02/08/21
Policy Memo:
- The Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020 (Continued Assistance Act) signed into law December 27, 2020 amended certain provisions put in place by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This policy memo provides guidance to staff on how to treat payments received due to the act.
- The Continued Assistance Act reauthorizes the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) and amends the amount to $300 a week for weeks of unemployment beginning after December 26, 2020 and ending on or before March 14, 2021.
- Under guidance of the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) the FPUC payments of $300 a week are considered exempt income for SNAP, all cash and all medical programs.
- The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 provides Stimulus payments up to $600 per individual or $1,200 per married couple and an additional $600 per child under 17.
- Under the guidance of Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) the Stimulus payments are exempt income in the month of receipt and exempt as a resource for 12 months from receipt.
Unemployment Compensation under the Continued Assistance for Unemployed Workers Act of 2020
FPUC provides an additional $300 per week to for weeks of unemployment beginning after December 26, 2020 and ending on or before March 14, 2021.
These payments should be treated as follows:
Cash, SNAP and Medical Programs
Under the guidance of ACF, FNS and CMS the FPUC portion of unemployment benefits should not be budgeted and is considered exempt unearned income for SNAP, all cash and all Medical programs.
Stimulus Payments under the Consolidated Appropriations Act
Under the guidance of ACF, FNS and CMS Stimulus payments of $600 for individuals, $1,200 per married couple and an additional $600 per child are considered exempt income in the month of receipt and exempt as a resource for 12 months from receipt for AABD, TANF, Refugee cash programs, SNAP (non-categorical) and all medical programs.
- Any part of the stimulus payment remaining after 12 months will be considered a non-exempt resource for non-categorically eligible SNAP households after 12 months. A non-categorically eligible household includes:
- SNAP households that contain elderly/disabled individuals with gross income that exceeds 200% FPL;
- SNAP households that contain an individual disqualified for Intentional Program Violations (IPV); or
- SNAP households that contain an individual sanctioned for failure to comply with work provisions.
How to enter in IES
Once the worker has verified that the customer is receiving the $300 unemployment insurance benefit under the Continued Assistance Act, enter the income as "Other Exempt" on the Unearned Income-Details page with the pay verification of "other acceptable". Workers must also include a Case Comment: $300 UIB entered as "Other Exempt income due to the Continued Assistance Act of 2020." This will ensure that the unearned income is not budgeted for SNAP, all cash and all medical programs.
Additional information on both unemployment benefits and Stimulus checks can be found in Policy Memo, Treatment of Payments Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) for Cash, Medical, and SNAP, dated 05/13/2020.
[signed copy on file]
Grace B. Hou
Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services
