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NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance- TA and SNAP Employment Policy Manual Section 385.7 – Page 5 Rev. 4/2025 Part B - Department Policy Assessment Overview Districts must assess nonexempt Safety Net Assistance recipients who are part of a household without dependent children within one year of the date of application for safety net assistance. The assessment process includes the requirements of paragraph(a)(3) of the regulations. The district’s assessment process must be documented in the local employment plan (see section 385.10). An employment assessment for all non-exempt adults in households without dependent children is required to be completed no later than a year following the recipient’s application for Safety Net Assistance (see SSL §335-a, and 18 NYCRR §385.7) to the extent that resources are available. All adults (exempt and non-exempt) in households without dependent children applying for or receiving Safety Net Assistance may be required to comply with employment assessment requirements. Districts describe local assessment and employment plan procedures in their Biennial Temporary Assistance and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment Plan, including when assessments are conducted and what information they collect. While districts are encouraged to provide assessments that are more detailed and comprehensive than what is required, the regulations list the seven required elements of an assessment at subdivision (a)(3). Assessments must include, at a minimum, a review of an individual’s: • education level, including literacy and English language proficiency; • basic skills proficiency; • supportive service needs; • skills and prior work experience; • prior participation in education and training; • training and vocational interests; and • family circumstances.

As described above, districts are required to complete employment assessments within one year of application for households without dependent children. However, districts are encouraged to complete the employment assessment as soon after an individual has applied for Safety Net Assistance as is practicable and to thereafter reassess individual circumstances and work activity assignments as relevant changes occur, no less frequently than annually. Districts may choose to use the LDSS-4980 New York State Employment Assessment Tool, a locally developed assessment tool, or the Welfare-to-Work Caseload Management System (WTWCMS) or New York City Work Accountability and You (NYCWAY) assessment functions to record the information gathered during the client assessment. Prior to the completion of the assessment the district may assign the applicant or recipient to work activities. Districts are strongly encouraged to use WTWCMS to enter assessment and plan information as recommended in 11-ADM-06 New York State Employment Assessment. The use of WTWCMS will simplify data entry and will support improved reporting capabilities. Data