The provisions of this code relative to public social services for which state grants-in-aid are made to the counties shall be administered fairly to the end that all persons who are eligible and apply for such public social services shall receive the assistance to which they are entitled promptly, with due consideration for the needs of applicants and the safeguarding of public funds.
(a)
Any applicant for, or recipient or payee of, such public social services shall be informed as to the provisions of eligibility and his or her responsibility for reporting facts material to a correct determination of eligibility and grant.
(b)
Any applicant for, or recipient or payee of, such public social services shall be responsible for reporting accurately and completely within his or her competence those facts required of him or her pursuant to subdivision (a) and to report promptly any changes in those facts.
(c)
Current and future grants payable to an assistance unit may be reduced because of prior overpayments. In cases where the overpayment was caused by agency error, grant payments shall be reduced by 5 percent of the maximum aid payment of the assistance unit. Grant payments to be adjusted because of prior overpayments because of any other reason shall be reduced by 10 percent of the maximum aid payments for the assistance unit. A recipient may have an overpayment adjustment in excess of the amounts allowable under this section if the recipient requests it.
(d)
No determination of ineligibility shall be made retrospectively so as to result in an assessment of an overpayment in circumstances where there is a failure on the part of an applicant or recipient to perform an act constituting a condition of eligibility, if the failure is caused by an error made by a state agency or a county welfare department, and if the amount of the grant received by the applicant or recipient would not have been different had the act been performed.
(e)
Prior to effectuating any reduction of current grants to recover past overpayments, the recipient shall be advised of the proposed reduction and of his or her entitlement to a hearing on the propriety of the reduction.
(f)
If the department determines after a hearing that an overpayment has occurred, the county providing the public social services shall seek to recover in accordance with subdivision (c) the full amount of the overpayment to the assistance unit, including any amount paid while the hearing process was pending. Such adjustment shall be permitted concurrently with any suit for restitution, and recovery of overpayment by adjustment shall reduce by the amount of such recovery the extent of liability for restitution.
(g)
If the individual is no longer receiving aid under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) recovery of overpayments received under that chapter shall not be attempted where the outstanding overpayments are less than thirty-five dollars ($35). Where the overpayment amounts owed are thirty-five dollars ($35) or more, reasonable cost-effective efforts at collection shall be implemented. Reasonable efforts shall include notification of the amount of the overpayment and that repayment is required. The department shall define reasonable cost-effective collection methods. In cases involving fraud, every effort shall be made to collect the overpayments regardless of the amount.
(h)
If the individual responsible for the overpayment to the assistance unit is no longer eligible for public social services or if he or she becomes a member of another assistance unit, recoupment of overpayments shall be made against the individual or his or her present assistance unit, or both.
(i)
Where an overpayment has been made to an assistance unit which is no longer receiving public social services, recovery shall be made by appropriate action under state law against the income or resources of the individual responsible for the overpayment or against the family.
(j)
No civil or criminal action may be commenced against any person based on alleged unlawful application for or receipt of public social services, where the case record of such person has been destroyed after the expiration of the four-year retention period pursuant to Section 10851.
(k)
When an underpayment or denial of public social service occurs and as a result the applicant or recipient does not receive the amount to which he or she is entitled, the county shall provide public social services equal to the full amount of the underpayment unless prohibited by federal law. In cases that have both an underpayment and an overpayment, the underpayment shall be offset against the overpayment prior to correcting any remaining underpayment.
Any corrective payments made pursuant to this subdivision shall be disregarded in determining the income of the family and shall be disregarded in determining the resources of the family in the month the corrective payment is made and in the following month.
(l)
This subdivision shall be applicable only to applicants, recipients and payees under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9. Any suits to recover overpayments described in subdivision (f) shall be brought on behalf of the county by the county counsel unless the board of supervisors delegates such duty to the district attorney by ordinance or resolution.