Wisconsin residency and not the mailing address. Contrast this with address in the glossary. is an exempt asset.

There is no eligibility for expedited services at recertification (2.2.1).

2.1.4.2 Verification Requirements for Expedited Services

A food unit eligible for expedited benefit issuance is only required to provide verification of identity of the primary applicant before the expedited benefits can be issued. Any documents, which reasonably establish the applicant's identity, must be accepted, and no requirement for a specific type of document, such as a birth certificate or photo ID, may be imposed. Even collateral contact is acceptable. If any other required verification is readily available, it must be used in the initial eligibility determination. Other outstanding required verification items must be requested, however do not delay the issuance of expedited benefits pending the receipt of other requested verification.

CARES will deny ongoing months with a failure code reason related to expedited verification requirements. If requested verification is not received, the AG will remain closed due to failure to provide requested expedited verifications (codes 152, 153, or 154). In many instances a verification checklist is not sent, resulting in negative QCQuality Control errors. To avoid possible errors confirm all FS benefit months, including the second or third month "fail”. Run eligibility a second time to place the case in pending status and to send a system generated verification request. Change the verification due date on the checklist to the 30th day of the application. Suppress any incorrect notices.

There is no limit to the number of times a household can be certified under expedited procedures as long as the household:

submitted all the required verifications within the last 30 day application processing period following an expedited issuance, or
was certified under normal processing standards since the last expedited certification.

2.1.4.3 Eligibility for Migrant Workers

According to Wisconsin Statutes, 103.90 (5) (a), "A 'migrant worker' is any person who temporarily leaves a principal place of residenceResidency refers to Wisconsin residency and not the mailing address. Contrast this with address in the glossary. outside of his state and comes to this state for not more than 10 months in a year to accept seasonal employment in the planting, cultivating, raising, harvesting, handling, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading, or storing of any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state."

Migrants are eligible for priority service if:

Income is less than $150 gross, and
Available assets are $100 or less, or
They meet the definition of "destitute” by meeting all three of the following criteria:
1. Assets are $100 or less, and
2. The only income received by the food unit prior to the application filing date was from a terminated source, and
3. The household does not expect to receive more than $25 from a new source within 10 calendar days from the date of application.

Treatment of Income for Destitute Migrants:

Budget income from a terminated source which was received by the food unit between the first of the month of application and the application date, as income available for the food unit’s needs in the month of application.
Disregard any income from a new source expected during the month of application. This income may not be more than $25.00 or must be received at least 10 days after the date of application.
After the application month, budget income from a new source for the months it will be received.

The home of a migrant worker in his/her state of residency is an exempt asset.

2.1.4.4 Postponing the Interview for Expedited Benefits

Households that meet criteria for expedited benefit through a CWWCARES Worker Web priority service screening eligibility determination may be allowed to postpone their interview under certain circumstances.

The interview may be postponed prior to benefit issuance only when the following conditions are met:

There is sufficient information to determine household composition and income; and
A household meets the criteria for expedited benefits as determined by CWWCARES Worker Web priority service screening; and
There are no individuals in the requesting household who have exhausted three months of time-limited FS benefits and have no known or apparent non-ABAWD status or exemption; and
The agency has made 2 attempts, but was unable to contact the household to complete the interview; or
The agency determines that the interview cannot be scheduled in time to complete the expedited issuance process timely because the household did not provide a phone number and the agency is unable to obtain a phone number using other sources such as a phone book or previous case; and
The identity of the applicant can be verified.

Postponing the interview for expedited benefits may be applied only at the time of application and not at time of renewal. Postponing the application interview for expedited benefits does not exempt the household from the interview requirement or from completing the verification requirements for ongoing FS benefits. The agency may treat the interview like other required verification and postpone the interview during the month of application. Once expedited benefits have been issued, however, a determination must be made for ongoing benefits within 30 days from the original filing date.

When an application is received for an individual who has no known or no apparent non-ABAWD status or exemption, and the worker has verified that the individual has received three time-limited FS benefit months within a current 36 month clock, the FS interview must be completed prior to issuing expedited FS or denying the application; the interview cannot be postponed. If the worker is unable to verify that the applicant has exhausted their three time-limited FS benefits on their current 36 month clock, and/or the applicant has reported a non-ABAWD status or an exemption from the work requirement, then expedited FS may be issued and the interview may be postponed, as long as all other expedited criteria are met.

In all cases, the applicant's or authorized representative’s identity must be verified through a collateral contact or readily available documentary evidence. Any documents which reasonably establish the applicant's identity must be accepted. If identity cannot be verified by the agency, the applicant does not qualify for a postponed interview and eligibility should be processed under normal FS application processing guidelines, including the requirement to complete an interview prior to issuing benefits.

Information on the application and readily available verification, such as those submitted with the application or verified via data exchange should be used to determine eligibility. This may include items that can be verified upon receipt such as unemployment compensation and Social Security Administration records, and others such as New Hire, State Wage. If the household is not eligible for expedited benefits because unreported income was discovered through data exchange or for any other reason, FS benefits should remain in pending status for completion of the interview.

If a phone number is not provided on the application the agency must attempt to obtain a phone number through other means, such as a previous CARES case or by using online tools. If the agency is able to contact the applicant but the applicant is unable to complete the interview during the phone call or within seven days, the interview can be postponed and expedited benefits issued.

Note: The timeframe for issuing expedited benefits has remained unchanged. Expedited benefits must be issued no later than 7 calendar days from the date of application to avoid a Quality Control finding of untimely application processing.

Agencies do not have to wait until day 7 to issue expedited benefits. The benefit may be issued when the worker has determined that the criteria for postponing the interview has been met.

This page last updated in Release Number: 15-02

Release Date: 04/30/2015

Effective Date: 04/30/2015