Criminal Defense Lawyers

Grocery store usda violation Mesa

You Just Got Slapped With a SNAP Violation, Now What?

So, you run a grocery store, and you just got hit with a SNAP violation notice from the USDA, huh? Well, take a deep breath, because this is serious business, but we’re here to help you navigate these murky waters.Look, the USDA doesn’t mess around when it comes to SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps), and they have the power to disqualify your store from accepting those coveted EBT payments, permanently. Yep, you read that right, permanently, which could be a death sentence for your business.But, don’t panic just yet. We‘ve got your back, and we’re going to break this down step-by-step, so you know exactly what you’re dealing with and how to fight it.

Understanding the Charges

First things first, let’s take a look at what the USDA is accusing you of. SNAP violations generally fall into a few categories:

1. Trafficking: This is the big one, and it’s essentially exchanging SNAP benefits for cash or other non-food items. Think selling someone’s EBT card for money or letting them buy cigarettes with their benefits. Trafficking is a huge no-no and can lead to permanent disqualification.
2. Selling Ineligible Items: SNAP benefits can only be used for eligible food items, so if you’re caught selling things like alcohol, pet food, or household supplies in exchange for EBT payments, that’s a violation.
3. Improper Transactions: This could be anything from manually entering EBT card numbers (a red flag for potential fraud) to having an unusually high number of transactions from the same household in a short period of time.

Now, the USDA’s notice will likely have a bunch of attachments with transaction data and patterns that they believe constitute a violation. Don‘t worry if it looks like gibberish right now, we’ll help you make sense of it.

The Clock is Ticking

Here’s the thing, you only have 10 days to respond to the USDA’s charges, so time is of the essence. Fail to respond, and they’ll assume you’re guilty and disqualify you from the SNAP program, no questions asked.So, what do you do, if you get hit with one of these things? Well, the first step is to call us, the Spodek Law Group, because we’re the experts in handling SNAP violation cases nationwide. Trust me, you don’t want to go it alone against the USDA.

Building Your Defense

Once you’ve got us on your side, we’ll start building your defense, and let me tell you, it’s not as simple as saying, “Oops, my bad, won’t happen again.” Nope, the USDA wants to see a comprehensive compliance policy, proof that you trained your employees on SNAP rules, and a detailed explanation for every single transaction they‘ve flagged as suspicious.But, don‘t worry, we’ve got this. We’ll work with you to gather all the necessary documentation, conduct interviews with your staff, and craft a rock-solid defense that addresses each and every one of the USDA’s concerns.And, if it comes down to it, we’re not afraid to take your case all the way to an administrative hearing or even federal court. We’ve been doing this for years, and we know how to navigate the system and fight for your rights.

Prevention is Key

Of course, the best way to avoid SNAP violations in the first place is to have a comprehensive compliance policy and training program in place from the get-go. We can help you with that too, because let’s be real, the SNAP regulations are a tangled web of legalese that can make your head spin.But, with our guidance, you can ensure that your employees are up-to-date on all the rules and that your store is operating within the bounds of the law. It‘s like having a SNAP violation insurance policy, and trust me, it’s a lot cheaper than getting disqualified and losing out on all that EBT revenue.