Minnesota Minnesota

Combined Manual

Combined Manual


GLOSSARY: SELF...

ISSUE DATE: 03/2026

SELF (STUDENT EDUCATIONAL LOAN FUNDS)
State financial aid program for post secondary students.

SELF-EMPLOYED
Describes a person who works independently, is a SOLE PROPRIETOR, or owns a business in PARTNERSHIP.

SELF-EMPLOYMENT
Employment where people work for themselves rather than an employer, are responsible for their own work schedule, do not have taxes or FICA withheld by an employer, and do not have coverage under an employer's liability or WORKERS' COMPENSATION insurance.

SELF-SUPPORT INDEX
MFIP: An outcome measure that tracks whether adults are either working 30 or more hours per week or no longer receiving MFIP cash payments 3 years after the baseline quarter.

SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants)
A federal financial aid program for post-secondary students.

SERVICE ANIMAL
SNAP: An animal prescribed by a medical professional that is specially trained as a Service Animal to serve the needs of elderly or disabled SNAP participants. This is typically a dog and, in rare instances, a miniature horse. See 0018.12.03 (Allowable SNAP Medical Expenses).

SERVICE PROGRAMS:
Programs include income types listed in 0017.15.18 (Employment, Training and National Service Program Income), 0017.15.78 (National and Community Service Programs) and 0017.15.66 (Older Americans Act).

SHELTER COSTS
MFIP : Rent, manufactured home lot rentals, monthly principal, interest, insurance premiums, and property taxes due for mortgages or contracts for deed costs.

SNAP: See 0018.15 (Shelter Deductions).

MSA : Rent; mobile home lot rentals; monthly principal, interest, insurance premiums, and property taxes for mortgages or contract for deed costs; utilities, including heating, cooling, electricity, water, and sewer; garbage removal; and the basic service fee for 1 telephone.

SHELTER DEDUCTION
SNAP: Income deductions based on the unit's housing costs and utility costs. See 0018.15 (Shelter Deductions).

SHELTER FOR BATTERED WOMEN
See DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER in 0002.17 (Glossary: Displaced Homemaker...).

SIBLINGS
Brothers and sisters related through birth or adoption to 1 or both parents.

SICK PAY
Salary or wages an employer pays to or on behalf of an employee who is on sick leave at or below the employee's regular wage.

SIGNATURE
A signature is a handwritten depiction of someone’s name that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. If the participant is unable to sign their name, accept an “X” or a gesture as a valid signature. Signatures also include, but are not limited to, the use of signs and expressions to communicate “Yes” or “I agree” in American Sign Language (ASL) or through Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDD). When accepting an “X” or a gesture as a valid signature, document this clearly in case notes. Electronic signatures are legally valid. See ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE in 0002.19 (Glossary: Early…).

SNAP: A verbal signature may be accepted for clients to sign applications and renewal forms. See 0005.12.08 (Verbal Signatures).

SIX-MONTH REPORTING
The requirement for some SNAP units and/or HSP recipients to complete a Combined Six-Month Report (DHS-5576) (PDF) (CSR). See 0007.03.02 (Six-Month Reporting).

SMRT
STATE MEDICAL REVIEW TEAM. People appointed by the COMMISSIONER to determine disability.

SNAP
See SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM in 0002.65 (Glossary: Substantial...).

SNAP E&T
See SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING (SNAP E&T).

SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS
See RETIREMENT SURVIVORS DISABILITY INSURANCE (RSDI) in 0002.57 (Glossary: Relative...).

SOCIAL SECURITY ACT
A federal law authorizing such programs as RSDI, TANF, SSI, and MA.

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
A federal agency which administers the SSI and RSDI programs. They also assign Social Security numbers.

SOCIAL SECURITY ADVOCACY SERVICES

Services to help children and adults who have a documented disability apply for SSI and RSDI. See 0012.12.06 (Special Services – Applying for Social Security).

SOCIAL SECURITY CREDITS FOR NONCITIZEN ELIGIBILITY FOR CASH AND FOOD PROGRAMS
As a person works and pays taxes, he/she earns Social Security credits. The Social Security Administration gives a maximum of 4 credits in 1 year based on a person's own wages. However, EXCEPT for Title II, SSA also gives additional credits based on the wages of a spouse who is still married to the person (or a spouse who is deceased), and/or based on wages a parent earned while the person was a minor child. The same credits may be attributed to the person with wages and his/her spouse or child. See 0031.39 (Verifying Social Security Credits for Noncitizen Eligibility for Cash and Food Programs).

SOCIAL SECURITY CREDITS FOR RSDI BENEFITS

A person earns Social Security credits when they work and pay Federal Insurance Contribution Act (FICA) taxes on their earnings. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses the number of credits earned to determine eligibility for retirement or disability benefits or a family’s eligibility for survivor benefits. If there are not enough credits you are not eligible for RSDI. See 0029.06.06 (Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance).

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE
The term sometimes used for the disability insurance part of the Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program. See RETIREMENT, SURVIVORS, AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (RSDI) in 0002.57 (Glossary: Relative...). Also see 0029.06.06 (Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance).

SOCIAL SERVICES
The services included in a county's community social services plan which are administered by the county board.

SOLE PROPRIETOR
A person who is the sole owner of an unincorporated SELF-EMPLOYMENT business.
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PREVIOUS REVISIONS

DateNotes
10/2024 updates cross-reference link for title change from 0031.39 (Verifying Social Security Credits) to 0031.39 (Verifying Social Security Credits for Noncitizen Eligibility for Cash and Food Programs) under glossary reference Social Security Credits for Noncitizen Eligibility for Cash and Food Programs. Also added glossary references for Social Security Credits for Noncitizen Eligibility for Cash and Food Programs and Social Security Advocacy Services. Moved Special Advocacy Services to Social Security Advocacy Services.
09/2024 adds information on the verbal signature waiver for SNAP that is now a regular policy waiver, not a COVID-19 waiver.
05/2024 Under Social Security Credits, deletes link to 0010.18.15 and replaces it with 0031.39 (Verifying Social Security Credits).
09/2023 Signature definition added to glossary to include e-signatures.
06/2023 Updated cross reference for Glossary: Suitable to Substantial
11/2022 definition of Service Programs added
05/2022 adds a new SNAP definition for SERVICE ANIMAL.
11/2019 update cross-references to 0029.06.06 (Retirement, Survivors and Disability Insurance) due to section title change. No policy was changed.
12/2018 updates "Battered Women's Shelter(s)" to "Domestic Violence Shelter(s).
09/2016 update cross-references to 0012.12.06 (Special Services – Applying for Social Security) due to section title change. No policy was changed.
06/2016 updates section due to Legislative changes moving GRH to Six-Month Reporting.
04/2015 deletes the definitions for SHARED HOUSEHOLD STANDARD and SHARED HOUSEHOLD UNIT as the shared household standard was repealed effective 01/2015.
12/2014 in the definition for SIGNIFICANT CHANGE in MFIP provisions updates the significant change amount to 50%.
11/2013 in the definition for ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF PATERNITY deletes wording for clarity. It also adds a cross reference to MINNESOTA VOLUNTARY RECOGNITION OF PARENTAGE in 0002.41 (Glossary: Medically Necessary...).

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