1105.025.35 Determining Good Cause for Work Registration Components

Eligibility specialists may determine an EU member has good cause for non-participation in work registration activities anytime during the certification period. Eligibility specialists determine good cause for work registrants who do not comply with work registration activities. Non-compliance may occur at the time of work registration, referral to a component, and anytime the work registrant is participating in a component. To determine good cause, consider all circumstances, including information submitted by the EU. Good cause is a circumstance beyond the member's control. This can include, but is not limited to:

• illness or illness of another EU member requiring the individual's presence in the home;
• a household emergency;
• the unavailability of transportation; or
• the lack of adequate child care for children who have reached age 6 but are under age 12.

If the non-complying member has good cause and the good cause condition or circumstance continues to exist at the time the determination is made but is expected to last less than 60 days, update the Employment Assessment (FMMS) screen by:

• adding work assessment code 18 for the non-complying EU member,
• changing status to EXC, and
• entering Y in the Good Cause field.

When the good cause condition no longer exists but did exist at the time of non-compliance, it is not necessary to change the work assessment code unless the non-complying EU member now meets a work registration exemption or exclusion. Enter �Y� in the Good Cause field on the Employment Assessment (FMMS) screen. When the EU is in conciliation, a "Y" in the Good Cause field stops the sanctioning process. If the Adverse Action (FA-510) has been sent to the EU, void the adverse action (refer to the Changing an Adverse Action Status user guide) and delete the sanction from the Sanction/Disqualification (FMAM) screen.

Following resolution of the temporary circumstance for non-compliance with work registration activities, change code 18 to the most appropriate code and status.

If the condition or circumstance is expected to last more than 60 days, change the individual's work assessment code to the appropriate exemption or exclusion code and status.

1105.025.35.05 Good Cause for Voluntary Job Quit or Work Effort Reduction

Determine if voluntary job quit or work effort reduction was with or without good cause. Good cause for leaving employment or reducing the number of hours worked includes:

• Discrimination by an employer based on age, race, sex, color, handicap, religious beliefs, national origin, or political beliefs.
• Work demands or conditions that render continued employment unreasonable, such as working without getting paid on schedule.
• Employment that becomes unsuitable by not meeting suitable employment criteria after the acceptance of employment.
• Employment is not considered suitable if the daily commuting time exceeds two hours per day. Consider quitting a job to move to another location, including moves within the state, as good cause if commuting time exceeds two hours per day.
• Circumstances beyond the member's control such as illness, illness of another EU member sufficiently serious to require the presence of the member, unavailability of transportation, unanticipated emergency, and unsuitability of work.
• Acceptance by the member of employment, or enrollment at least half-time in any recognized school, training program, or institution of higher education that requires the member to leave employment.
• Acceptance by any other EU member of employment, or enrollment at least half-time in any recognized school, training program, or institution of higher education in another county or similar political subdivision that requires the EU to move thereby requires another member to leave employment.
• Resignations by persons under the age of 60 that are recognized by the employer as retirement.
• Acceptance of a bona fide offer of employment of more than 30 hours a week or in which the weekly earnings are equal to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 30 hours that, because of circumstances beyond the control of the member, subsequently either does not materialize or results in employment of less than 30 hours a week or weekly earnings of less than the federal minimum wage multiplied by 30 hours.
• Leaving a job in connection with patterns of employment in which the workers frequently move from one employer to another such as migrant farm labor or construction work. Some circumstances may exist where EUs apply for food stamp benefits between jobs particularly in cases where work may not yet be available at the new job site. Even though employment at the new site has not actually begun, consider quitting previous employment with good cause if it is part of the pattern of that type of employment.
• Lack of adequate childcare for children who have reached age 6 years but are less than 12 years of age.