The Legal Aid SocietyThe Legal Aid Society's Public Benefits Education Project

Applying for Public Assistance ata Job Center

This Booklet was made possible by funds from the Charles H. RevsonFoundation. The statements made and views expressed, however, aresolely the responsibility of The Legal Aid Society.

To get other Booklets or Fact Sheets in this series, call The Legal AidSociety at (888) 218-6974 or visit www.legal-aid.org.

To get information about The Legal Aid Society or to find a Legal Aidoffice that serves your area, call (212) 440-4300.

The Legal Aid Society's Public Benefits Education ProjectSeptember, 2000

What are Job Centers? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

How do I apply for public assistance? . . . . . . . . . . . 5

What happens at the Financial Planning Unit? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

What happens at my initial or “I” appointment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

What happens at an EVR appointment? . . . . . . . 11

What happens at the Employment Planning Unit? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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What are Job Centers?

Job Centers are where you apply for publicassistance. Job Centers used to be called IncomeSupport Centers. Some parts of the City still haveIncome Support Centers.

The rules at Job Centers are different from theIncome Support and Income MaintenanceCenters. At Job Centers, you need to do a jobsearch while you are applying for benefits. Thisbooklet is about the rules at Job Centers.

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Who can apply for publicassistance?

Anyone. Whether you and your family will getpublic assistance depends on your income,resources, family size, and immigration status.

Can only families get publicassistance?

No. Anyone who meets the rules for income,resource, and immigration status can get publicassistance.

There are two types of public assistance in NewYork State: Safety Net Assistance for individualsand Family Assistance for families with children.Pregnant women can also get Family Assistanceeven if they do not have any other children.

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How do I apply for public assistance?

Call 1-877-472-8411 to find out which Job Centercovers your zip code. Go to the Job Center and askthe receptionist for an application. You can fill outyour application at the Job Center or you can takeit home. If you need help filling out yourapplication, the Job Center must help you. If youcannot get help, call the Legal Aid Society.

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What if I am homeless?

If you are homeless, you can apply at a JobCenter or an Income Support Center. You canchoose any location. Remember that there aremore rules and requirements at Job Centers. Itmay be easier to apply at an Income SupportCenter.

What other forms will I have to fill out?

Besides your application, at most Job Centers youmust fill out two screening forms. One screeningform is about domestic violence. The other isabout drugs and alcohol.

After you hand in your application, you should besent to the Financial Planning Unit and then tothe Employment Planning Unit (see page 12).

What happens at the FinancialPlanning Unit?

You will meet with a Financial Planner. First, theplanner should find out if you have anyemergencies that must be fixed right away.

If you have an emergency the Financial Plannershould fill out the paperwork to find out whetheryou can get emergency help, like "pre-investigativecash assistance" and "expedited food stamps."

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Hand in yourapplication as soon as possible.The sooner you hand inyour application, thesooner your will get yourbenefits. If yourapplication is acceptedfor Family Assistance,Medicaid, and FoodStamps, your benefitsshould start from the dayyour application wascompleted. If yourapplication is acceptedfor Safety NetAssistance, your benefitswill start 45 days fromthe day your applicationwas completed.

The financial planner will also:

● Ask you about family and friends who could giveyou money or shelter

● Ask you about who lives with you

● Set up finger imaging for you and any otheradults who live with you if you are getting emergency help, such as "pre-investigative cashassistance" or "expedited food stamps"

● Set up the initial interview within 5 work days ofthe first day you handed in your application (Theinitial interview is called an "I" appointment)

● Schedule an Eligibility Verification Review(EVR) appointment within 11 days

● Send you to the Employment Planning Unit tomeet an employment planner after you are donewith the financial planner

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What kind of emergency assistancecan I get?

You may be able to get emergency assistance if:

● You have no money to buy food, medical prescriptions, or other necessary things

● You face eviction or an electricity or gas shutoff

● You are homeless

Tell the Job Center about your emergencies whenyou hand in your application. The Center shouldtell you that day if you can get emergencyassistance.

If you are not told by the end of the day if you willget emergency assistance, contact the Legal AidSociety.

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What if I am a domestic violence victim?

You should be sent to the Domestic ViolenceLiaison if you are a victim of domestic violence.You will be exempt from work requirements ifdomestic violence makes it too difficult for youto work.

What happens at my initial or “I” appointment?

At your “I” appointment you will show yourdocuments to a Job Center worker. The worker willlook at these documents to see if you can getpublic assistance.

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What if I am going to be evicted?

You should be sent to the Diversion Unit if youhave an eviction emergency.

What documents should I take tomy “I” appointment?

You should take these documents to your "I"appointment if you have them:

● Social security cards for each person in your home who is applying for assistance

● Birth certificates for all children you list on your public assistance application

● Passports for you and your children

● Proof of address (for example, a housing lease)

● Utility bills (for example, a telephone, gas, or electric bill)

● Proof of your income (for example, a pay stub if you worked in past 6 months or a letter from your last employer telling why you are no longer working)

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If the Job Center wants you to bring in moredocuments, you will get another "I" appointmentso you can get the documents. Sometimes it maybe difficult for you to get documents quickly. Tellthe worker at your "I" appointment that you willneed more time to get documents. Ask to speak toa supervisor if the worker does not give you moretime.

