Common use of Engagement and Work Preparation Clause in Contracts

Engagement and Work Preparation. Section 3.1 Federal “Engaged in Work” Requirement (Reference 18 NYCRR 385.2 (f)) Section 3.2 Orientation (Reference 18 NYCRR 385.5) Section 3.3 Assessment and Employment Planning Temporary Assistance Assessment a. Check one of the following: b. Describe the local district procedure for the completion of an employment assessment: Applicants for assistance who are requesting exemption for disability, substance abuse, pregnancy within one month of due date, recent (within six months) birth, or the need to care for an incapacitated household member are assessed by job coaches stationed at the TA Intake office. All other applicants (i.e., those who are nonexempt, including 16- and 17-year-olds not in school) are assessed by job coaches at the JOBSplus! office within 90 days of eligibility, or within one year following application in the case of SN non-exempt singles. In most cases, the assessment for nonexempt applicants begins in the JOBSplus! Assessment Workshop, in which participants identify values, interests, and barriers. All assessments include a review of the individuals’ strengths and barriers in the context of employment. No specific screening tools are used to identify participants with potential disabilities. c. The district administrative unit or contractor responsible for conducting assessments is: JOBSplus! d. The qualifications of the employees conducting the assessment are at minimum: [Refer to requirements listed in 18 NYCRR 385.6(c) and 385.7(c)] Employees who provide assessment are professional-level (Job Coaches) who possess, at minimum, a baccalaureate degree or equivalent experience and one year professional level experience providing direct service to educationally and/or economically disadvantaged people in at least two of the following areas: intake, assessment, case management, job readiness/job search preparation, and post- employment follow-up services. e. Applicants in households with dependent children are required to participate in completion of an assessments: Yes No f. Applicants in households without dependent children are required to participate in completion of an assessments: Yes No g. Exempt adults in households without dependent children are required to participate in the completion of an assessment: Yes No (Reference 18 NYCRR 385.6(b) and 385.7(b))

Engagement and Work Preparation. Section 3.1 Federal “Engaged in Work” Requirement (Reference 18 NYCRR 385.2 (f)) Section 3.2 Orientation (Reference 18 NYCRR 385.5) Section 3.3 Assessment and Employment Planning Temporary Assistance Assessment a. Check one of the following: b. Describe the local district procedure for the completion of an employment assessment: Applicants for assistance who are requesting exemption for disability, substance abuse, pregnancy within one month of due date, recent (within six months) birth, or the need to care for an incapacitated household member are assessed by job coaches stationed at the TA Intake office. All other applicants (i.e., those who are nonexempt, including 16- and 17-year-olds not in school) are assessed by job coaches at the JOBSplus! office within 90 days of eligibility, or within one year following application in the case of SN non-exempt singles. In most cases, the assessment for nonexempt applicants begins in the JOBSplus! Assessment Workshop, in which participants identify values, interests, and barriers. All assessments include a review of the individuals’ strengths and barriers in the context of employment. No specific screening tools are used to identify participants with potential potentail disabilities. c. The district administrative unit or contractor responsible for conducting assessments is: JOBSplus! d. The qualifications of the employees conducting the assessment are at minimum: [Refer to requirements listed in 18 NYCRR 385.6(c) and 385.7(c)] Employees who provide assessment are professional-level (Job Coaches) who possess, at minimum, a baccalaureate degree or equivalent experience and one year professional level experience providing direct service to educationally and/or economically disadvantaged people in at least two of the following areas: intake, assessment, case management, job readiness/job search preparation, and post- employment follow-up services. e. Applicants in households with dependent children are required to participate in completion of an assessmentsparticipate: Yes No f. Applicants in households without dependent withoutdependent children are required to participate in completion of an assessments: Yes No g. Exempt adults in households without dependent children are required to participate in the completion of an assessmentparticipate: Yes No (Reference 18 NYCRR 385.6(b) and 385.7(b))

Engagement and Work Preparation. Section 3.1 Federal “Engaged in Work” Requirement (Reference 18 NYCRR 385.2 (f)) Section 3.2 Orientation (Reference 18 NYCRR 385.5) Section 3.3 Assessment and Employment Planning Temporary Assistance TA Assessment a. Check one of The district conducts assessments as required by 18 NYCRR 385.6(a) and 385.7(a): The district enters assessments directly into WTWCMS The district uses the followingLDSS 4980 (New York State Assessment) and later enters information into WTWCMS. The district conducts assessments using a local equivalent tool, and later enters information into WTWCMS. Attached is the local equivalent. The local equivalent does not contain additional elements other than what is required. The local equivalent does contain additional elements beyond what is required, listed below: b. Describe the local district procedure for the completion of an employment assessment: Applicants for assistance who are requesting exemption for disability, substance abuse, pregnancy within one month of due date, recent (within six months) birth, or the need to care for an incapacitated household member are assessed by job coaches stationed at with the TA Intake office. All other applicants (i.e., those who are nonexempt, including 16- and 17-year-olds not in school) are assessed by job coaches at the JOBSplus! office within 90 days of eligibility, or within one year following application in the case of SN non-exempt singles. In most cases, the assessment for nonexempt non-exempt applicants begins in the JOBSplus! Job Search/Assessment Workshop, in which participants identify values, interests, and barriers. All assessments include a review of the individuals’ strengths and barriers in the context of employment. No specific screening tools are used to identify participants with potential disabilitiesdisability. c. The district administrative unit or contractor responsible for conducting assessments is: JOBSplus! d. The qualifications of the