MN HF3635

Expands MFIP hardship extension eligibility to assistance units where participants are diagnosed as developmentally disabled or mentally ill by a licensed physician, psychological practitioner, or qualified professional, if the condition severely limits their ability to obtain or maintain suitable employment.

Adds eligibility for persons assessed as unemployable by a vocational specialist or county agency, or those with an IQ below 80 (assessed as employable but with conditions severely limiting employment), with special provisions for non-English-speaking persons requiring culturally appropriate assessments.

Establishes eligibility for persons determined by a qualified professional to be learning disabled where the condition severely limits employment ability, with the determination made or confirmed within the previous 12 months.

Adds persons granted a family violence waiver who are complying with an employment plan under Minnesota Statutes section 256J.521 as eligible for hardship extensions.

Defines "severely limits the person's ability to obtain or maintain suitable employment" to mean the condition either prevents working 20 or more hours per week, or significantly restricts employment range or interferes with obtaining or maintaining 20+ hours per week of suitable employment.