This manual consists of the Policy Manual (PM) and Workers' Action Guide (WAG). The PM (yellow pages) describes policy; the WAG (white pages) contains the procedures by which the policy is implemented.
The PM and the WAG have a parallel organization. They are divided into chapters, which cover the same subjects. For example, Chapter 01 of both the PM and the WAG covers Rights and Responsibilities; Chapter 02 of both
PM and WAG covers Initial Request for Benefits, and so on.
A chapter is designated by a 2-digit number. The PM contains this Introduction and Chapters 01 through 24. The WAG contains the same chapters 01 through 24, plus:
- Chapter 25, Manual Attachments. Program standards and benefit amounts; the policy development process; procedures for requesting policy clarifications; directions for use of the online manual, and other reference information.
- Chapter 26, Document Handbook. Procedures for completion of various payment and authorization documents and notices of decision.
- Chapter 27, Authorization of Assistance Action (Form 552). The "green pages." Instructions for completion of the Form 552, the basic authorization and payment document for all assistance cases.
- Chapter 28, Other Department Activities. Includes descriptions of the responsibilities of the Local Warrant Unit, Warrant Control Unit, and Financial Unit.
The WAG also includes the Abbreviations & Acronyms section, the Glossary, and the Index.
Each chapter is divided into sections. A section is designated by a 2-digit number following the chapter number. For example, PM 07-01-00 is section 01 of chapter 07 of the Policy Manual; WAG 03-14-00 is section 14 of
chapter 03 of the Workers' Action Guide.
Sections in the PM are identical to sections in the WAG.
A section may contain one or more topics, which are designated by a third 2-digit number. A topic may contain one or more subtopics, designated by a lower-case letter. For example:
- PM 07-01-04 - Chapter 07, section 01, topic 04 in the Policy Manual.
- WAG 03-14-03-c - Chapter 03, section 14, topic 03, subtopic c in the Workers' Action Guide.
All topics and subtopics in the PM also appear in the WAG; in the online manual, each topic and subtopic in the PM is linked to the corresponding item in the WAG, and vice versa. Because the WAG contains detailed procedures, some WAG
sections contain additional topics or subtopics not found in the PM.
