707.110 Completion of an Employment Development Plan (EDP)

(a) a grantee who the Department determines must participate in an Employment Services Program (ESP) component because there are available component slots;

(b) a grantee who volunteers to participate in ESP;

(c) all teen parents who have not graduated from high school or do not have a HiSET certificate;

(d) a grantee needing support services to work or to participate in ESP or in a self-initiated program not funded by ESP as provided in 106 CMR 707.120;

(f) a grantee or an ineligible grantee specified in 106 CMR 703.150(A)(2)) referred to community service who:

1. volunteers to participate in community service;

2. is mandated to participate in community service because he or she did not meet the participation requirements of another ESP component; or

3. needs support services to participate in community service;

(g) a grantee participating in the Full Employment Program; and

(h) any other grantee who the Department determines needs an EDP.

(2) An initial assessment interview shall be conducted by a Department worker at application or the eligibility review and shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(a) the collection of information about the individual’s education, skills and employment background;

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(b) a discussion of the available services to help the individual obtain and maintain a job;

(c) a review of the individual’s ESP requirement as specified in 106 CMR 707.000; and

(d) a discussion of the available ESP components that will best help the individual obtain and maintain a job.

(3) The following criteria are used to develop an EDP:

(a) the initial assessment of the individual’s education, skills and work experience;

(b) available program resources to support the individual in the ESP activity and his or her employment goal;

(c) the individual’s need for and the availability of support services as provided in 106 CMR 707.210;

(d) the individual’s vocational and employment interests;

(e) employment opportunities in the northeast regional labor market as found in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, Occupational Outlook Handbook and Labor Market Surveys; and

(f) the component requirements as provided in 106 CMR 707.120 through 707.180.

(4) The EDP shall contain:

(a) the individual’s employment goal and the activities needed to meet the employment goal;

(b) ESP component activities in which the individual will participate;

(c) necessary support services; and

(d) the anticipated start and end dates for the activities.

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(5) An EDP shall be approved when:

(a) the EDP is consistent with the regulations found in 106 CMR 707.000 through 106 CMR 707.180 and 106 CMR 703.150;

(b) the activities in the EDP are consistent with the goal of the individual

obtaining a job;

(c) the EDP is consistent with the assessment or reassessment of the individual’s education, skills and work experience; and

(d) the component activities and support services, subject to appropriations, are available.

When an EDP is not approved, the Department shall document the reasons.

(6) Except for individuals who failed to meet their Work Program requirements, the written EDP must be mutually agreed to and signed by the individual and a Department worker. The individual shall be provided a copy of the EDP.

An EDP is not a contract. An EDP is valid for the period stated in the plan, but not for more than 12 months unless, in accordance with 106 CMR 707.110(C): Reassessment, there is a need to reassess the EDP.

(7) An individual unable to agree with the contents of the EDP may have the EDP reviewed by a Department supervisor to help resolve the matter.

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(B) Component Placement and Availability

(1) The Department refers individuals for placement in an available component activity. These referrals shall include, but not be limited to, ESP-funded and non-ESP funded component activities.

(2) If there is no opening in an ESP component chosen by the individual, the EDP will not be approved and the individual will be required to select another component activity.

(3) An individual may find his or her own community service site which must be approved by the Department.

(C) Reassessment

An individual’s EDP will be reassessed by the Department when:

(1) he or she requests a reassessment;

(2) the individual has completed the activities in the current EDP;

(3) an individual participating in the Full Employment Program (FEP) has not found unsubsidized employment; or

(4) the Department determines that a reassessment is needed.

The reassessment shall include, but not be limited to, exploring the reasons why the individual is not employed or is not able to complete his or her component activity, and a determination of any additional activities needed to meet the employment goal of the current EDP.

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