The Arkansas TEA program, formally Transitional Employment Assistance, pays cash to low-income families with children for up to 12 months while parents work or train for a job. Monthly payments run from $81 for one person to $204 for a family of three, and in exchange you agree to work requirements, child support cooperation, and keeping your kids immunized and in school.1Arkansas Department of Human Services. TEA Work Pays Time Limit
Who Qualifies
Your household must include a minor child or a pregnant woman in her third trimester, live in Arkansas, and every adult must be a U.S. citizen or have qualifying immigration status.
Two financial tests apply. Countable resources cannot exceed $3,000, which includes cash, bank balances, stocks, bonds, and property beyond your primary home.2Arkansas Department of Human Services. Transitional Employment Assistance Quick Reference Guide One motor vehicle is excluded entirely, regardless of value.3Code of Arkansas Rules. 20 CAR 502-420 – Resources To Be Disregarded
Net monthly income after the state’s standard deductions cannot exceed $513, regardless of family size.4Arkansas Department of Human Services. Quick Reference Transitional Employment Assistance That’s net, not gross, so it’s worth applying even if your paycheck looks higher on paper.
How Much You Receive Each Month
Payments are set by household size:5Access Arkansas. Transitional Employment Assistance
- One person: $81
- Two people: $162
- Three people: $204
If you have wages or other income, the grant is reduced according to a formula that offsets those earnings. The figures above are the maximums for a household with no other countable income. They’re modest, which is why most TEA families also receive SNAP and Medicaid.
The 12-Month Time Limit
TEA carries a lifetime cap of 12 months for any adult or minor head of household. Act 266 of 2023 cut this from the previous 24-month limit, effective April 1, 2024.1Arkansas Department of Human Services. TEA Work Pays Time Limit The months don’t have to be consecutive; every month you draw a payment counts, even if you drop off and return later.6Arkansas Department of Human Services. TEA and Work Pays Policy Manual
Months in deferred or exempt status don’t count. Deferrals are available if you have a short-term disability, are in the third trimester of pregnancy, care for a disabled child or adult relative, cannot access necessary childcare or transportation, are experiencing domestic violence, face circumstances beyond your control such as a natural disaster, or are over 60. Parents caring for a child under three months are exempt from work participation, and parents with a child between three and 12 months may be exempt if childcare is unavailable, though these infant-related exemptions carry their own 12-month lifetime cap.6Arkansas Department of Human Services. TEA and Work Pays Policy Manual
The state can also extend the 12-month limit itself when you cooperated fully but couldn’t find work because of circumstances beyond your control, when ending benefits would put a child at risk of neglect, or when you’re within six months of completing an education or training program. There’s no cap on how many extensions you can receive, and requests must be processed within 30 days.7Justia. Transitional Employment Assistance and Work Pays Updates Pursuant to Acts 226 and 832 of 2023
What You Agree To
Approval requires signing a Personal Responsibility Agreement covering four commitments: work activities, child support cooperation, immunizations for preschool-age children, and school attendance for older children.8Code of Arkansas Rules. 20 CAR 502-205 – Personal Responsibility Agreement Refusing to sign cuts your monthly payment by 25%.9Arkansas Department of Human Services. Transitional Employment Assistance Policy Manual
Work Hours
Able-bodied adults must work or participate in approved activities:6Arkansas Department of Human Services. TEA and Work Pays Policy Manual
- Single parent: 30 hours weekly, with at least 20 in core activities.
- Single parent with a child under six: 20 hours weekly, all core.
- Two-parent household: 35 combined hours weekly, or 55 if the family receives federally funded childcare, with at least 30 hours core.
Core activities include actual employment, on-the-job training, job search, community service, and vocational education. Non-core activities like job-readiness classes or substance abuse treatment can fill remaining hours but can’t satisfy the whole requirement on their own.
Child Support, Immunizations, and School
If a parent is absent from the home or paternity hasn’t been legally established, you must cooperate with the Office of Child Support Enforcement. Failing to cooperate without good cause cuts your payment by 25%.9Arkansas Department of Human Services. Transitional Employment Assistance Policy Manual Preschool-age children must be up to date on immunizations before your application can be approved, and school-age children must be enrolled and regularly attending.
