§ 341. Conciliation; refusal to participate. 1. (a) Consistent with federal law and regulations and this title, if a participant has failed or refused to comply with the requirements of this title, the social services district shall issue a notice in plain language indicating that such failure or refusal has taken place and of the right of such participant to conciliation to resolve the reasons for such failure or refusal to avoid a pro-rata reduction in public assistance benefits for a period of time set forth in section three hundred forty-two of this title. The notice shall indicate the specific instance or instances of willful refusal or failure to comply without good cause with the requirements of this title and the necessary actions that must be taken to avoid a pro-rata reduction in public assistance benefits. The notice shall indicate that the participant has seven days to request conciliation with the district regarding such failure or refusal in the case of a safety net participant and ten days in the case of a family assistance participant. The notice shall also include an explanation in plain language of what would constitute good cause for non-compliance and examples of acceptable forms of evidence that may warrant an exemption from work activities, including evidence of domestic violence, and physical or mental health limitations that may be provided at the conciliation conference to demonstrate such good cause for failure to comply with the requirements of this title. If the participant does not contact the district within the specified number of days, the district shall issue ten days notice of intent to discontinue or reduce assistance, pursuant to regulations of the department. Such notice shall also include a statement of the participant's right to a fair hearing relating to such discontinuance or reduction. If such participant contacts the district within seven days in the case of a safety net participant or within ten days in the case of a family assistance participant, it will be the responsibility of the participant to give reasons for such failure or refusal.

(b) Unless the district determines as a result of such conciliation process that such failure or refusal was willful and was without good cause, no further action shall be taken. If the district determines that such failure or refusal was willful and without good cause, the district shall notify such participant in writing, in plain language and in a manner distinct from any previous notice, by issuing ten days notice of its intent to discontinue or reduce assistance. Such notice shall include the reasons for such determination, the specific instance or instances of willful refusal or failure to comply without good cause with the requirements of this title, the necessary actions that must be taken to avoid a pro-rata reduction in public assistance benefits, and the right to a fair hearing relating to such discontinuance or reduction. Unless extended by mutual agreement of the participant and the district, conciliation shall terminate and a determination shall be made within fourteen days of the date a request for conciliation is made in the case of a safety net participant or within thirty days of the conciliation notice in the case of a family assistance participant. 2. (a) The department shall establish in regulation a conciliation procedure for the resolution of disputes related to an individual's participation in programs pursuant to this title.

(b) The district shall contract with an independent entity, approved by the department, or shall use designated trained staff at the supervisory level who have no direct responsibility for the participant's case to mediate disputes in the conciliation conference. If no such supervisory staff or independent entity is available, the district may designate another trained individual, who has no direct responsibility for the participant's case to mediate disputes in the conciliation conference.

(c) If a participant's dispute cannot be resolved through such conciliation procedure, an opportunity for a fair hearing shall be provided. No sanction relating to the subject dispute may be imposed during the conciliation process. 3. When any family assistance participant required to participate in work activities fails to comply with the provisions of this title, the social services district shall take such actions as prescribed by appropriate federal law and regulation and this title. 4. When any safety net participant required to participate in work activities fails to comply with the provisions of this title, the social services district shall deny assistance to such participant in accordance with section three hundred forty-two of this title. 5. (a) To the extent that federal law requires, a social services district shall provide to those family assistance participants whose failure to comply has continued for three months or longer a written reminder of the option to end a sanction after the expiration of the applicable minimum sanction period by terminating the failure to comply as specified in subdivision three of this section. Such notice shall advise that the participant may immediately terminate the first or second sanction by participating in the program or accepting employment and that any subsequent sanction after six months have elapsed may be terminated by participating in the program or accepting employment.

(b) A social services district shall provide to those safety net participants whose failure to comply has continued for the length of the sanction period or longer a written reminder of the option to end a sanction after the expiration of the applicable minimum sanction period by terminating the failure to comply as specified in subdivision four of this section. 6. Consistent with federal law and regulation, no action shall be taken pursuant to this section for failure to participate in the program or refusal to accept employment if:

(a) child care for a child under age thirteen (or day care for any incapacitated individual living in the same home as a dependent child) is necessary for an individual to participate or continue participation in activities pursuant to this title or accept employment and such care is not available and the social services district fails to provide such care;

(b) (1) the employment would result in the family of the participant experiencing a net loss of cash income; provided, however, a participant may not claim good cause under this paragraph if the social services district assures that the family will not experience a net loss of cash income by making a supplemental payment;

(2) net loss of cash income results if the family's gross income less necessary work-related expenses is less than the cash assistance the participant was receiving at the time the offer of employment is made; or

(c) the participant meets other grounds for good cause set forth by the department in its implementation plan for this title which, at a minimum, must describe what circumstances beyond the household's control will constitute "good cause". 7. The provisions of this section shall not apply to persons who are residents of a city having a population of one million or more people.