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COMBINED MANUAL

ISSUE DATE 09/2019

EMPLOYMENT PLAN (EP)

0028.15

MFIP: An Employment Plan (EP) is a social contract between the county/ES provider and each participant. The purpose of these plans is to identify for each participant the most direct path to unsubsidized employment and any subsequent steps that support long- term economic stability.

All MFIP participants:

● Are mandatory ES participants.

AND ● Must develop an EP, unless they:

- Have a child under 12 months.

AND - Have any remaining months of the child under 12 months ES exemption.

AND - Choose to use any remaining months of the child under 12 months ES exemption.

AND ● Must comply with the EP if an EP is developed.

Employment Plans are based on information gathered during the assessment process and throughout participation in the program. Development of a basic EP should begin during the 1st meeting with a job counselor, or shortly thereafter. The EP is a living document that should be reviewed at least every 3 months and revised whenever necessary.

Failure on the part of a participant to develop or comply with hourly requirements in a plan may result in a sanction. See Employment Services Manual Appendix H (FSS Sanction Guidance).

Failure to sign an Employment Plan is considered failure to develop an EP and should result in a sanction. If the participant qualifies under Family Stabilization Services pre-sanction provisions apply.

All EPs must be reviewed on a regular basis to determine whether activities and hourly requirements should be revised or not:

● Non-FSS employment plans every 3 months.

● FSS employment plans every 6 months.

Sanction participants if they fail to develop or follow the terms of the Employment Plan. See 0028.30 (Sanctions for Failure to Comply - Cash).

There are special provisions for victims of family violence and self-employed participants. See below.

VICTIMS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE

● Victims of family violence who want to claim a Family Violence Waiver and be exempt from the 60-month time limit must develop and comply with an EP. The EP is developed with the assistance and collaboration of the participant, a person trained in domestic violence and a job counselor. MFIP child care is available for all activities included in an approved EP. See 0005.12.12.09 (Family Violence Provisions/Referrals). See PERSON TRAINED IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE in 0002.49 (Glossary: Permanent...).

● Victims of family violence who have or are in the process of developing an EP cannot be required to attend an overview done in a group setting. The job counselor must discuss the information normally presented in the ES Overview at the time the EP is developed, unless the client previously attended an Overview. See 0028.09 (ES Overview/SNAP E&T Orientation). If you combine the Financial Orientation and ES Overview, do not sanction the participant for failing to attend the regular ES Overview components of the meeting.