3310 Primary Work Components - In order to meet federal work participation requirements, households need to meet at least 30 hours of participation per week, at least 20 hours of which need to be primary and at least 10 hours may be secondary components. The following components meet federal definitions of primary hours of participation. They count toward the first 20 hours for one-parent families and 50 hours for two-parent families per week to meet the federal work participation requirement:

 

NOTE: Single parent families with a child under age 6 meet the federal work participation requirement if the parent is engaged in primary work component(s) for 20 hours per week.

 

3310.1 Unsubsidized Employment (EMP) - TAF Only - The following activities are considered Employment for federal reporting purposes:

 

 

Documentation Requirement: Projected 6 months in advance based on actual hours.

 

3310.2 Subsidized Private Employment (SPR) - TAF Only - Employment in the Private Sector is considered subsidized employment when the participant is paid wages and the same benefits as a non-subsidized employee and the private sector employer receives a subsidy from TANF or other public funds to offset some or all of the wages and costs of employing a recipient.

 

The following models are considered subsidized private employment:

 

 

Documentation Requirement: Projected 6 months in advance based on actual hours.

 

3310.3 Subsidized Public Employment (SPB) - TAF Only- Employment in the Public Sector is considered subsidized employment when the participant is paid wages and the same benefits as a non-subsidized employee and the public sector employer receives a subsidy from TANF or other public funds to offset some or all of the wages and costs of employing a recipient.

 

The following models are considered subsidized public employment:

 

 

Documentation Requirement: Projected 6 months in advance based on actual hours.

 

3310.4 Work Experience (WXN) - TAF (and FS in Designated Counties) - This component will allow the client an opportunity to develop a current work history and establish references for employment seeking efforts. Work experience can also increase the client's self-esteem and self-confidence. Evaluations of the work experience assignment will benefit the worker in identifying strengths and weaknesses that affect the client's employability.

 

  1. Work Site Selection - Work sites can be developed with public and private nonprofit or for profit organizations. The Cooperative Work Site Agreement form, ES-4104, Rev. 10-99, and the ES-4104.1 Addendum will be used to validate the partnership between the work site and SRS to provide work experience opportunities for program clients. The ES-4104 does not contain an expiration date. Either party may give a 30-day written notice to terminate the agreement. Work sites should be developed with the ultimate goal of the site hiring the client after the satisfactory completion of the work experience assignment. In situations in which the work site has no current opening for unsubsidized employment, work site staff should be willing to make every effort to assist the client in obtaining unsubsidized employment in other businesses within the community.

    Nonprofit organizations are required to provide verification of tax exempt status (501c3) which will be attached to the ES-4104.

    Work sites developed and/or monitored by a contracted employment service provider need to have an ES 4104 established.

    It should be explained to the work site during the recruitment process that not every assigned client will have developed quality work habits such as satisfactory time and attendance, grooming skills etc. The agency will provide expectations and information about how to be a good employee to the client before they start the work experience assignment. These skills will be reinforced during the work site placement and will promote job retention once the client becomes employed.
     

  1. Security Clearances - Some Work Experience work sites may require a security/background clearance. If the work site requires a security/background clearance, it is the responsibility of the site to obtain this clearance. SRS may provide information to the site on how to obtain clearances.
     

  2. Work Site Assignments - In making work site assignments, workers will take into consideration, the individual's job skills, prior work experience or training, and occupational goals. Physical proximity to the work site will also be considered to reduce transportation barriers and costs.

    The site should have the opportunity to interview the client for the Work Experience position. The client should discuss goals and expectations with the site supervisor to assure that appropriate work experiences are available to meet the client's needs.

    The work site assignment hours will be tied to the household's monthly amount of cash benefit and FS benefit. To determine the maximum number of assignment hours for the month, the total assistance benefit amount plus the FS benefit is divided by the Federal minimum wage. The cash benefit amount before any recoupments should be used and can be obtained from either the Cash Assistance Issuance History (CAIN) KAECSES screen for the current month or the Cash Assistance Benefit History KAECSES screen for the upcoming months amount. The FS benefit can be obtained from either the FS Issuance History (FSIH) KAECESES screen or the FS Benefit History (FSBH) KAECSES screen. The latest known benefit amount shall be used to determine the number of assigned hours. The total number of hours for the month shall be divided by 4.3 to determine the number of scheduled hours per week to be entered on the KSCares SESP screen.

