Narrative: c.

As articulated in the federally-approved Work Verification Plan, Arkansas determines the appropriate number of hours of work participation for each parent and caretaker. The appropriate number of hours is based upon the development of the participant’s employment plan. Note: The approved Work Verification Plan may be viewed at: https://www.dws.arkansas.gov/temporary-assistance-for-needy-families/

Arkansas has implemented the following minimum number of hours of participation in work activities for Single Parent and Two-Parent Cases:

• Single Parent Cases - A single TANF/TEA participant must be engaged in work activities for a minimum of 30 hours per week.

• Two-Parent Cases - In two parent families, one parent must be engaged in a work activity for a minimum of 35 hours per week. If the second parent is not deferred, then both parents must be engaged in work activities - one for a minimum of 35 hours per week and the other for a minimum of 20 hours per week.

Once the employment plan has been developed, the case manager inputs this data into the state’s ANSWER system that opens the case. Case managers then obtain documentation of actual hours of participation and, upon verification, enter these hours into the state’s TANF Program IT System, called ANSWER.

The ANSWER System tracks the actual hours of participation entered for the required activities. In order to remain eligible to receive financial assistance, a participant must participate in the activities outlined in the employment plan for the required number of hours. ANSWER assists the case manager in recognizing the lack of sufficient hours entered via Exception Reports. These Exception Reports are generated monthly and contain those participants who have not participated in enough hours to comply with the federal requirements.

Work and Self-Sufficiency

As a condition of eligibility, parents, and other adult caretakers who are included as eligible family members, will be required to seek and accept employment unless they are unable to do so due to one or more of the criteria outlined in Section 5 (Exemptions/Deferrals). Minor parents are excluded from the employment requirement, however must be engaged in education or career and technical education.

Applicant Intake

During the initial interview with the applicant, information will be obtained regarding household and family employment circumstances. This information will be assessed and options or courses of action will be discussed with the applicant. The family may be diverted from assistance at this point through a Diversion Assistance payment (See Section 6.6 regarding Diversion).

Employability Assessment

The purpose of the employability assessment will be to determine the applicant’s abilities, talents, proficiencies/deficiencies, etc. The assessment is completed to determine the applicant’s ability to move into employment and may be done by an agency or organization other than DWS.

During the assessment, the DWS Workforce Specialist will present an orientation/overview of the program, gather pertinent information, and identify barriers that may prevent the applicant from becoming self-sufficient through employment. The DWS Workforce Specialist may also identify the following.

• • Family situation/circumstances
  • Employment history/work experience
  • Educational attainment/ literacy level/functional educational level
  • Skills
  • Interests
  • Supportive Service needs, if any.

NOTE: Participants who are identified as victims of domestic violence will be referred for appropriate services. Appropriate services may include but are not limited to:

Counseling, housing relocation assistance, referral to mental health, referral to prosecuting attorney and/or law enforcement and the DHS Division of Children and Family Services. The DWS Workforce Specialist will, where appropriate, use all available resources to help the victim of domestic violence receive timely/needed services.

Employment Plan

Information obtained during the assessment will be used to develop the Employment Plan and engage the participant in work or a work-related activity designed to move him/her into full-time employment in the shortest period of time.

The employment plan is a written document that specifies a planned series of actions necessary for the participant to accept full time employment. The plan will identify (1) the participant’s employment goals; (2) problems or impediments which may delay or adversely affect employment and what is needed to solve those problems; (3) the particular TEA work activity which is most appropriate for the participant; and (4) specific actions planned with, for, and by the participant in order to attain employment.

During the employment-planning interview, the DWS Workforce Specialist verifies, with the participant, the severity of any problems (i.e., poor/lack of housing, drug abuse, and domestic violence) and identifies actions required to alleviate them. Services will be limited to those necessary for the participant to accept employment.

Upon completion of the assessment process, the DWS Workforce Specialist may engage the participant in one or more of the following work activities: Employment (Unsubsidized or Subsidized); Education; Career and Technical Education; Job Skills Training; Job Search/Job Readiness; On-the-Job Training; Community Service, Work Experience Training and Micro-Enterprise (self-employment).

Work Activities

Arkansas defines its work activities in accordance with federal guidelines, as submitted in the State’s approved Work Verification Plan. The Work Verification Plan can be accessed by the public on the Arkansas Division of Workforce Services webpage at: https://www.dws.arkansas.gov/temporary-assistance-for-needy-families/

Employment

This activity is for participants who enter employment but are not yet self-sufficient. Employed participants may be involved in additional activities directed at increasing their earning potential. To the extent possible, program services for participants will be arranged so as not to conflict with the participant’s employment.

Employment may be either unsubsidized or subsidized.

