1 Work Support Program An Individual Training Course for the Work Support Program

2 What is the Work Support Program? The Work Support Program provides a time-limited cash supplement, a Work Support Payment (WSP) to a TANF assistance unit (AU) that, as a result of the employment of an AU member, either becomes ineligible for TANF or experiences a reduction in its TANF benefit amount. The employed individual who receives WSPs is also eligible for Transitional Support Services (TSS).

3 What is the purpose of the Work Support Program? The purpose of the Work Support Program is to help the AU make the transition from government assistance to self-sufficiency by not suddenly cutting the AU off from all direct assistance.

4 Who’s eligible for the WSP? An employed individual can receive the WSP if : 1. the AU becomes ineligible for TANF solely because of wages earned through employment 2. the AU becomes ineligible for TANF because of wages plus a loss of earned income disregards, or

5 Who’s eligible for the WSP? (cont.) 3. the AU remains eligible for TANF, and the employed individual is working for an average of 30 hours or more per week, the grant amount is reduced due to wages or to a combination of wages and a loss of earned income disregards, and the AU chooses to terminate its TANF case in order to preserve months of future TANF eligibility.

6 How much is the WSP? For how long can someone receive it? WSPs are paid for up to 12 months. During the first six months, the monthly WSP is $200, regardless of the AU’s income. During the next six months, the monthly WSP is $100, regardless of the AU’s income.

7 Support Services and the Work Support Program A WSP recipient is eligible to receive Transitional Support Services only during the first six months of WSP eligibility.

8 What if the AU is sanctioned? An AU that has been sanctioned so that its TANF grant amount is reduced by 25% can receive the WSP if the employed AU member is otherwise eligible for the WSP. An AU cannot receive the WSP if the employed individual is IPV-disqualified.

9 How often can someone receive WSPs? The WSP is tied to the individual, not to the AU. An individual can receive WSPs twice during the 48-month lifetime limit on receipt of TANF, but not more than once in a 24-month period.

10 How often can someone receive WSPs? (cont.) Once determined eligible for receipt of WSPs, the individual may receive payments for up to 12 consecutive months as long as employment continues. A month for which the WSP is received does not count toward the TANF lifetime limit.

11 Fluctuating earned income and eligibility for the WSP Once an AU begins receiving the WSP, it remains eligible to receive the payments as long as employment continues, even if wages decrease to a level that could mean the AU is again potentially eligible to receive TANF cash.

12 What if the wages decrease? If the AU becomes potentially eligible for TANF cash assistance due to decreased wages, the AU then has the option to continue receiving WSPs or to reapply for TANF cash assistance.

13 What if the client is self-employed? A self-employed individual may receive the WSP if the WSP criteria are met.

14 Can an AU receive WSPs in an extension period? If an AU member gets a job during an extension period, and the AU is otherwise eligible to receive the WSPs, then it can begin receiving WSPs.

15 Can an AU receive WSPs if a work-exempt adult gets a job? If an adult AU member who is exempt from work requirements finds a job, and the AU is otherwise eligible to receive WSPs, then it can receive WSPs.

16 Can a two-parent AU receive WSPs? A two-parent AU may receive the WSP twice during the TANF 48-month lifetime limit if each parent becomes employed and the AU meets the WSP eligibility criteria. For a two-parent AU, eligibility for receipt of the WSP is tied to the employed parent, and not to an AU as a whole.

17 Can a two-parent AU receive WSPs? (cont.) Each parent in a two-parent AU may receive WSPs twice in their lifetime but not more than once in a 24-month period. If both parents in a two-parent AU become employed in the same month, resulting in the termination of the TANF case, the AU can receive two WSPs simultaneously, for a monthly total of $400 for the first 6 months and $200 for the next 6 months.

18 Can the AU receive TANF again after receiving WSPs? After being approved for the WSP, an AU may receive ongoing TANF cash assistance again if  the client loses her job or experiences a reduction in employment hours that causes the AU to become potentially eligible for TANF, and  fails to find a job during intensive, monitored applicant job search, or  the client develops a serious medical condition or incurs a catastrophic injury, rendering her incapable of working, or  a member of the client’s immediate family develops a serious medical condition or incurs a catastrophic injury that requires a caregiver, and the only available caregiver is the client.

19 Can the AU receive WSPs a second time? If a client becomes employed again, the AU may be eligible to receive any remaining months of WSPs. However, the total months of WSPs cannot exceed twelve in a 24-month period. WSPs can be received for up to 12 months only once during an individual’s first 24-month period of TANF eligibility. WSPs can be received again only during the individual’s second 24-month period of TANF eligibility.

20 Support Services for Work Support Payment Recipients An individual who receives the WSP is also eligible for TSS. Once TANF cash assistance ends and the WSP begins, eligibility for TSS continues for six months. Refer to Section 1830, Employment Support Services, for more information concerning TSS.

21 W hat if the client quits her job without good cause? If the WSP recipient quits her job without good cause, WSPs must be terminated immediately, regardless of how many months of potential WSP and TSS eligibility remain. There may also be a penalty imposed on the AU’s FS case.

22 Helping clients keep their jobs In order to ensure that employment continues and that all service needs are met, the case manager will need to work closely with each WSP recipient, making sure that the WSP recipient remains employed and that the family attains self-sufficiency.

23 Helping clients keep their jobs (cont.) The case manager, resource specialist and others working with the WSP recipient need to  monitor the recipient’s ongoing employment  help the recipient develop problem-solving skills in personal life situations that may impact negatively on the recipient’s ability to remain employed  help the recipient resolve employment-related conflicts.

24 Notifying the AU When the WSP is approved, the case manager must explain monitoring requirements to the client. Form 207, “Disposition Notification, Work Support Payments,” must be issued when WSPs are  approved  denied, or  terminated.

25 Form 206, “Disposition Notification, Transitional Support Services” must be issued when TSS are  approved  denied, or  terminated. The entitlement code will be issued by the Office of Financial Services. Notifying the AU (cont.)

26 How can employment be verified? Employment must be verified monthly. Acceptable forms of verification include  verification of income in other DFCS programs  paycheck stubs  copy of paycheck.

27 How can employment be verified? (cont.) Remember: We’re not concerned about verifying the amount of income. Rather, we just need to confirm that employment is continuing. The employer should not be contacted unless there is no other way that employment can be verified.

28 Payment issuance To issue monthly payments, the case manager will follow the procedures established by the county DFCS office.

29 Documentation Document the issuance of WSPs on SUCCESS behind the ESSS and NARR screens.

30 WSP Forms Form 206 (Disposition Notification, Transitional Support Services”): S/Forms%20-%20Masters/Form%20206%20-% doc Form 207 (Work Support Payments disposition notification form): S/Forms%20-%20Masters/Form%20207%20-% %20MT%2014.doc S/Forms%20-%20Masters/Form%20206%20-% doc S/Forms%20-%20Masters/Form%20207%20-% %20MT%2014.doc

31 Policy References For additional information and the latest policy updates, please check the following link: 0_tanf/TANF.htm Select MAN 3390 and go to Section 1840.