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TANF POLICY MANUAL

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15.2 Job Search and Job Readiness Assistance (JOBR) Job Search and Job Readiness Assistance activity is limited by statute to 240 hours or to 360 hours in a 12-month period, which is the equivalent of 20 hours per week for a single-parent with a child under age six and 30 hours for all other Work-Eligible Individuals (no more than four consecutive weeks may count toward the work participation rates). The four “consecutive” week limitation will be measured on a weekly basis. A week is defined as 7 consecutive days. In other words, any hours of participation in JS/JR during the course of a 7-day period triggers a week for the 4-week limit. Once an individual has 4 consecutive weeks of participation, that individual’s participation in JS/JR may not count for 1 week, i.e., 7 consecutive days. These limits will no longer be based upon the federal fiscal year. The year will begin when a client starts the job readiness/job search activity.

Supervised job search is an organized and monitored job seeking activity. There is an initial orientation with the participant to provide an overview of available job search resources, followed by frequent check-in (no less than weekly). Individuals in this activity must maintain and submit a DSS Form 1319, Supervised Job Search Log/Job Search Verification, as evidence of employer contacts.

Job search and job readiness may be assigned as appropriate and recorded in PATS, but the combined hours of job search and job readiness assignments will count toward the work participation rate for no more than 4 consecutive weeks. Only actual time spent doing job search will be counted in PATS. Assignments to any additional hours, of job search and/or job readiness which are allowed in a 12-month period, should be made in conjunction with other program activities, when appropriate or necessary, so that both the core work activity requirement and the overall participation requirement are met. A total of 240 hours or 360 hours of job search and/or job readiness assistance are allowed in a 12-month period.

1. Job Search Contacts All participants must register with the nearest One-Stop Center (SCDEW) during the job search activity. Registration with the One-Stop Center will be considered as one employer contact.

The participant will report to the CM during the job search period and must sign the Supervised Job Search Log/Job Search Verification, DSS Form 1319, attesting to the number of employer contacts made and the time spent doing the job search. The CM may contact any employer listed on the Supervised Job Search Log to verify that the participant made a contact.

To qualify as an employer contact, five conditions must be met: A. The participant must present himself/herself to an employer as being available for work; B. The place of employment must be geographically accessible to the client on a regular basis. Contact with an employer located in another community or state out of commuting range from the client’s place of residence will not count as an employer contact; C. The employer must ordinarily employ persons in areas of work for which the participant is reasonably qualified by means of experience, training or ability; D. The participant cannot count the same employer more than once during a given job search period unless she applies for different positions.