Narrative: c.

How Workforce Activities Address Employment and Training Services

RI Works employment plans are comprised of a component and several activities associated with each component. Each activity is centered around building up the participant, providing coaching, long term goal setting, and barrier mitigation on that recipient’s pathway to a more stable future. Every employment plan is comprised of at least one component and one activity. All activities are focused on engaging that family with holistic services to provide a change in their family’s pathway to self-sufficiency. The five components in RI are organized to be step system to provide services for families so they can access training and work preparation. These components include: Supportive Services to help stabilize families in crisis with the goal of long term self-sufficiency; Teen and Family Development provides education services for parents under 20 year of age; Adult Education so parents can enter training or workforce services that have minimum education requirements; Vocational Training to provide specific trainings for parents in fields that are seeking employees; and Work Readiness which provides work experience and interview skills with a job search focus.

Non-Compliance with Work Requirements

All parents and caretaker relatives not specifically exempted are required to participate in appropriate work activities.  Failure to do so may result in a penalty, if good cause is not provided for the non-participation.  Current policy states:  During the first three (3) months of noncompliance with work requirements, the amount of cash assistance to which an otherwise eligible family is entitled shall be reduced by the portion of the family's benefit attributable to a parent who, without good cause, has failed to enter into an individual employment plan or has failed to comply with his or her individual employment plan; provided that the reduction shall be applied during the first three (3) months, whether or not consecutive, of such failure or non-compliance by the parent.

For a family size of two (2), the benefit reduction due to noncompliance with the employment plan shall be computed utilizing a family size of three (3), in which the parent's portion equals one hundred thirty-seven dollars ($137).

After three (3) months of noncompliance, the Department shall terminate cash assistance to a family if any parent in the family has failed, without good cause, to enter into an individual employment plan, or to comply with his or her individual employment plan and has been penalized for three (3) months, whether or not consecutive.

The penalty becomes effective on the next payroll date after the adverse action period.  The participant is notified of the penalty by a system-generated notice.

If the family's benefit has been reduced for less than three (3) months, whether or not consecutive, due to the parent's failure to enter into an individual employment plan or failure to comply with the terms of his or her individual employment plan, benefits shall be restored to the full amount beginning with the initial payment made on the first of the month following the month in which the parent (1) enters into an individual employment plan and demonstrates compliance with the terms thereof, or (2) demonstrates compliance with the terms of his or her existing individual employment plan, as such plan may be amended by agreement of the parent and the Department.

If the family's benefit has been terminated due to the failure by one or more parents to enter into an individual employment plan or failure to comply with the terms of his or her individual employment plan and has been penalized for  three (3) months, the family may re-apply for benefits and benefits shall be restored to the family in the full amount the family is otherwise entitled to under this chapter beginning on the first of the month following the month in which all parents in the family who are subject to the employment plan requirements (1) enter into an individual employment plan and demonstrate compliance with the terms thereof, or (2) demonstrate compliance with the terms of his or her existing individual employment plan, as such plan may be amended by agreement of the parent and the Department, i.e., the parent must sign a new Employment Plan, demonstrate compliance with the Plan for at least two (2) weeks, and continue to participate, for the penalty to be considered cured and the case accepted beginning with the first of the month following the month that she or he began to comply.