    NOTE: Individuals who participate for the number of hours based on the cash and FS benefits are deemed to meet the primary work component requirement.


In using this formula, if the work experience assignment hours are less than the required number needed to meet federal participation requirements, assignment to an additional component(s) may be made. Assignment hours should also be reviewed in regard to assuring clients are assigned an appropriate number of hours of component activity. If the work experience assignment hours based on the formula exceed 30 hours per week, the worker and client should plan the number of hours to best address the individual situation. Work experience assignments in two-parent households should consider the family situation.
 

The number of assigned hours per week will be provided in writing to the client and the work site before the first day of the assignment. The work site will determine the scheduling in regard to days and hours to be worked during the week. Workers may assist in the scheduling if requested by the work site or client.
 

If a customer chooses to volunteer for additional hours at a work site, the volunteer hours are not considered part of the Work Experience assignment and there is no comparable coverage provided by SRS in the event the customer is injured while volunteering at the work site.
 

The work site is to provide supervision of clients in accordance with the company's established policies and procedures for orientation, safety training, absenteeism, disciplinary measures, and termination.
 

Work site personnel policies and procedures related to these topics will be discussed and/or provided in writing by the work site to the client on the first day of the assignment.


In the event that a client has been referred to the work site for an assignment and, for substantial reasons, such person is believed to be unsuitable, the work site must report to the designated staff immediately.
 

The worker will contact the work site within the first week of assignment to answer any questions the client or supervisor may have regarding the assignment. The client and work site must be notified in advance of any change in the number of assigned hours.
 

The work site may reschedule missed hours during that same month when the client has been excused or is absent because of good cause. For clarification, it should be noted that days missed due to the work site scheduled holidays, inclement weather or closure of the work site for other reasons shall be considered good cause and completion of the work assignment for the month.

It is recommended, if problems arise, the work site will notify the worker to assist in resolving the problem.
 

Work sites will provide the agency with an attendance report and a performance evaluation every month. The worker will review these reports; if any problems are noted in the report, a contact with the client and/or the work site will be made. The ES-4322, Community Service/Work Experience Assignment and Site Report, is to be used to document the actual hours of participation.
 

The Local SRS Office will notify the work site when a client will no longer be assigned to the site.

Assignments in the work experience component should be reviewed every 6 months minimally. It may be determined at any time that another component or an additional concurrent component assignment would better enable the client to achieve the employment goal.
 

  1. Work Experience Clients Rights - Work related expenses, such as transportation from a central location to the work site or tools and supplies necessary for the client to perform assigned tasks at the work site, are to be furnished by the work site unless other arrangements have been approved by the local office.The work site is to maintain reasonable work conditions which are not in violation of federal, state, or local health and safety standards.

 

Clients may not be involved in political, electoral, sectarian or partisan activities. Non-sectarian are those activities offered by a religious organization to the community at large and such programs do not involve religion, e.g., child care, recreational, congregate meal activities, or services provided such as janitorial or lawn care.
 

The work may shall not discriminate against any person assigned to the work site. (See 1211.8).

 

  1. Work Site Injury Requirements - Prior to the first day of the work site assignment, Work Experience clients and site supervisors must be informed of the policy and procedures to follow in the event of an injury occurring at the work site.

    Anytime a client is injured while completing the work site assignment. The site must notify the worker immediately. The worker should gather basic information regarding the injury, such as the date, time, account of how the injury occurred, a general description of the injury and the name and address of the medical provider and/or treatment facility. Area staff should immediately report the work site injury occurrence to EES Central Office. A written summary of the injury may be requested. Written information should be sent to EES, 915 Harrison, Room 681-W, Topeka, Kansas 66612-1570.

 

If the work site is not providing Workers Compensation or comparable coverage, SRS will provide the comparable coverage for services related to a work site injury.
 

Medicaid funds will be used to pay for the needed medical care. If the injury requires emergency care, the emergency medical services are paid in the usual way with providers sending claims to the fiscal agent. If the injury is not an emergency, the Work Experience client must choose a medical provider who will treat the patient and coordinate other medical care. If the Work Experience client is on lock-in or in a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), the lock-in physician or health care case manager must be used to coordinate medical services and in non-life threatening emergency situations, the health care case manager should be notified.
 

