3515 Clearinghouse

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
SNAP Policy Manual

Policy Title:

Clearinghouse

Effective Date:

June 2026

Chapter:

3500

Policy Number:

3515

Previous MT Number(s):

MT-83

Updated or Reviewed in MT:

MT-87

​Codes and References

7 CFR § 272.8

​Requirements

Clearinghouse is an automatic online computer system through which wage and benefit information on applicants and recipients is matched with files in other state and federal agencies.

​Basic Considerations

Clearinghouse matches are performed with the following agencies and contain the following information:

  • Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) Wage Files – provides five quarters of employment history by employer name, employer number, and amount of wages earned.

    Information that appears on this wage file is one (1) quarter behind the current quarter.

  • Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) Employer Address Files – the work location and/or the address of the accounting office of the employer

  • Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) Unemployment Compensation Benefits (UCB) Files – the monthly UCB amounts for the most recent 13 months and a list of individual checks for the last ten weeks

  • Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) Unemployment Compensation Benefits (UCB) Claimant Address File – the address of each UCB recipient

  • BENDEX – RSDI benefit information on individuals who are current or past recipients of public assistance

  • State Data Exchange (SDX) – SSI benefit information

  • Department of Labor (DOL) W-4 Employer Reporting System New Hire Information Inquiry – the name and address of any new employer upon hiring, and the date of hire.

Clearinghouse files are accessed on any individual who is in active or pending status, and who may affect eligibility for benefits such as the following:

  • Applicants

  • Recipients

  • Disqualified individuals

  • Ineligible aliens

  • Sanctioned individuals

  • Ineligible students

  • Individuals whose presence in the AU is questionable

Consider UCB information received on a computer match as verified.

Clearinghouse is automatically accessed on pending or active AUs at the following times:

  • at registration

  • finalization of a new AU

  • reopening of an AU

  • in the month prior to the review month, when the AU is selected for review

  • if a primary SSN is changed

  • when adding a person to the AU as an interim change

​DOL Wage Quarters

DOL wage files are as follows:

  • 1st Quarter - January, February, March

  • 2nd Quarter – April, May, June

  • 3rd Quarter – July, August, September

  • 4th Quarter – October, November, December

​Addressing DOL Wage Files

DOL wage files are reviewed for individuals 16 and older at initial application, when an AU member is added, and at each renewal.

Review DOL wage files to determine:

  • if wages have been reported

  • if wages should be reported

  • if wages are correctly budgeted

  • if termination of employment is verified

​Procedures

Use Chart 3515.1 below to address DOL wages at initial application.

CHART 3515.1 - DOL WAGE CHART FOR INITIAL APPLICATION
IF THEN

Employment was prior to SNAP benefits,

Document wages received prior to SNAP benefits.

If employment has terminated within the last 30 days, verify terminated income and termination of employment. Refer to 3035 Verification.

Employment was reported,

Document employment was reported and correctly budgeted.

Employment was during receipt of SNAP benefits, over the SRR income limit, and was not reported,

Complete a fraud referral using the IPV Investigation module in Gateway.

Follow the steps below to address DOL wages at renewal.

  1. Review DOL wage data for all quarters available since the last application or renewal to determine what action is required

  2. If the AU member is still employed with a company that shows in more than one quarter, review the income to ensure what is showing in the budget is representative of what is being reported on the wage file.

  3. If employers are listed for the period being addressed (this may be the last quarter showing or the last two quarters), determine if the AU is currently employed.

    • If AU is currently employed, verify the wages of the employer(s) and budget the income ongoing.

    • If AU is no longer employed and the job is budgeted in Gateway, termination of employment must be verified, regardless of when the job ended, to remove the income.

If any terminated income will be counted in the new certification period, verification of that income is also required to determine the correct final month’s income.

  • If the job is shown in DOL and is not budgeted in Gateway, verify if the employment has terminated within the last 30 days. Verify terminated income and termination of employment Refer to 3035 Verification. If the job ended more than 30 days from the recertification month, the client’s statement is accepted.

4 . If employers are listed, but employment was not reported, and the income exceeds 130% of the gross income ceiling (GIC), determine if potential overpayments exist. If overpayments exist, complete a fraud referral in Gateway for all historical months that show pay on DOL over 130% of the GIC.