Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) The CWA
shall provide qualified employees as necessary to insure prompt and correct
action on all applications. If necessary, staff shall be employed as required
by DFD pursuant to FNS bilingual staffing requirements, as well as for serving
those with limited English proficiency and/or disabilities. Only such qualified
employees shall interview applicants and determine the household's eligibility
or ineligibility and NJ SNAP benefit amount. Additionally, unless prior
approval is obtained from DFD, certification offices with more than two
eligibility workers shall schedule NJ SNAP certification services, so that
there is no break in service during the lunch period. Furthermore, only
authorized employees of the CWA shall have access to Families First card stock
or other issuance material and documents.
(b) A volunteer, or any other person not
employed by the CWA shall not conduct application interviews. However, such
persons may participate in the following activities:
1. Volunteers may locate potential recipients
(through prescreening workshops, etc.), provide them with application forms,
provide transportation to the NJ SNAP Office, teach Nutritional Education (if
requested) and generally promote the NJ SNAP program.
2. If requested to do so by the applicant, a
volunteer may assist the household in completing relevant forms and in securing
needed verification.
3. If a
household is unable to apply for benefits in person, a volunteer may serve as
an authorized representative for that household provided the volunteer has been
designated as such by the head of household, spouse, or any other responsible
member of the household.
(c) Customer service standards are as
follows:
1. County agencies shall ensure that
services are provided in a prompt and courteous manner to all customers,
including those with limited English proficiency, as well as, those with
disabilities;
2. County agencies
shall provide interpreter services to those customers with limited English
proficiency, as well as, to those with disabilities;
3. County agencies shall have a system in
place to ensure that telephone calls are answered promptly and courteously, and
routed to the proper person.
i. Phone
etiquette shall include:
(1) Using
appropriate salutation;
(2) Worker
shall identify self;
(3) Callers
shall be asked for their permission before being put on hold;
(4) Holds shall be activated with courtesy
word or phrase;
(5) When ready,
recall the caller to the conversation by speaking his or her name as a
question; and
(6) Thank the caller
for waiting.
ii. For
agencies with a voicemail system, the agency shall ensure that:
(1) All messages are retrieved and responded
to within one working day;
(2)
Callers have an opportunity to speak to an agency employee instead of
voicemail; and
(3) Voicemail shall
include information on what to do in an emergency;
4. County agencies shall include
customer service training as part of its new employee orientation when
identified in the customer service surveys and as addressed in the corrective
action plan. Such training shall include cultural diversity, civil rights
requirements and conflict resolution;
5. County agencies shall implement a process
to monitor customer waiting time and have established standard acceptable
lengths of waiting time;
6. County
agencies shall conduct customer service surveys;
7. County agencies shall have a system in
place to analyze data from available sources to assess customer
service;
8. County agencies shall
have a customer service improvement plan;
9. County agencies shall have a system in
place to monitor the implementation of the customer service improvement plan
and assess the effectiveness of the plan;
10. County agencies shall provide NJ SNAP
information flyers to all persons who express an interest in the NJ SNAP
program;
11. County agencies shall
ensure waiting rooms are clean and provide sufficient seating;
12. County agencies shall ensure access for
private conversation with receptionist or other screening staff;
13. County agencies shall display "And
Justice for All" posters;
14.
County agencies shall display all required postings;
15. County agencies shall have in place a
means for customers to drop off documents without a wait;
16. Customers shall have ready access to
clean, safe and secure restrooms; and
17. All customer interviews shall be
conducted in area(s) that ensure privacy with minimal interruptions.
(d) Persons or organizations who
are parties to a strike or lock out, and their facilities may not be used in
the certification process except as a source of verification for information
supplied by the household.
(e) Each
CWA is responsible for the timely and accurate issuance of benefits to
certified households. The Division of Family Development shall establish a
standardized issuance and accountability system applicable to all counties,
which will ensure compliance with NJ SNAP program procedures as follows:
1. That only certified households receive
benefits;
2. All certified
households have access to their benefits;
3. The benefits are timely distributed in
correct amounts;
4. Families First
cards are accepted and stored with adequate security after delivery to
receiving points within the county; and
5. NJ SNAP benefit and reconciliation
activities are conducted timely and accurately.
