Temporary Absence from MA - EAEDC

A client must live in Massachusetts to be eligible for EAEDC. Under certain circumstances, however, a client can be temporarily absent from Massachusetts for up to 60 calendar days when the client verifies the nature of the absence and his/her intention to return.

Allowable Temporary Absences

Temporary absences from Massachusetts are allowed for the following circumstances:

  • health
  • business
  • school
  • family commitments

A client must verify an allowable circumstance and the fact that it is temporary in nature. Once the verification is received, your supervisor must approve the temporary absence.

The following are acceptable verifications for temporary absence:

  • Health situation: verified by medical documentation
  • Business: verified by a short-term business contract
  • School: verified by school documents
  • Family commitments: one of the following documents, provided it bears the name and Massachusetts address of the client as proof he or she intends to return:
    • a current rent or mortgage receipt
    • a current utility bill
    • a current telephone bill, or
    • any other form of documentation that the supervisor determines verifies the continued residence or intent to retain residency

When a temporary absence situation is approved, you must record it on the Temporary Absence Page in the AU Composition Details workflow.  See the Temporary Absence Page for details on how to record absence information.  In addition, you should place a reminder of the end of the temporary absence period on your calendar on the BEACON Home page.

At the end of the client’s temporary absence period, generate an appointment letter from the Schedule Appointments page to review eligibility and request appropriate verifications, including current proof of residence.  Check to see if the client has an ADA accommodation prior to making any appointments.  If the client has an ADA accommodation, check the Accommodation Special Assistance Disposition page to determine the accommodation remedies.  If at least one of the remedies is:

  • Appointment Time Restrictions, or
  • Auxiliary Aids – ASL Interpreters, or
  • Coming to the DTA Office

make sure any appointment complies with the accommodation remedy. 

If the client does not appear for the appointment, initiate action to close the entire case by:

  1. going to the AU Composition Results page of the AU Composition Details workflow
  2. selecting the client by clicking the check box next to his or her name
  3. selecting the Reason category of Residency
  4. clicking the AU tab
  5. selecting the (closing) Reason of No longer MA resident
  6. clicking Save
  7. clicking Finish, and
  8. authorizing the closing on the Interview Wrapup page

Unallowable Temporary Absence

Absences that are never allowed:

An applicant or client is not eligible for EAEDC when s/he is:

  • a patient in a psychiatric institution
  • an inmate of a penal institution
  • absent from the U.S. and the absence is not an allowable temporary absence circumstance
  • permanently lives outside of Massachusetts, or
  • placed in a family foster care or group care facility by a department of the Commonwealth or a private agency

Related Topics

Temporary Absence Policy and Procedures

Last Update:  March 25, 2016