Services in excess of the Medicaid limitations are paid from the local office administrative funds. Payment for the excess costs are to be paid only if the primary medical provider provides the services or coordinates a referral to another provider.
 

Injured clients are exempt from co-pay for medical services for injuries occurring at the work site. The local office is responsible for sending written notice of this policy to the medical provider. The local office shall also provide written notification to the medical provider that payment for the services in excess of the Medicaid limitations will be made since the injury occurred during a work site assignment. If the client fails to use the chosen provider, lock-in physician or health care case manager, the client is responsible for payment.
 

Claims for medical services provided to injured work experience clients should be sent by the provider to the fiscal agent for payment. If payment is denied for exceeding Medical limitations, the provider sends the remittance advice which verifies denial to the local office. The claim is then paid by the local office as an administrative expense.
 

NOTE: Payment may not be made from the clients' Special Services Allowance.

If a client sustains a work site injury that requires payment for items other than medical expenses, Form EP-4411, Claim for Comparable Coverage, shall be utilized to request the comparable coverage. SRS will use the Worker's Compensation statutes as a guide to provide compensation. For example, the worker's compensation statutes define scheduled injuries, which include injuries such as the loss of a thumb or finger, or the loss of an eye. Scheduled injuries are compensated using a formula that uses wages and a payment schedule for the specific type of injury.
 

 

Refer to Appendix Item #E-9 for Procedural/Best Practice Information.

 

Supervision Requirement: Daily

 

Documentation Requirement: Monthly.

 

3310.5 On-the-Job Training (OJT) - TAF Only - OJT is public or private sector training that provides knowledge and skills essential to job performance of subsidized or unsubsidized employees while they are engaged in productive work. There is an expectation that the employer will retain the participant as a regular employee after the training.

 

The following are considered OJT for federal work participation reporting:

 

 

NOTE: OJT should be the activity on SESP rather than EMP (Employment). WOHI should be completed for individuals in OJT.

 

Supervision Requirement: Daily

 

Documentation Requirement: Projected 6 months in advance based on actual hours. Job Retention Case Management will be documented monthly based upon the provider billing.

 

3310.6 Supervised Community Service Program (SRV) - TAF Only - This component provides for individual’s performing work for the direct benefit of the community under the structure and supervision of public or nonprofit organizations. These programs must serve a useful community purpose and must be designed to improve the employability of the client.

 

The ES-4105 (Rev. 02-07) and the ES-4105.1, Cooperative Community Service Program Agreement Addendum, will be used to validate the partnership between the work site and SRS to provide community service opportunities for SRS customers. These documents do not contain an expiration date.

 

Non profit status may be verified by documentation of tax exempt status (501c3) or State of Kansas not-for-profit status.

 

Worksites developed and/or monitored by a contracted employment service provider need to have an ES-4105 established.

 

Prior training, experience and skills of the individual need to be considered in making appropriate community service assignments.

 

The Community Service site assignment hours will be tied to the household’s monthly amount of cash benefit and FS benefit. To determine the maximum number of assignment hours for the month, the total cash assistance benefit amount plus the FS benefit is divided by the Federal minimum wage. The cash benefit amount before any recoupments should be used and can be obtained from either the Cash Assistance Issuance History (CAIN) KAECSES screen for the current month or the Cash Assistance Benefit History KAECSES screen for the upcoming months amount. The FS benefit can be obtained from either the FS Issuance History (FSIH) KAECSES screen or the FS Benefit HIstory (FSBH) KAECSES screen. The latest known benefit shall be used to determine the number of assigned hours. The total number of hours for the month shall be divided by 4.3 to determine the number of scheduled hours per week to be entered on the KsCares SESP screen.

 

NOTE: Individuals who participate for the number of hours based on the cash and FS benefits are deemed to meet the primary work component requirement.

 

In using this formula, if the Community Service assignment hours are less than the required number needed to meet federal participation requirements, assignment to an additional component(s) may be used. Assignment hours should also be reviewed in regard to assuring clients are assigned an appropriate number of hours of component activity. If the Community Service assignment hours based on the formula exceed 30 hours per week, the worker and client should plan the number of hours to best address the individual situation. Community Service assignments in two-parent households should consider the family situation.