Unsubsidized Employment

Unsubsidized employment is supervised full-time or part-time employment in the public or private sector with wages paid by the employer that are not supplemented by TANF or any other public program. The determination of whether or not employment is subsidized depends on whether the employer, rather than the participant, receives a direct subsidy. Self-employment and College Work Study are considered unsubsidized employment in Arkansas.

Subsidized Employment

Subsidized private sector employment is supervised employment in the private sector for which the employer receives a subsidy from TANF or other public funds to offset some or all of the wages and costs of employing a participant for an established trial period. It is agreed that at the end of the trial period, not to exceed six months, the subsidized employment may be in either the private sector or public sector. Such employment is directly supplemented by federal or state funds.

Subsidized public sector employment is defined as supervised employment in the public sector for which the employer receives a subsidy from TANF or other public funds to offset some or all of the wages and costs of employing a participant for an established trial period. It is agreed that at the end of the trial period, not to exceed six months, the employer is expected to retain the participant as a regular employee without receiving a subsidy.

In subsidized employment, both Private and Public, the participant must receive the same wages, benefits, and working conditions as other employees who are performing comparable work. The employer must meet or exceed Federal Minimum Wage requirements.

Education Directly Related to Employment

This activity is an educational program that is related to a specific occupation, job, or job offer. This includes courses designed to provide the knowledge and skills for specific occupations or work settings and includes English for Speakers of Other Languages and Basic Education. When it is a prerequisite for employment by an employer, this activity may include education leading to a GED or a high school equivalency diploma. Supervised time spent in study halls is included in the definition.

Career and Technical Education

Career and Technical Education (not to exceed 12 months with respect to any individual) is organized educational programs that are directly related to the preparation of individuals for employment in current or emerging occupations requiring training. Vocational Education does not include baccalaureate or advanced degrees.

Career and Technical Education must be provided by education or training organizations such as: vocational-technical schools, community colleges, postsecondary institutions, proprietary schools, non-profit organizations, and secondary schools that offer vocational education.

Job Skills Training

Job skills training is training or education for job skills required by an employer to provide an individual with the ability to obtain employment or to advance or adapt to the changing demands of the workplace.

Job skills training includes customized training that meets the needs of a specific employer, general training that prepares an individual for employment, and vocational education training that continues after the twelve-month time limit, if it fits in the definition of this activity.

Job Search and Job Readiness

Job search and job readiness is assistance in seeking or obtaining employment or the preparation for seeking or obtaining employment. Job search activities include making contact with potential employers, applying for vacancies, and interviewing for jobs. Job readiness activities include classes or workshops where participants can improve their employability skills. Participants learn techniques such as resume writing, workplace etiquette, interviewing, and life skills.

Job readiness activities also include substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment (including mental health treatment needed to address domestic violence), or rehabilitation activities for those who are otherwise employable.

Such treatment or therapy must be determined to be necessary and certified by a qualified medical or mental health professional or treatment provider.

On-the-Job Training

On-the-job training (OJT) is training in the public or private sector that is given to a paid employee while he or she is engaged in productive work and that provides knowledge and skills essential to the full and adequate performance of the job. On-the-job training differs from subsidized employment in that the OJT employer receives a subsidy to help with costs associated with training. “Supported work” for individuals with disabilities is considered OJT if onsite training is included.

Community Service

Community service is a structured program with activities designed to improve the employability of participants not otherwise able to obtain employment, and must be supervised on an ongoing basis no less frequently than daily.

Participation in Community Service enables participants with limited or no experience to learn valuable work habits and socialization skills that employers require of their workers. Community Service activities are performed with a government entity (city, county or state), or community and charitable organizations.

Work Experience

Work Experience is supervised unpaid work in a public-sector or private-sector setting that allows participants to develop employment/job skills and improve work habits through time-limited unsalaried job training at a clearly defined, well-supervised training site. The Work Experience definition includes Unpaid Internships. Unpaid Internships are short-term and usually part-time worksite learning assignments with a public or private organization that enhances the participant’s employability through skill building. The participant does not receive a wage.

Self-Employment

Self-employment is defined as income generated from working for one’s self rather than for others. The number of hours of self-employment counted towards participation is determined by calculating the participant’s gross income, minus business expenses, divided by the Federal Minimum Wage.

Satisfactory Attendance at Secondary School

As a condition of eligibility for TANF cash assistance, a teen parent who does not have a high school diploma or a GED will participate in this activity.

This activity is defined as high school attendance or participation in a GED preparation class.

Providing Childcare

This is a defined, structured activity whereby a participant provides unpaid childcare to enable another TANF participant to participate in a community service program. This activity does not include providing childcare to a TANF participant participating in any activity other than community service nor allows one parent in a two-parent family provide childcare for his or her own child while the other parent participates in community service.