Drug Screening
Arkansas screens applicants and current participants with a questionnaire during eligibility reviews. If answers raise reasonable suspicion of illegal drug use, you’ll be required to take a drug test.10Code of Arkansas Rules. 20 CAR 503-1506 – Drug Screenings Refusing the test closes your case. A positive test does not automatically end benefits: the state develops a treatment plan, and you must enroll in a substance abuse program or recovery support group within 10 business days of the referral. Comply with the plan and submit attendance documentation every two weeks and your full payment continues. Treatment is capped at six months with possible extensions. Noncompliance without good cause closes the case. Minor children and non-head-of-household minor parents living with a parent or guardian are exempt.
Help the Program Pays For
While you’re working or following your Employment Plan, TEA covers several costs that commonly get in the way of holding a job:11Arkansas Department of Human Services. TANF Supportive Services
- Free childcare while you’re at work or in approved activities.
- Transportation help to get to work or training.
- Reimbursement for uniforms, license fees, background checks, car repairs, eyeglasses, and physical exams, with prior approval and documentation.
- Books and supplies for GED programs, plus tuition, fees, and books for career and technical education programs lasting up to 12 months when no other financial aid is available.
- Referrals for substance abuse treatment, domestic violence services, and rehabilitation.
Many participants don’t realize how much of this is available. Ask about it at your first interview.
What Happens If You Don’t Comply
Sanctions for missing work requirements build in stages rather than closing your case immediately:12Code of Arkansas Rules. 20 CAR 503-225 – Noncompliance Sanction the first month brings a one-month suspension; continued noncompliance forfeits that payment and cuts the grant 25% for up to three more months; then a two-month full suspension; then a drop to 50% for up to three more months; and finally case closure. You get a notice before any sanction takes effect, with a chance to show good cause. If the noncompliant person is a minor parent whose children are on the case, the case won’t be closed, but the reductions still apply. Sanctioned months still count toward your 12-month lifetime limit.
Diversion Assistance: A One-Time Alternative
If your problem is a single expense standing between you and steady work, Diversion Assistance may fit better than ongoing TEA. It’s a one-time lump sum equal to three months of the standard grant for your household size, so a family of three can receive $612.9Arkansas Department of Human Services. Transitional Employment Assistance Policy Manual You must have a minor child in the home, be currently employed or hold a firm job offer, and never have received Diversion Assistance before. The trade-off: you agree to forego regular TEA cash payments for 100 days from the date of application, spelled out in Form DCO-182.
Work Pays After TEA Ends
Families who leave TEA because they found employment can move into Work Pays, which continues $204 monthly for up to 12 additional months plus bonuses for staying employed.13Arkansas Department of Human Services. Work Pays To qualify you must have received TEA for at least three months, been employed for at least 30 days before applying, and applied within six months of your TEA case closing, with income below 150% of the federal poverty level and custody of a minor child.
The bonuses: $400 for staying employed three consecutive months, $600 for six consecutive months, an $800 exit bonus for completing the full 12 months, and $1,200 if your earnings top 150% of the federal poverty level. A participant who hits every milestone collects up to $5,448 across the year.
How to Apply
You can apply online through the Access Arkansas portal at access.arkansas.gov, in person at any local DHS county office, or by mail or phone.14Arkansas Department of Human Services. Apply For Services The form is DCO-0004, which covers TEA, SNAP, and Medicaid together. You’ll need Social Security numbers for everyone in the household (including people you’re not requesting benefits for), proof of residency such as a utility bill or lease, income verification through pay stubs or tax returns, and documentation of any assets.15Arkansas Department of Human Services. DCO-0004 Assistance Application
DHS schedules a mandatory interview after your application is filed. Both adults must attend if two live in the household.9Arkansas Department of Human Services. Transitional Employment Assistance Policy Manual The agency must approve or deny within 30 calendar days, though you can request extra time to gather documentation.
If You’re Denied
You can appeal any denial, reduction, or termination. A hearing request must reach the DHS Office of Appeals and Hearings within 30 days of the date on your Notice of Adverse Action, and you can also appeal if DHS fails to process your application in the required 30 days.16Code of Arkansas Rules. 20 CAR 502-1501 – Administrative Hearings Generally The notice should explain how to request a hearing. If it doesn’t, call Access Arkansas at 1-855-372-1084 or contact your county office.