What is an Eligibility VerificationReview (EVR) appointment?

EVR means Eligibility Verification Review. At anEVR appointment you are asked to prove that youare eligible for benefits. You must go to a BrooklynEVR office for this appointment, no matter whereyou live in New York City. You will be sent to 320Schemerhorn St. or 250 Livingston St. inBrooklyn.

What happens at an EVR appointment?

There are usually two parts to the EVRappointment. There is an office interview and ahome visit.

First, an EVR investigator will talk to you. Thishappens at the Brooklyn EVR office. Theinvestigator will check all the information on yourapplication, like your identity, who is living with

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you, and your income and resources. You may beasked for more documents.

The second part of your EVR appointment is ahome visit. You will get an appointment for ahome visit. On that day, two EVR investigatorswill visit your home between 9 A.M. and 5 P.M. tomake sure that you live there. The EVRinvestigators may ask your landlord and neighborsif you really live at the address you gave on yourapplication. If the EVR investigators do not showup by 4 P.M., call EVR and tell them no one cameto your home.

After both appointments, EVR will tell the JobCenter to accept or reject your application.

What happens at the EmploymentPlanning Unit?

You will be required to do a job search when youapply for public assistance. For the first five days ofyour search, you will go to a "resource room" at theJob Center. In the resource room, you will lookthrough job listings, the telephone book, andnewspapers, to find a job. After the first five days,you may be told to go to workshops and talks atanother office.

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What if I need child care while Iam doing the job search?

The Job Center must help you get child care. Youshould get a list of child care providers. If no oneon the list can care for your child, tell the JobCenter that you cannot do a job search withoutchild care. The Job Center should give you morechoices. You can not be assigned to a job searchor punished until you find safe and reliable childcare. Request a fair hearing right away if you arenot given benefits because you could not find childcare.

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Do not miss any appointmentsand do not be late to more thantwo appointments.

During your job search, your application may bedenied if you miss one appointment or are latefor more than two appointments. Tell yourworker if you have a good reason for missing anappointment and you should be excused. If theworker refuses to excuse you, keep a record ofwhat happened so that you can request a fairhearing.

(See Legal Aid’s booklet “How to Win YourFair Hearing” for more information.)

Do I have to do job search activities if I have a disability?

It depends on your disability. you must tell the citythat you have a disability. You will be seen by oneof the City’s doctors at an office called HSSystems. The doctor will decide if you are able towork. When you go to HS Systems, bring copies ofany letters and papers from your own doctor thatshow you are ill or disabled. You do not have to dojob search activities if your disability prevents youfrom working. See Legal Aid’s booklet “Workingfor Your Check” for more information aboutdisability and welfare benefits.

How will I know if I have beenapproved to get welfare?

You will get a blue letter in the mail 30-45 daysafter your application is complete. It will say if yourapplication was accepted or denied. If yourapplication is accepted, the letter will tell howmuch cash assistance and food stamps you will get,how long you will get it, and whether you will getMedicaid.

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Some special welfarebenefits.Remember, there is anextra pregnancyallowance of $50.00 permonth for women whoare at least 6 monthspregnant. There is alsoan extra restaurantallowance of $3.33 a dayfor people who do nothave a place to cooktheir meals.

What do I do if my application forwelfare is denied?

You can request a fair hearing by phone at (212)417-6550 or in person at 14 Boerum Place inBrooklyn. Even if you request a fair hearing, it isbest to go back to the Job Center and start a newapplication for public assistance that day. If theCenter will not let you start a new application,contact The Legal Aid Society. For moreinformation about how to win your fair hearing,see The Legal Aid Society’s booklet called “How toWin Your Fair Hearing.”

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If I get public assistance, do I haveto work for my check?

Yes. After you start receiving cash assistance, youmay be required to participate in the WorkExperience Program (WEP).

However, you do not have to do the WorkExperience Program if any of these facts are true:

● You attend a training program that counts aswork activity

● You are disabled or care for a disabled familymember

● You are unable to find safe and reliable child care

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See The Legal AidSociety’s Booklet called“Working for YourCheck” for moreinformation about workrules and public benefits.

Complaints about your Welfare CenterSome problems cannot be solved at a fair hearing. If someone is rude ormean to you at a welfare center in New York City, write a letter to:

HRA Central Complaint UnitP.O. Box 3011, Jamaica Station, NY 11431

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To get other Booklets or Fact Sheets in this series, call The Legal Aid Society at (888) 218-6974 or visit www.legal-aid.org.

To get information about The Legal Aid Society or to find a Legal Aidoffice that serves your area, call (212) 440-4300.

The Legal Aid Society's Public Benefits Education Project

Working for Your Check

Young People and Welfare

Immigrant Rights

Need Help PayingYour Rent?

Safety Net &Family Assistance

Medicaid

Job CentersFair Hearings