The Gift of Deeming Welfare to Work 2009

2 Objectives After completing this training, you should  Understand the details of the participation rates  Understand how many hours the family must complete in a core activity to be included in the numerator of the rates  Understand worksite activities  Understand how to assign hours in a worksite activity

3 Objectives You should also  Understand how to enter a worksite activity on the One-Stop Service Tracking (OSST) Skill Development screen  Understand how to record hours of participation in a worksite activity on the Job Participation Rate (JPR) screen

4 PARTICIPATION RATES

5 The All-Family Participation Rate  The number of families from the denominator with an adult or minor head of household that participates the minimum required hours for the month  The number of families receiving TANF funded assistance with a work eligible adult or minor head of household, minus those families that are subject to sanction*

6 What is subject to sanction? According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a family is considered subject to sanction if  The family’s grant has been reduced due to noncompliance  The family’s grant has been terminated due to noncompliance A family is not considered subject to sanction during the conciliation or notification period prior to reduction or termination of benefits

7 Meeting the All Family Rate What are the minimum requirements for meeting the All Family rate?  Single Parents with a child under six Required core hours = 86 hours for the month Total required hours = 86 hours for the month  Single parents with a child over six and two least one parent in a two parent family Required core hours = 86 hours for the month Total required hours = 129 hours for the month

All-Family Participation Rate Family TypeCore RequirementsMinimum Requirements Single parent family with a child under the age of six An average of 20 hours a week x 4.3 weeks a month= 86 hours monthly An average of 20 hours a week x 4.3 weeks a month= 86 hours monthly Single parent family with the youngest child over six AND Two-parent families – at least one parent An average of 20 hours a week x 4.3 weeks a month= 86 hours monthly An average of 30 hours a week x 4.3 weeks a month= 129 hours monthly

9 The Two-parent Family Participation Rate  The number of families from the denominator with both parents participating for the minimum required hours per month  The number of families receiving TANF funded assistance with two work eligible adults or heads of household and a mutual child, minus those families that are subject to sanction*

10 Meeting the All Family Rate What are the minimum requirements for meeting the Two-parent Family Rate?  A two parent family not receiving federally funded childcare Required core hours = 129 hours for the month Total required hours = 151 hours for the month  A two parent family receiving federally funded childcare Required core hours = 215 hours for the month Total required hours = 237 hours for the month

Two-Parent Family Participation Rate Family TypeCore RequirementsMinimum Requirements Two-parent family - not receiving federally funded subsidized childcare An average of 30 hours a week x 4.3 weeks in a month = 129 hours for the month An average of 35 hours a week x 4.3 weeks a month= (151) hours for the month Two-parent family - receiving federally funded subsidized childcare An average of 50 hours a week x 4.3 weeks in a month = 215 hours for the month An average of 55 hours a week x 4.3 weeks a month= (237) hours for the month

12 What is deeming? A family may be given credit for the “core” hours based on family type if:  The family completes the maximum hours in a worksite activity (Work Experience or Community Service) based on the calculation  The calculated hours do not meet or exceed the federally required core hours

13 Worksite Activities Worksite activities offers the program participant the opportunity to gain  Basic employability skills  Specific job skills  Work Experience to put on their resume  A referral from an employer  A foot in the door with an employer

14 What are the Worksite Activities? Work Experience  Is structured work in exchange for benefits (cash assistance and food stamps) for those who lack work experience in the workforce

15 Work Experience Work experience is designed to help individuals gain  General employability skills  Training  Job knowledge  Work habits necessary to obtain and retain employment

16 What are the Worksite Activities? Community Service  Is a structured program in which participants perform work for the direct benefit of the community under the auspices of not-for-profit agencies

17 Community Service Community Service is designed to help individuals who need to increase employability by helping to improve  Interpersonal and job retention skills  Stress management skills  Problem solving  The ability to balance between job and personal responsibilities

18 Community Service Community Service must be in the following  Health  Social service  Environmental protection  Education  Urban and rural development  Welfare  Recreation  Public facilities  Public safety  childcare

19 The Gift of Deeming Who is responsible for deeming?  Effective 10/1/08, the Department of Children and Families will deem hours, when appropriate, for families Participating in Community Service or Work Experience That complete the maximum amount of hours according to the calculation

20 The Gift of Deeming How does DCF know when to deem ?  The DCF will review OSST for Maximum worksite hours for the month Actual completed hours  If the maximum and actual completed hours match, DCF will deem to the appropriate core based on family type

21 The Gift of Deeming What do I do in OSST ?  If this is the first time the customer will be assigned to a worksite, you must  Complete the calculation: Cash assistance amount + Food Stamp allotment/*minimum wage  *The higher of the State or Federal minimum wage

22 The Gift of Deeming Example  Liza is a mandatory WT participant and her benefits are:  $241 cash and $289 in food stamps  Since this the first time we are assigning her, we will complete the calculation manually  $241 + $289 = 530/$7.21 (Florida’s minimum wage)  The result is 73.5 or 74 hours  She will have to complete 74 hours for the month

23 The Gift of Deeming What do I do in OSST ?  Now that we have completed the calculation, we will enter the activity in OSST Enter the activity in the system on the Skill Development screen Click the Add Activity tab Enter the appropriate provider information Click search

From this screen, you will choose the appropriate provider.

Enter the activity and number of hours the participant will be required to complete. Select Save.

Once you select save, the system will bring you back to the Skill Development Screen. The activity will display here. To go to the JPR screen, select Add on the bottom right hand corner of the Skill Development Page.

The JPR screen will appear with the activity(ies) open for the month and year you select. You will also see hyperlinked numbers for “Max Worksite Hours for Month”, Actual Completed Hours, Holiday Hours and Excused Hours.

Before you can enter hours for Community Service or Work Experience, you must click on the hyperlink “0” under Max Worksite Hours and input the benefit information.

Enter benefit information. The minimum wage is automatically provided. Select Save. You will be taken back to the JPR summary page.

The maximum hours will display on the JPR summary page.

To enter participation hours, click on the “Actual Completed Hours” hyperlink. The calendar for the activity will display.

Remember, you must first collect documentation before entering participation hours. The system provides you with a reminder.

You will enter hours of participation. Select save and you will be reminded again about documentation requirements.

The actual completed hours will display next to the maximum worksite hours. To the far right, the user will see the total hours for the activity.

38 The Gift of Deeming Reporting deemed hours  Once DCF reviews the tables in OSST to show that maximum work site hours and actual completed hours match, they will Review the calculation for the case to ensure the monthly required hours match Deem the hours to core, if applicable, based on family type

39 The Gift of Deeming Should I enter anything else?  No Enter Actual Completed Hours only You are not required to deem

40 Questions? Please contact the Welfare Transition Team at An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via Florida Relay Service at 711.