 

Examples of Supervised Community Service Programs include, but are not limited to:

 

 

Community Service Site Injury Requirements - Prior to the first day of the site assignment, Community Service clients and site supervisors must be informed of the policy and procedures to follow in the event of an injury occurring at the work site.

 

Anytime a client is injured while completing the site assignment, the site must notify the worker immediately. The worker should gather basic information regarding the injury, such as date, time, account of how the injury occurred, a general description of the injury and the name and address of the medical provider and/or treatment facility. EES staff should immediately report the work site injury occurrence to EES Central Office. A written summary of the injury may be requested. Written information should be sent to EES, 915 Harrison, Room 681 -W, Topeka, Kansas 66612-1570.

 

If the work site is not providing Worker's Compensation or comparable coverage, SRS will provide the comaprable coverage for services related to a work site injury.

 

Medical funds will be used to pay for the needed medical care. If the injury requires emergency care, the emergency medical services are paid in the usual way with providers sending claims to the fiscal agent. If the injury is not an emergency, the client must choose a medical provider who will treat the patient and coordinate other medical care. If the client is on lock-in or in a Health Maintenance Organizsation (HMO), the lock-in physician or health care case manager must be used to coordinate medical services and in non-life threatening emergency situations, the health care case manager should be notified.

 

Services in excess of the Medicaid limitations are paid from the local office administrative funds. Payment for the excess costs are to be paid only if the primary medical provider provides the services or coordinates a referral to another provider.

 

Injured clients are exempt from co-pay for medical services for injuries occurring at the work site. The local office is responsible for sending written notice of this policy to the medical provider. The local office shall also provide written notification to the medical provider that payment for the services in excess of the Medicaid limitations will be made since the injury occurred during a work site assignment. If the client fails to use the chosen provider, lock-in physician or health care case manager, the client is responsible for payment.

 

Claims for medical services provided to injured clients should be sent by the provider to the fiscal agent for payment. If payment in denied for exceeding Medicaid limitations, the provider sends the remittance advice which verifies denial to the local office. The claim is then paid by the local office as an administrative expense.

 

NOTE: Payment may not be made from the clients' Special Services Allowance. If a client sustains a site injury that requires payment for items other than medical expense, Form ES-4411, Claim for Comparable Coverage, shall be utilized to request the comparable coverage. SRs will use the Worker's Compensation statutes as a guide to provide compensation. For example, the Worker's Compensation statutes define scheduled injuries, which include injuries such as the loss of a thumb or finger, or the loss of an eye. Scheduled injuries are compensated using a formula that uses wages and a payment schedule for the specific type of injury.

 

Refer to Appendix Item E-17 for Procedural/Best Practice Information.

 

Supervision Requirement: Daily.

 

Documentation Requirement: Monthly. The ES-4322, Community Service/Work Experience Assignment and Site Report, is to be used to document the actual hours of participation.

 

3310.7 Vocational Education (VOC) - TAF (and FS in Designated Counties) - Vocational education is defined as organized educational programs that are directly related to the preparation of individuals for employment in current or emerging occupations requiring training other than baccalaureate or advanced degree. Refer to 3300.2 for authorization and progress review guidelines.

Specific activities that may be considered Vocational Education include:

 

 

Supervision Requirement: Daily

 

Documentation Requirement: Monthly.

 

Limitations: 12 months
                      30% of all Families

 

3310.8 Job Search/Job Readiness (JSR) - TAF (and FS in Designated Counties) - Job Search is the act of seeking or obtaining employment and preparation to seek or obtain employment.

 

  1. Job Search activity is not an appropriate assignment for the following mandatory clients:

  1. Job Readiness activities prepare an individual to seek or obtain employment. These activities may include:
     

Following is more detailed description of specific job readiness activities:

 

Job Readiness Case Management is an individual holistic service provided to clients with severe, multiple and often persistent barriers to self-sufficiency. This service provides immediate, frequent, and individualized contacts for the purpose of information sharing, decision making, monitoring, problem-solving, motivating, and guidance. This may include activity on behalf of clients to create or discover job openings, and to market clients for those openings. This service may be provided directly by EES staff, or may be purchased or provided free by other community resources.

 

Supervision Requirement: Daily
 

Documentation Requirement: Daily