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1000.13 TANF MANUAL 7/24 Page 46

7. FEP Participation

a. FEP participants may only participate in one FEP job placement at a time for no more than 6 months during the VIEW participation period.

b. The ESW will track participation by conducting a FEP follow-up by the fifth day of each month for the previous month. This is to be accomplished by contact with the employer to verify that the participant is satisfactorily continuing in the placement and is meeting the minimum requirements for the job, including working at least 20 hours per week or an average of at least 20 hours during a month.

The ESW should also discuss any concerns the employer may have regarding the participant’s performance or attendance. Hours of participation will be verified by the employer’s statement. In any case, monthly contact with the employer should be part of the follow-up process to ensure that the employer’s needs are being met, to maintain rapport with the employer, and to insure the likelihood of future FEP placements.

The employer contact may be written or verbal. In either case, the ESW must obtain the information requested on the VIEW Attendance/Performance Rating Sheet (032-02- 0305). If the information is to be obtained in writing, the ESW may provide the employer with a six-month supply of the form at the time the FEP Agreement is signed. If the contact is verbal, the ESW should record the information obtained on the VIEW Attendance/Performance Rating Sheet.

If the employer recommends the termination of the Full Employment placement, the ESW will document the reasons in the contact log for the recommendation and determine if there are grounds for sanctioning the participant. If grounds for sanctioning do not exist, the ESW will reassign the participant to another work activity immediately. If grounds exist for sanctioning, the ESW must take action to begin the sanction process. Based on agency procedures, the ESW will either send the client the VIEW Notice of Sanction/ Termination (032-02-0307) or the Advance Notice of Proposed Action within 3 business days of the missed appointment. Alternately, the ESW will immediately notify the EW who will send the ANPA within 3 business days of receipt of the notification.

c. VaCMS will automatically issue the stipend through month six unless cancelled by the EW. If the ESW determines that the employer was not entitled to the stipend received for the prior month, the ESW will inform the employer of his responsibility to return the check. The employer is ineligible for a stipend for any month in which the FEP participant did not work an average of at least 20 hours per week during the month. The stipend, or if the stipend check has been cashed, a check issued by the employer, should be sent to the Virginia Department of Social Services, Division of Financial Management, 5600 Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060. (Note: This is the return address on state-issued checks.) If a check from the employer is used to repay the stipend, the employer should reference FEP, the participant’s name, and the case number on the check. If the employer does not return the check, the local department of social services may pursue civil action through the city or county attorney’s office.

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