New Jersey § 44:10-59

§ 44:10-59.

a. All adult persons, except as otherwise provided by law governing the Work First

New Jersey program, are charged with the primary responsibility of supporting and

maintaining themselves and their dependents; the primary responsibility for the support

and maintenance of minor children is that of the parents and family of those children;

and benefits shall be provided only when other means of support and maintenance are

not present to support the assistance unit. b. Benefits shall be temporary and serve the primary goal of fostering self-sufficiency. Failure to cooperate with any of the program eligibility requirements without good

cause, as determined by the commissioner, shall result in ineligibility for benefits

for some or all assistance unit members. c. If the county agency or municipal welfare agency, as appropriate, determines, based

upon an applicant's written statement signed under oath, that the applicant is in

immediate need of benefits because the applicant's available resources are insufficient,

as determined by the commissioner, to meet the minimal current living expenses pursuant

to regulations adopted by the commissioner, of the applicant's assistance unit, the

county agency or municipal welfare agency shall issue cash assistance benefits to

the applicant on the date of application, subject to the applicant meeting all other

program eligibility requirements. d. The commissioner shall establish by regulation, standards and procedures to screen

and identify recipients with a history of being subjected to domestic violence and

refer these recipients to counseling and supportive services. The commissioner may waive program requirements, including, but not limited to,

the time limit on benefits pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1997, c. 37 ( C.44:10-72 ), residency requirements pursuant to section 6 of P.L.1997, c. 38 ( C.44:10-60 ), child support cooperation requirements pursuant to subsection b. of section 2 of P.L.1997, c. 14 ( C.44:10-45 ) and the limitation on increase of cash assistance benefits as a result of the birth

of a child pursuant to section 7 of P.L.1997, c. 38 ( C.44:10-61 ), in cases where compliance with such requirements would make it more difficult for

a recipient to escape domestic violence or unfairly penalize the recipient who is

or has been victimized by such violence, or who is at risk of further domestic violence. e. The commissioner shall establish regulations determining eligibility and other

requirements of the Work First New Jersey program. Regulations shall include provisions for the deeming of income, when appropriate,

which include situations involving the sponsor of an eligible alien in accordance

with federal law, and legally responsible relatives of assistance unit members.