Narrative: c.

• Work participation services will include, but are not limited to:
  • Development of service/employability plan;
  • Job readiness workshop activities;
  • Skills training;
  • Job Search assistance;
  • Vocational skill assessments;
  • Authorization of work related expenses and/or transportation expenses;
  • Assistance with locating child care providers;
  • Job development; and
  • Development of work experience and transitional job opportunities.
• Unless expressly provided in the plan, a parent or caretaker receiving assistance must engage in work activities. The purpose of work participation services is to provide the necessary services and supports to assist Temporary Assistant recipients to be successful in obtaining employment that will lead to self-sufficiency.
• The following individuals, if eligible for assistance, are exempt from participating in work activities but may voluntarily participate:
  • An individual claiming or receiving permanent and total disability and who has applied for or is receiving Old Age Survivor’s and Disability Insurance (OASDI) benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, or employer-sponsored disability insurance.
  • Caretaker-payees sixty (60) years of age or older.
  • Individuals who are needed in the home to care for a disabled individual in their household who has a physical or mental handicap.
  • A single custodial parent caring for a child who has not attained twelve (12) weeks of age. A referral is sent to the provider to contact the client to determine if they want to volunteer.

EXCLUSIONS FROM WORK ACTIVITIES

• Individuals, if eligible for assistance, may be temporarily excluded from participating in work activities if they are victims of domestic violence; temporarily disabled; lack transportation or child care; or if they actively participate with a Children's Division plan.

GOOD CAUSE FOR NOT PARTICIPATING IN A MWA WORK ACTIVITY

• If an individual in a family subject to work participation requirements fails to cooperate in developing the IEP, without good cause fails to comply with the IEP, or without good cause refuses to engage in a required work activity, the Family Support Division shall reduce the amount of assistance otherwise payable to the family by fifty (50%), if non- compliance continues a full family sanction is imposed.
• The following constitute good cause for failure to participate or accept employment:
  • The employment would result in the family of the recipient experiencing a net loss of cash income. Net loss of cash income results if the family’s gross income less necessary work-related expenses is less than the cash assistance the individual was receiving when the offer of employment was made. Gross income includes, but is not limited to, earnings, unearned income, and cash assistance;
  • Court-required appearance or incarceration;
  • Emergency family crisis that renders participation unreasonable;
  • Breakdown in transportation arrangements with no readily accessible alternative means of transportation;
  • Breakdown in child care arrangements or availability of child care not suited for special needs of the child for whom it is intended; or
  • Lack of identified social services necessary for participation and set forth in the IEP.
• If the individual is a single custodial parent caring for a child under age six and if the individual has demonstrated the inability to work as determined by the Family Support, the Family Support Division shall not reduce assistance because of the individual’s refusal to engage in required work because of one or more of the following reasons:
  • Unavailability of appropriate child care within reasonable distance from the individual’s home or work site;
  • Unavailability or unsuitability of informal child care by a relative or under other arrangements; or
  • Unavailability of appropriate and affordable child care arrangements.
• If the Division determines after an investigation that a participant is not cooperating with a work participation activity requirement, the Division shall schedule a meeting with the participant to explain the potential sanctions and the requirements to end the sanction.
• The participant shall be given at least ten (10) business days’ notice from the date of mailing of the meeting notice of the date, time and Location (including virtual) designated by Division for the participant to appear. If the participant is unable to attend the meeting, the participant must contact the Division to reschedule the meeting prior to the scheduled meeting to request an alternative meeting date, time or place. The meeting must occur prior to or during the same calendar week as the original meeting, unless good cause exists.
• The participant shall have six (6) weeks from the first business day of the week following the meeting to comply with the work participation activity requirements as required by Division. The participant’s TA benefits shall not be sanctioned during the six (6) week period.
• If the participant fails to appear for the scheduled meeting they shall have six (6) weeks from the first business day of the week following the most recent scheduled meeting with Division to comply with the work participation activity requirements. The participant’s TA benefits are not sanctioned during the six (6) week period. This six (6) week period is the conciliation period.
• If the participant does not comply with the work participation activity requirements during the six (6) week period the Division shall apply a sanction terminating fifty (50) percent of the full amount of TA benefit to the participant and the participant’s family for a period of no more than ten (10) weeks.
• During this ten week period the participant shall remain in sanction status. To end the sanction the participant shall perform work participation activities for a minimum average of thirty (30) hours per week for four consecutive (4) weeks.
• Failure to complete these requirements will result in the participant’s TA case being closed.