employees conducting the assessment are at minimum: [Refer to requirements listed in 18 NYCRR 385.6(c) and 385.7(c)] Employees who provide assessment are professional-level (Job Coaches) who possess, at minimum, a baccalaureate degree or equivalent experience and one year professional level experience providing direct service to educationally and/or economically disadvantaged people in at least two of the following areas: intake, assessment, case management, job readiness/job search preparation, and post- post-employment follow-up services. e. Applicants in households with dependent children are required to participate in completion of an assessmentsassessment: Yes No f. Applicants in households without dependent children are required to participate in completion of an assessmentsassessment: Yes No g. Exempt adults in households without dependent children are required to participate in the completion of an assessment: Yes No No h. How often and under what circumstances is the assessment updated? Applicants for assistance who are requesting exemption for disability, substance abuse, pregnancy within one month of due date, recent (within six months) birth, or the need to care for an incapacitated household member are re-assessed by job coaches stationed at the TA Intake office at each new application, unless the assessment had been completed within the previous 30 days. Recipients are reassessed (i.e., those who are nonexempt, including 16 and 17-year- olds not in school) by job coaches at the JOBSplus! office at each change in employability status, (for example, from exempt to non-exempt) change in team assignment, or whenever there are changes in the individual's curcumstances. At minimum, assessments are updated yearly. (Reference 18 NYCRR 385.6(b385.6 and 385.7) a. Check one of the following: The district develops individual employment plans as required by 18 NYCRR 385.6(a) and 385.7(b385.7(a): The district enters employment plans directly into WTWCMS. The district uses the LDSS 4978 (New York State Employment Plan) and later enters information into WTWCMS. The district develops individual employment plans using a local equivalent tool and later enters information into WTWCMS. Attached is the local equivalent. The local equivalent does not contain additional elements other than what is required. The local equivalent does contain additional elements beyond what is required, listed below: The types of jobs (and local employers who have them) that the participant will apply for b. Check one of the following: The same administrative unit or contractor that conducts employment assessments also develops employment plans. A different district administrative unit or contractor develops employment plans, and their qualifications include c. Describe the district procedure for the completion of an individual’s employment plan. Employment plans are completed with the cooperation of the client at the time of assessment. d. How often and under what circumstances is the employment plan updated? The employment plan is updated with the cooperation of the client as the client reaches goals outlined in the plan, or if there is any change in planned activity, client curcumstances or if there is a change in employability status (non-exempt to exempt for example). Section 3.4 Participation Rates and Work Activities (Reference 18 NYCRR 385.8 and 385.9) a. Describe below how the district plans to meet federal and State TA participation rate requirements. Included is the weekly hours standard participation requirement for individuals in the different case and household types, along with the typical time period it takes for nonexempt individuals to be engaged in activities for both newly opened cases and individuals who status changed from exempt to nonexempt. Information regarding engaging exempt individuals is entered in Section 6: Everyone, to the extent each is medically able, will be enrolled in up to 35 hours of activity/week, including, whenever possible, at minimum, the requisite number of hours of countable activity as defined under federal and state legislation. Anyone who is employed less than 35 hours/week will be required to participate in additional activity to total up to 35 hours/week whenever possible. Those with children under the age of six may be required to participate in less than 35 hours/week, but always, when possible, in a sufficient number of hours to be countable. The weekly standard of 35 hours is used as it matches the local county’s work week. A recipient who provides child care for another parent and who receives less than the hourly minimum wage in payment will be required to participate in 35 hours of activity each week, not including the hours of provision of child care. However, two weeks will be allowed to the recipient to give notice to the parents of the child(xxx) receiving the care; additional time may be permitted as determined by the district based on case circumstances. 100% attendance is required in all activities, including work experience, job readiness training, vocational training, and all other assigned activity. Absences may be excused if they are documented as being due to emergency medical, dental, or psychiatric/social work appointments; illness; pre-approved non-emergency medical, dental, psychiatric/social work, or attorney appointments; court appearances; temporary assistance recertifications or fair hearings; short-term childcare interruptions; death in family; serious illness in family; short-term transportation problems; job interview; temporary site closings; other pre-approved absences for mandatory appointments with Section 8, Children’s Division, HEAP, WIC, Probation, etc.; and adverse weather conditions. Recipients without dependents who are aged 19 and older and who are in high school or other educational training may also be assigned to work experience (which will not conflict with school hours) unless engaged in 10 or more hours of paid employment. Recipients with dependent children who are aged 20 or older and who are in high school or other educational training may also be assigned to work experience (which will not conflict with school hours) unless engaged in 10 or more hours of paid employment. Recipients who are on an employment sanction will not be authorized to provide child care to other recipients who are engaged in work activities unless provided financial compensation equal to at least minimum wage per hour. Safety Net recipients will participate in maximum work experience hours as determined by dividing the temporary assistance grant plus SNAP grant by the higher of federal or state minimum wage (unless medically limited) based on availabilty of sites. All Safety Net recipients must also participate in other activities, including job search, job