U-parent Deprivation Definitions

[41-440.1]

Unemployed Parent Program (U-Parent)

A child is considered deprived of parental support and care when the principal earner parent is unemployed and no other basis of deprivation exists.

Unemployed Parent

An unemployed parent is a natural or adoptive parent with whom a child is living (both parents must be in the home) and who:

Is the principal earner, AND
Is not working, OR
Meets the following criteria:

IF...	AND...	THEN...
The PE U-parent is an applicant,	Is employed 100 hours or more per four week period,	U-parent deprivation does not exist.
	Is employed under 100 hours but is expected to work over 100 hours in the following four weeks,	U-parent deprivation does not exist.
	Is employed under 100 hours per four week period, OR Is employed 100 hours or more in a particular four week period, but the work is intermittent and the excess over the 100 hours is temporary in nature as evidenced by: His/her hours of employment were less than 100 hours in the two prior four week periods, AND His/her hours of employment are expected to be less than the 100 hours in the succeeding four week period,	U-parent deprivation exists.
The U-parent is a recipient,	Is employed 100 hours or more per four week period.	U-parent deprivation continues.

Note: Once an applicant case is found eligible under the U-parent program and becomes a recipient, the 100 Hour Rule no longer applies.

Reminder: Parents in On The Job Training, Public Services Employment and parents in JTPA Employment are considered employed (for purposes of deprivation) if participating over 100 hours.

Principal Earner

The principal earner is whichever parent (both parents of the child are in the home) earned the greater amount of income in the 24 month period, the last month of which immediately precedes either:

The application month when the application is based on the unemployment of the parent. Refer to Date of Application OR
The date the family circumstances changed (after application date) to meet the requirements of unemployment deprivation definition (e.g., parent returns to the home).

When either parent can qualify as the principal earner because both parents earned an identical amount of income in the applicable 24 month period the EW in consultation with the parents, must determine who to designate as the PE.

Date of Application

For purposes of determining the principal earner (U-parent) the application date is:

The date of the last request for U-parent (this includes a restoration with less than one calendar month break in aid), OR
The date of the interprogram status change, e.g., CalWORKs FG to U-parent (absent parent returns unemployed), OR
The date of the interprogram transfer; e.g., a change from RCA to CalWORKs.

U-Parent Principal Earner

The U-parent PE is the parent establishing a basis of deprivation due to unemployment. The parent can be included or excluded from the AU. The designation refers only to the parent establishing the basis of deprivation and does not include the other parent of the child(ren).

Exempt U-Parent Principal Earner

The exempt U-parent PE is the U-parent principal earner who is exempt from work registration. The determination of work registration status is completely separate from the determination of principal earner. Therefore, there may be circumstances when the U-parent principal earner is exempt from Employment Services registration.

Unemployed

The applicant PE must always meet the definition of unemployment. Refer to Unemployed Parent Program (U-Parent) above. The term UNEMPLOYED includes:

Those not working, OR
Those working less than 100 hours in a four week period.