Batterton v. Francis

In Batterton v. Francis, 432 U.S. 416, 429 (1977), the Court upheld a regulation promulgated by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare affording the States discretion in the implementation of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) unemployed parent program. The challenged regulation allowed States to cover or exclude from coverage persons whose unemployment resulted from participation in a labor dispute or whose conduct would disqualify them for benefits under the State's compensation law. Noting that the AFDC program involved the "concept of cooperative federalism," id., at 431, we concluded that the Secretary had the authority to "recognize some local options in determining . . . eligibility," id., at 430.