readiness training, or secondary school for a total of 35 hours/week. Vocational training may be approved per Section 3.6 below. Individuals in single-parent families in receipt of Safety Net Assistance due to having received 60 months of cash assistance may participate in the same work activities, subject to district approval and district participation rate needs, as single-parent TANF families All two-parent family adults (whether in receipt of TANF or Safety Net Assistance) must participate in full-time activity (35 hours) unless subject to medical limitations. If assigned to work experience, they will be assigned to up to the maximum number of hours as determined by dividing the temporary assistance grant plus SNAP grant by the higher of federal or state minimum wage. Applicants may be assigned to any of the activities enumerated in the chart following. Whenever possible, all non-exempt FA, SN, and SN Family individuals are engaged in activity on the day of case opening. Those individuals whose status changes to non-exempt are engaged within one month whenever possible . b. Estimate the number of individuals expected to receive employment services: Households with Dependent Children Average Monthly Households without Dependent Children Average Monthly Individuals 2497 2905 c. Describe below how the district uses work participation management reports available through COGNOS or other reports and activities to monitor district progress toward meeting work participation requirements and ensuring full engagement by adults in work or work preparation activities: CMS/WRTS data is downloaded via COGNOS into an Access database and combined with information from an internal database to yield a variety of reports, including: entered employments by team, case type, and staff person; average wage at placement, top placement sites, and number of new vs. repeat placements; for each case type, number of persons assigned each employability code, number of persons not counting and for how long; a breakdown of both the numerator and denominator, including the reasons persons did not count for participation rate and how long they have not counted; changes in the caseload, including openings and closings over time, assessments past due and due within 30 days. Our internal data is compared to the COGNOS reports issued by the State to verify and correct programming errors. Reporting is the primary responsibility of the Program Information/Evaluation Coordinator but in addition, each supervisor is trained in COGNOS reporting, and will create individual reports based on work or team assignment. d. Describe the extent to which the district requires Non-Temporary Assistance Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (NTA SNAP) recipients to participate in SNAP E&T work activities. If the district is offering Supervised Job Search as an E&T activity component, the district must describe how the job search activity will be supervised and tracked, including the frequency of monitoring the participant’s job search efforts. (Please note: Case management services must be provided to all participants enrolled in an E&T activity): The district makes job search available as a SNAP E&T work activity to NTA SNAP applicants and recipients. Job Search assistance is offered at application and recertification. Work-required NTA SNAP recipients are provided with a letter of invitation to attend job search workshops at which they are offered assistance with job search activities. Onondaga County is currently eligible for a ABAWD waiver for calendar year 2019. If the county should become ineligible for the full county waiver, Onondaga County will offer activities sufficient to meet SNAP eligibility requirements for ABAWD individuals. Temporary Assistance and JOBSplus! staff will jointly share in identifying ABAWDs and ensuring they are aware of the requirement and how to satisfy eligibility requirements or establish exemption or exclusion. ABAWD requirements are explained at application, recertification and whenever the ABAWD status changes. If the district is not mandating SNAP E&T work activity assignments, please describe how NTA SNAP work registrants are informed of the services available, upon request, for assistance with job search activities. (Please note: At a minimum, districts are required to make available job search as a SNAP E&T activity to NTA SNAP applicants and recipients): See above. e. Describe the district procedure for Job Search, including the required number of job search contacts and hours per week assigned. Also include a description of how often individuals are generally required to report job search outcomes and if activities other than job search are routinely expected: 1. The district assigns TA applicants to Job Search. Yes No If yes, the process for engaging TA applicants is: Non-exempt applicants in households with children are required to report to JOBSplus! within one week of application. At that time, applicants where the head of household 25 or older, are assigned to weekly job search for up to four weeks. Applicants with a head of household under 25 years old are assigned to a GOALS assessment workshop prior to being assigned to job search. In general, applicants may be assigned to up to 35 hours of job search per week, which will be conducted in groups as well as individually. This job search activity includes elements of the approved definition of job search and assessment activities. Applicants are generally required to make up to 15 employer contacts/week up to 35 hours. They will report no less than weekly, with the job searches they completed the previous day/week. Employed applicants may also be assigned to job search if needed to increase hours of employment or wage rate. The number of hours of job search will depend on the employment hours. The number of employer contacts generally required in this case will depend on the time available to engage in job search. Non-exempt Safety Net applicants without dependents are required to participate in job search during the application phase. They will report daily, no less than bi- weekly, with the job searches they completed the previous day/week/every two weeks. Applicants are generally required to make up to 15 employer contacts/week up to 35 hours. Other than attending job search groups as assigned, no other activity is assigned to Safety Net applicants without children. In all job search assignments, the district will adhere to HHS and State requirements in documenting that the number and type of contacts is reasonable for the amount of time assigned. Travel time between potential employers will be included in this determination. When assigned to job search, current job leads matching jobseekers' work abilities and skills are regularly provided.