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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 18

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 97 Chapter 18 WV WORKS Activities/Requirements

Work-Eligible and non-recipient Work-Eligible Individuals in active WV WORKS cases may be referred for an ESP placement. The ESP placement cannot begin until the ESP agreement is signed by all parties. WV WORKS staff will negotiate and sign the ESP Agreement, DFA-ESP-1, when placing individual WV WORKS participants in ESP positions. WV WORKS staff will distribute the ESP Agreement in the following manner: • One original provided to the ESP Employer • One copy to local WV WORKS staff for filing • One copy to the DFA Family Support Policy Unit Copies of all ESP contracts must be scanned to the Division of Family Assistance (DFA) to ensure the available funding is not exceeded. All ESP placements will be at least 30 hours per week. The Participant Time Sheet, DFA-TS-12, and the Employer Reimbursement Request, DFA- ESP-2, will serve as the employer’s request for an ESP reimbursement. Both forms will be provided monthly by the employer to the local DOHS office. Payment is made to the business/vendor via support services with copies going to DFA Family Support Policy Unit. A BA-67 is not required. The DFA-ESP-1A, the ESP addendum, is used when there is a contract change required. For example, the participant has received a raise in pay.

Job retention interviews are designed to monitor the participant’s progress towards self- sufficiency, current employment situation, and to discuss any barriers or challenges being experienced by the participant that could result in job loss or fewer work hours. The goal is to prevent the loss of employment and to intervene should the participant face any crisis. The results of the interviews are recorded on form DFA-WVW-JR-1. The form must be completed at the 30-day job retention interview and may be simply reviewed at the 90-day retention period interview. At the Supervisor’s discretion, a new form may be used for each interview. As part of the West Virginia Bridge Model, the Case Manager must complete follow-up contacts with the employed Work-Eligible Individual in the closed WV WORKS case at the 30-day, 90- day, 9-month and 12-month intervals following assistance group (AG) closure and placement in PL component or Employment Assistance Program (EAP) starting date. At the discretion of the county office, the Job Retention (JK) component may be used between the 6th and 12th month for continuous enrollment in work programs.