M E M O R A N D U M

TO: EES Program Administrators
FROM: Karen Beckerman
DATE: 12/11/12
SUBJECT: Implementation Instructions - KEESM Revision #57

This memo provides implementation instructions and information for the following January 1, 2013 policy changes in the Kansas Economic and Employment Services Manual (KEESM).

All Programs

1. Training Allowances and Payments – See Summary of Change I, A, 1, and KEESM 6315.
   
   A new policy is being added regarding VA Compensated Work Therapy payments. These payments are countable earned income. A new code has been added to KAECSES for these payments. The new earned income (EI) code is VW. This code will count the payments as earned income for all programs.
   
   
2. Lump Sum Payments – See Summary of Change I, A, 2, and KEESM 6410(39) and 6220 (11).
   
   Policy is changing regarding gate money – money prisoners receive when leaving prison. Prior to this revision, gate money was counted as unearned income. Effective January 1, 2013, gate money will be exempt for initial applications and reviews and IR’s processed on or after that date. For ongoing cases, the code on KAECSES for gate money, UI GM, will be changed effective January 1st to exempt gate money instead of counting it. Rollover in December will automatically change cases and exempt any gate money (GM) income for February 2013.
   
   
3. GI Bill Educational Income – See Summary of Change I, A, 3, and KEESM 6220(11)(e) and 6410(19).
   
   Effective with this revision, the portion of GI Bill educational income that is for the veterans’ monthly housing allowance (MHA) is no longer exempt. The MHA must be added to KAECSES as countable unearned income. A new unearned income code is being added to KAECSES, UI MH. This code will count the monthly housing allowance for all programs as unearned income.
   
   Since we cannot identify current cases with GI Bill income (because it has been exempt and has not been coded on KAECSES at all) for ongoing cases, the policy will be applied at the next review or IR/12 month report (for food assistance cases), whichever comes first.