American society has collectively determined that everyone who lives here should be able to get enough to eat each day. The process of making sure Americans are fed is done by many state and nationally funded programs. The single largest program that works to ensure American families do not go hungry is known as SNAP. This is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The goal of the program is to allow those who are temporarily facing fiscal hurdles to get the food they need from valid sources. Retailers all over the country have the option of working with snap. When doing so, it is imperative that the retail store owner and all those who work in the store understand what is required of them. Rules are set down by the federal government and state snap offices to make sure that the funds allotted to users are being used as intended at all times. You are not allowed to sell items like recycler bongs, or red wine.

Working With snap

Working with officials and recipients who use snap is a wonderful chance for retailers to provide a public service. Retailers are allowed to make a profit when they sell items to recipients. Given that millions of people in the United States will use snap at some point in life, the program can mean the difference between a full belly and facing hunger in a land of plenty. snap lets any person walk into the retailer and pay for the things they need to feed themselves and their family members. Retailers who accept snap payments agree to abide by the rules that have been set up to prevent fraud. Fraud can take many different forms. The perpetration of fraud can happen by the retailer or those who work for them. All store owners and managers are responsible for enforcing the laws that govern the use of SNAP payments.

If the rules are not followed, the fraud involved may be discovered by outside investigators. A retailer may be asked to show their books to inspectors. They are looking to see that all such requirements that govern this program are being observed by the retailer and all of their clients. This means that the retailer is only allowing certain items to be purchased such as food instead of tobacco. It also means that the retailer is closely monitored how snap is used. The recipient is only allowed to use the funds to buy food. They are not allowed to use the card in exchange for cash to buy something else. Retailers and their employees are not allowed to exchange money for the cards and then use those cards on their own. Such violations are considered grounds for SNAP suspension or even the possibility of ultimate disqualification.

The Consequences of SNAP Disqualification

Permanent disbarment from the program is actually quite rare. Officials want to work with retailers directly. They want locals to have the ability to shop for the food they need and are entitled to by law in a convenient location. At the same time, officials need to make sure that all use of these funds are used as intended. The goal of the program is to ensure that money raised from taxpayers is used via the rules that were set up in advance by Congress. They want to feed families and prevent hunger. When officials discover evidence of fraud, their goal is to ensure this does not happen again. With this in mind, the officials take every effort to work with retailers. They want retailers to serve the public as the program intends. They also want users to know what is allowed and what is forbidden.

There are a handful of things that can cause this issue. Retailers who are known to traffic in large amounts of snap cards or allow others to do so. The same is true of those who benefit from the funds personally or use them to buy firearms. A retailer who is charged with this issue may be told they can’t use the program. This can happen out of the blue with as little as ten day’s notice. In that case, the retailer is unable to accept any form of snap payment. They also cannot own a store where the store has EBT machines on site. Retailers are not allowed to manage the store or to work with employees who are involved in these transactions. This applies in the state where they do business. It also applies in any other state in the union where they might want to set up a business.

No Exceptions

The disqualification cannot be appealed. Once the decision is made, it is final. Those who are not allowed access to this program are also put on a list called the System for Awards Management disqualification list. This list is a serious penalty. If you are found quality of this issue, you will be put on the list automatically. Chances are you won’t be able to get work with companies that do business with the government. It can also impact your ability to get a job anywhere else as well as your overall credit rating. It is likely to show up when a company checks your background for a criminal background examination. This is why it important to hire a lawyer. You need to fight this with an expert. They’ll work with you to do all they can to avoid this problem