§ 4–205.77. POWER — Failure to participate in self-sufficiency activities.

(a) If a POWER recipient who is an adult or minor head of an assistance unit fails, without good cause (as determined by the Mayor) to participate in required activities to promote self-sufficiency, the recipient shall be sanctioned in the same manner as a TANF recipient who fails to comply with the requirements of an individual responsibility plan.

(b) The Mayor shall promulgate rules defining what constitutes good cause for failure to participate in required self-sufficiency activities, in addition to those grounds described in subsections (c), (d), and (e) of this section.

(c) The Mayor shall not sanction a POWER recipient based on the failure of the recipient to participate in self-sufficiency activities if the recipient is a single custodial parent caring for a child under 6 years old, and the recipient proves that the recipient has a demonstrated inability, as determined by the Mayor, to obtain needed child care for one or more of the following reasons:

(1) Appropriate child care within a reasonable distance from the recipient’s home or participation site is unavailable;

(2) Informal child care by a relative or under other arrangements is unavailable or unsuitable; or

(3) Appropriate and affordable formal child care arrangements are unavailable.

(d) The Mayor shall not sanction a POWER recipient based on the failure of the recipient to participate in self-sufficiency activities if the Mayor has failed to notify the recipient of the self-sufficiency activities in which the recipient must participate.

(e)(1) The Mayor shall not sanction a POWER recipient based on the failure of the recipient to participate in self-sufficiency activities if the Mayor provides the activities but placement in those activities are not yet available to the recipient.

(2) This subsection shall only apply if the POWER recipient has complied with any other obligations required of POWER applicants or recipients.