Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) The CWA
shall use documentary evidence as the primary source of verification.
Documentary evidence is written confirmation of a household's circumstances.
Examples of documentary evidence include wage stubs, rent receipts and utility
bills. Acceptable verification shall not be limited to any single type of
document and may be obtained through the household or other source. Where
information from another source contradicts statements made by the household,
the household shall be immediately afforded the opportunity to resolve the
discrepancy. Whenever documentary evidence cannot be obtained, the CWA shall
use alternate sources of verification such as collateral contacts and home
visits.
1. A collateral contact is a verbal
confirmation of a household's circumstances by a person outside of the
household. The collateral contact may be made either in person or over the
telephone and shall be in accordance with
10:87-2.30(a)2.
The acceptability of a collateral contact shall not be restricted to a
particular individual but may be anyone who can be expected to provide an
accurate third party verification of the household's statements. Examples of
acceptable collateral contacts are employers, social service groups, migrant
service agencies and neighbors of the household. Systems of records such as,
but not limited to the SDX/BENDEX to which the CWA has routine access are not
considered collateral contacts and, therefore, need not be designated by the
household.
i. Home visits shall be used as
verification only if documentary evidence cannot be obtained and the visit is
scheduled in advance with the household. Home visits are to be used on a
case-by-case basis where the supplied documentation is insufficient to make a
firm determination of eligibility or benefit level. Simply because a household
fits a profile of an error-prone household does not constitute lack of
verification.
(b) When information from another source
contradicts statements made by the household, the household shall be afforded a
reasonable opportunity to resolve the discrepancy prior to an eligibility
determination.
(c) Responsibility
for obtaining verification is as follows:
1.
The household has primary responsibility for providing documentary evidence to
support statements on the application and to resolve any questionable
information. The CWA shall assist the household in obtaining this verification
provided the household is cooperating with the CWA as specified at
10:87-2.14. Households may supply
documentary evidence in person, through the mail, by data-fax, electronic
data-transfer or through an authorized representative. However, the CWA shall
not require the household to personally present verification at the NJ SNAP
office. The CWA shall accept any reasonable documentary evidence provided by
the household and shall be primarily concerned with how adequately the
verification proves the statements on the application.
2. Whenever documentary evidence cannot be
obtained, the CWA shall substitute a collateral contact or a home visit. The
CWA shall rely on the household to provide the name of any collateral contact.
The household may request assistance in designating a collateral contact. The
CWA is not required to use a collateral contact designated by the household if
the collateral contact cannot be expected to provide an accurate third party
verification. When the collateral contact designated by the household is
unacceptable, the CWA shall ask the household to designate another collateral
contact. The CWA is responsible for obtaining verification from acceptable
collateral contacts.
3. The CWA
shall provide each household, at initial certification and recertification,
with a Notice of Required Verification (Form NJ SNAP-33) if the household is
required to provide information necessary to complete the certification
process. That notice informs the household that the CWA will assist the
household in obtaining the needed verification if the household encounters
difficulty, and that failure to secure the required information may affect the
household's eligibility for NJ SNAP benefits.
