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MFIP Employment Services Manual

MFIP Employment Services Manual


5.21 Child Under 12 Months Old Exemption

ISSUE DATE: 03/2026

Parents with a birth child 12 months or younger are the only participants eligible for an exemption from participating in employment services.


This exemption is available to parents for up to 12 months total in their lifetime use of MFIP.

N/A

Exemption for families with an infant

Who qualifies.

Parents who have not already used all 12 months and who meet one of the following conditions:

  • · 20 years or older.
  • · 18- and 19-year-old parents with a high school diploma.
  • · 18-and 19-year old parents without a high school diploma who choose the work option.

    • For what period.

    From birth until an infant turns 1.

    The exemption begins:

  • · The 1st month after the month the participant claims the exemption.


    • The exemption ends at whichever of the following happens 1st:

  • · The 1st full month after the infant’s 1st birthday. The parent must meet with an employment counselor in this month.
  • · An earlier month that the participant chooses.
  • · When the participant has used the 12 months of the lifetime limit.

    • The time limit for this exemption.

    A parent can claim this exemption for no more than 12 months total.

    See information below on how to calculate the 12 months.

    How the policy affects minor parents.

    Minor parents (parents younger than 18) cannot have this exemption.

    Minor parents are not required to resume school attendance until 6 weeks after the birth of a new baby.

    The child’s status on MFIP does not matter.

    The parent can claim the exemption even if the child is not included in the MFIP grant.

    This would include children who receive Supplemental Security Income benefits.

    How this policy intersects with Presumptive Medical Disability as good cause.

    Presumptive Medical Disability (PMD) is good cause, not an exemption. Only the participant who gives birth is eligible for PMD. However, participants can request the child under one exemption at the same time, and it can be taken by either parent. See 19.9 (Good Cause).


    Use the “holding” activity code for a participant who takes the child under 12-months exemption.

  • · When the exemption ends, meet with the participant to develop a new employment plan.
  • · If the participant is in the Family Stabilization Services track, determine if the previous medical opinion form is still valid or has expired in order to determine if the participant still qualifies for Family Stabilization Services. Request a new medical opinion form if necessary.


    • Calculating the 12-month lifetime limit for the child under 12 months exemption.

    The financial worker should be the only person to communicate the official count of months to the participant.

    Who the calculation applies to

    How the financial workers calculate the 12-month lifetime limit

    For all parents.

    Parents may choose to claim the exemption for more than 1 child and in different spans of time, as long as the total months of exemption are not more than 12 months.

    To determine how many months of exemption have already been used, check the STAT/EMPS panel in MAXIS or ask the eligibility worker.

    For 2-parent families

    Both parents in a 2-parent family are allowed a combined total of one 12-month lifetime limit for this exemption.

    Only 1 parent in a month may claim the exemption.

    The exemption can switch between the parents from month to month.

    For individual parents when two-parent families separate and form new families.

    If 1 of the parents moves out and moves in with another single parent receiving assistance from MFIP, the parent who moved keeps any of his/her unused exemption months and takes the number of months already used by that parent.

    Add together the exemption months each of the new couple has used.

  • · Subtract that combined total from 12 to find out how many months of exemption are still available to them.
  • · If the total combined months of the couple is more than 12 months, they are not eligible for any more exempt months as long as they live together.


    • For information about how the child under 12 months exemption works for participants claiming the Family Violence Waiver, see Chapter 08 (Family Violence Waiver).

    PREVIOUS REVISIONS

    DateNotes
    01/2024 clarified Presumptive Medical Disability good cause.
    01/2024

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