An issue has been identified affecting the variable indicating the reason the spell ended for SNAP receipt.  The reason the spell ended variable applies to SNAP spells that ended between January and December, inclusive.  EFSERSN1 and EFSERSN2 are not collected for spells that ended after the reference year. EFSERSN1 holds the value for the first reason indicated, and EFSERSN2 holds the value of the second reason indicated, and EFSERSN2 is optional.

When the last recorded month of a spell falls in any month between January and November (EFS_EMONTH in (1:11)) there should be a value between 1 and 7 for EFSERSN1.  When the last recorded month of a spell falls in December (EFS_EMONTH=12), if RFS_CONTFLG=1 that indicates that December was the end of the spell.  In that case, there should be a value between 1 and 7 for EFSERSN1.

206 person-months have been identified where either EFS_EMONTH in (1:11) or (EFS_EMONTH=12 and RFS_CONTFLG=1), but EFSRERSN1=N, instead of a value between 1 and 7.  In these cases, AFSERSN1=0, where it should be equal to 1.  We are investigating this inconsistency. 

EFSERSN2 and AFSERSN2 are not affected by this issue.

SUGGESTED INTERIM ACTION-We suggest data users using the EFSRERSN1 and AFSERSN1 variables consider dropping those observations where EFS_EMONTH in (1:11) or (EFS_EMONTH=12 and RFS_CONTFLG=1), but EFSRERSN1=N.  

A second issue has been identified affecting the variable indicating the reason the spell ended for SNAP receipt.

As discussed above, the reason the spell ended variable applies to SNAP spells that ended between January and December, inclusive.  EFSERSN1 and EFSERSN2 are not collected for spells that ended after the reference year.    When the last month of the spell is December (EFS_EMONTH=12), if the continuation flag is 2 or 3, that indicates that the spell ended after the reference year, or that the spell is on-going at the time of the interview (RFS_CONTFLG in (2,3)).  In this case, there is no valid value for EFSERSN1, nor for EFSERSN2, and both should be set to N. 

1313 person-months have been identified where EFS_EMONTH=12, RFS_CONTFLG=(2 or 3), and EFSERSN1 is not equal to N, although it should be. 

In 49 of those records, EFSERSN2 is not equal to N, although it should be.  We are investigating this inconsistency. 

SUGGESTED INTERIM ACTION-We suggest data users using the EFSERSN1 and AFSERSN1 variables set these 1313 person-month records to N and 0, respectively.  We suggest data users using the EFSERSN2 and AFSERSN2 variables set these 49 person-month records to N and 0, respectively.