Participants have until the end of the Extended Suspend Period (the last calendar day of the month following the discontinuance month) to comply with all noncompliance issues. When noncompliance issues are not resolved during the Extended Suspend Period, the GR case remains discontinued.
Rescind
The GR case can be rescinded to reverse a denial/discontinuance after all noncompliance issues have been resolved or to correct an error made by staff or CalSAWS programming. When a decision is made to reverse the discontinuance the GR case is rescinded effective the first of the month following the discontinuance and the benefits are reinstated. The participant does not experience a break in aid. When a decision is made to rescind the denial at intake, the application is rescinded from the initial application date and approved per existing GR policies/procedures.
GR Discontinued Due to GR RE
When a GR case is discontinued due to non-receipt or submission of an incomplete GR RE the participant may complete and submit the GR 22, General Relief Annual Renewal and/or verification(s) at any time during the Extended Suspend Period, which ends on the last calendar day of the month following the discontinuance month.
If the participant complies with the GR RE requirements on or before the last day of the Extended Suspend Period and:
- There are no reported changes impacting the participant’s eligibility or the grant amount, then the GR case is rescinded, and the benefits are reinstated effectively the first of the month following the discontinuance month with no break in aid;
- The reported changes impact the participant’s grant amount but not eligibility for aid then the GR case is rescinded, and the prorated benefits are reinstated effective the first of the month following the discontinuance month with no break in aid;
- The county fails to process the GR RE timely, the GR RE is processed, the GR case is rescinded, and the benefits are reinstated without a break in aid as soon as administratively possible; or
- The reported changes make the participant ineligible for GR then the GR case is not rescinded, and the benefits are not reinstated.
If the participant complies with GR RE requirements after the Extended Suspend Period the GR case cannot be rescinded, and the benefits cannot be reinstated. The participant must submit a new GR application.
Refer to 40-116 General Relief Renewal policy for additional details.
GR Discontinued Due to GR/START Program(s) Noncompliance
The participant must resolve all GR/START Program(s) noncompliance issues during the Extended Suspend Period before the discontinuance can be reversed. If a sanction has been imposed due to a START Program noncompliance, then the GR case cannot be rescinded unless Good Cause has been established.
Participants whose case was discontinued because they failed to attend the Supplemental Security Income Advocacy Program (SSIAP) or Mandatory Substance Use Disorder Recovery Program (MSUDRP) appointment may request to reschedule the missed appointment during the Extended Suspend Period without requesting a Noncompliance Review and/or GR/START Hearing.
Refer to the following GR policies for detailed information on the Noncompliance Review and GR/START Hearing process:
After all GR/START Program(s) noncompliance issues have been resolved and the participant was otherwise found to be eligible, the GR case is rescinded, and the benefits are reinstated effective the first of the month following the month of discontinuance.
GR Discontinued Due to Incarceration
When the participant has been released from jail prior to the end of the Extended Suspend Period and provides release papers, the GR case is rescinded and benefits are reinstated effective the date of the release, or the first of the month after the discontinuance month, whichever is later.
If the participant was released from jail after the end of the Extended Suspend Period the GR case cannot be rescinded, and benefits are not reinstated. The participant must submit a new GR application.
GR Discontinued Due to Time Limits
The Extended Suspend Period does not apply to cases that are discontinued due to GR Time Limits, as there is no noncompliance that needs to be resolved. However, participants have the right to request a hearing if the case is discontinued for Time Limits.
Refer to 40-121 Time Limits policy for details.
There may be situations when the GR case is discontinued for noncompliance, and the participant complies during the Extended Suspend Period, but the participant becomes Time Limited during the Extended Suspend Period. In these cases:
- If the noncompliance is resolved, then the Employable participant is eligible to a prorated grant up to the 277th day of eligibility. The GR case is rescinded, and the benefits are reinstated effective the first of the month following the month of discontinuance, then discontinued again effective the date the Employable participant’s eligibility ends.
- If the noncompliance is not resolved, the participant is not eligible for GR benefits. The GR case remains discontinued due to the noncompliance reason.
GR Discontinued Due to Multiple Noncompliance Issues
When the GR case has been discontinued due to multiple GR/START Program(s) noncompliance reasons the GR case can be rescinded and the benefits reinstated only when all noncompliance issues are resolved before or during the Extended Suspend Period.
GR Discontinued/Denied Due to a Duplicate Filing
When the GR Hearing confirms that a duplicate filing occurred both the new GR application and the ongoing active GR case are denied/discontinued. The Extended Suspend Period is not available for participants discontinued for a duplicate filing.
When it is determined that a participant has reapplied for GR in error or has a Needs Special Assistance status the duplicate application is denied without a sanction.
Participants applying for GR while currently in a sanction/ineligible period due to a GR/START Program(s) noncompliance or Intentional Program Violation, will have their GR application denied and will be reminded of the ineligibility period. This will not be considered an attempt to receive duplicate aid, since the participant is not being aided.
Refer to 44-401 Initiating Hearings and Notices of Action and 44-312 General Relief Intentional Program Violation policies for details.
Erroneous Denial/Discontinuance/Reduction of GR Benefits - Reopening a Case
Under certain circumstances the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) may need to reopen a case at the request of a judge/court order or when an erroneous negative action was taken, and the Extended Suspend Period has passed. In these scenarios the participant is not required to submit a new GR application.
When DPSS makes an error by denying/discontinuing/reducing the participant’s benefits, the case can be reopened, and the benefits can be reinstated and/or recalculated if the participant requests a review within the Extended Suspend Period after the adverse action is taken. The GR case is reopened effective the first of the month following the discontinuance and the benefits are reinstated. The participant does not experience a break in aid.
There is no Extended Suspend Period for denied cases. When there is a request to reverse the denial, the case is reopened from the initial application date, and the application is approved per existing GR policies and procedures.
Refer to the 44-401 Initiating Hearing and Notices of Action for details.
Delayed Processing
When the participant complies with all noncompliance issues and/or provides all requested documentations during the Extended Suspend Period, but the GR case is not rescinded timely by DPSS or when the last calendar day of the Extended Suspend Period is a weekend or holiday, the participant is not required to submit a new application. The GR case will be reopened effective the first of the month following the discontinuance and the benefits will be reinstated, if the participant is eligible. There will be no break in aid.