Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/398224
The People's Guide 2013-2014 30 denied. You are entitled to a "good cause evaluation" when you reapply and the penalty will be removed if you had "good cause" for missing the appointment. If you are in the Mandatory Substance Abuse Recovery Program but is consid- ered "employable" and in a residential treatment program, you are not required to register for work or complete a job search. However, still have to meet GROW requirements and you can meet this by participating in substance abuse treatment 20 hours per week. You will still be subject to the 9 month time limit, unless you are judged "unable to work" for reasons other than substance abuse. 4. Quarterly Reports You must fill out a QR-7 form every three months. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPOR- TANT! On the QR-7, you will be asked to report your income, property and household composition. You will also be required to report any changes in your income, property or household composition that you anticipate in the next three months. Your eligibility and benefits for the next three months will be based on the infor- mation you provide on your QR-7. If you do not report income on your QR-7, you will be charged an overpayment that you pay back by not getting GR for an entire month. Under certain circumstances, you must report changes before your required reporting month. You will be assigned to a Quarterly Report- ing cycle based on the last digit of your case number. Your DPSS worker should let you know the months you are required to submit a QR-7. If you get the form in the mail, you must fill it out and return it to the DPSS office by the fifth day of your "submit" month. You should receive your QR-7 on the first of your "submit" month. If you don't get it in the mail, you must go to the DPSS office to complete the form. Make sure to get a receipt showing the time and date you submitted the form. If your QR-7 gets lost, or you do not turn it in, your case will be terminated at the end of the "submit" month. You have until the 3rd Thursday of the following month to turn it in without losing any cash aid, if your reported changes do not cause a reduction in benefits or ineligi- bility (you may still have a reduction or loss of CalFresh/Food Stamps benefits). General Relief WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS? 1. Good Cause Unless you have "Good Cause," you will be penalized for not participating in GROW, quitting a job, not accepting a job paying at least minimum wage ($8 an hour), not complying with substance abuse require- ments, or getting fired for misconduct. "Good Cause" can be any illness, acci- dent, difficulty reading or understanding instructions, conflicting appointments, confusion, transportation problems, or any physical or mental disability, which affects your ability to work. "Good Cause" covers anything short of willfully not complying with program requirements. If you are not able to comply with the GR program requirement, and you have "Good Cause," you should contact your DPSS worker immediately and explain your situation. 2. "Extended Suspend" If DPSS says you have not complied with your GR requirements your benefits will be stopped. If you comply with your GR requirements by the third Thursday of the following month, your benefits should be started again. The DPSS calls this "Ex- tended Suspend." Make sure you show them proof that you have complied with the rules. 3. Hearings If your case is going to be terminated or your benefits are reduced, you have a right to a GR hearing. The county must mail you a "Notice of Action" nine days before a hearing. The date and time of the hearing will appear on the notice. If you have "Good Cause," you have a good chance of winning the hearing. Your benefits cannot be cut off or reduced without a hearing unless you do not go to the hearing. (see Page 66 "Hearings and Complaints".) 4. Penalties If you do not go to your GR hearing, or you lose your GR hearing, your case will be terminated (with or without a sanction) or your benefits will be reduced. If you receive a sanction and you have not been sanctioned in the past 365 days, you can re-apply at once. If this is the second sanction in a year, you can re-apply in 30 days. After the third penalty in a year, you have to wait 60 days to re-apply. ADDITONAL ASSISTANCE 1. Health Care As a GR recipient, you may be automati- cally enrolled in Healthy Way LA, a free health insurance program for low-income LA County residents. If you are not auto- matically enrolled, you can apply at DPSS. If your worker or someone at a clinic says that you have to go to a special "GR" clinic and you want to go somewhere else, call (800) 427-8700 to find out where else you can go, and request an alternate location. 2. If You Begin to Get SSI DPSS workers emphasize that GR is a "loan." If you begin to receive SSI, the amount you received on GR will be au- tomatically deducted from your first SSI check. 3. GR Time Limits If your General Relief is stopped due to the 9 month time limits: You can continue to get CalFresh/Food Stamps, but you will have to do a workfare project of three days a month for them. You continue to receive free and low cost health care from the county. You can reapply for GR in three months. If you become "unemployable" while you are timed off of GR, reapply for GR and let your worker know that you are "unemploy- able." If they find you are unemployable after screening you, you will be eligible to once again receive GR and you will not be subject to time limits. BICYCLE HELP These organizations offer guidance and usage of their shop tools and parts to bike owners with broken bikes that do not have the tools or resource to fix them. They are not a sales shop but a "Do it Yourself" repair shop. There's a small donation for their help, but no one is turned away for lack of funds. Bici Libre 1205 W. 6th St, Los Angeles, 90017 213-261-5626 http://la-bike.org/bicilibre The Bicycle Kitchen 4429 Fountain Ave, LA CA 90029 (323) NO-CARRO or (323) 662-2776 http://www.bicyclekitchen.com