As used in this article:

“Able bodied adult” means a person between the ages of 18 and 49 years of age without dependents and who does not meet any of the exemptions set forth in §9-8-2(a) of this code.

“Applicant” or “recipient” means a person who is applying for, or currently receiving, public assistance in the State of West Virginia from the department.

“Department” means the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.

“Electronic benefit transfer” or “EBT” means any electronic system which allows the department to issue and track benefits via a magnetically encoded payment card.

“Good cause” means circumstances beyond the household’s control, including, but not limited to, illness, illness of another household member requiring the presence of the member, a household emergency, natural disaster, a declared state of emergency due to inclement weather, or the unavailability of transportation.

“Public assistance” means government benefits provided to qualifying individuals on the basis of need to provide basic necessities to individuals and their families. These shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

(A) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP;

(B) Medicaid; and

(C) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, or TANF.

“Secretary” means the Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.

“Work” or “working” means:

(A) Work in exchange for money;

(B) Work in exchange for goods or services (“in kind” work);

(C) Unpaid work, verified under standards established by the department in rule; or

(D) Any combination thereof.