§ 20-76-439 — Self-sufficiency - Assessments, personal responsibility agreements, and supportive services

(a) (1) At the time of application for transitional employment assistance, the Department of Human Services and the applicant shall sign a personal responsibility agreement. (2) An applicant shall not be required to engage in job search activities if the applicant does not have available childcare and transportation services. (b) (1) Within thirty (30) calendar days after an application for transitional employment assistance has been approved, the department shall conduct an in-depth assessment of the functional educational level, skills, prior work experience, and employability of the participant. (2) The department shall utilize testing instruments which shall yield education levels, skill levels, work readiness, and employability of the participant. (3) (A) The assessment shall identify barriers to immediate employment as well as barriers that may prevent the participant from increasing his or her long-term earnings and from taking advantage of opportunities for employment advancement. (B) The barriers to be assessed shall include, at least, domestic violence, substance abuse, learning disabilities, and unmet client needs for supportive services such as child care, transportation, assistance with job-related expenses, housing, health care, job readiness preparation, and education and training. (c) The department shall inform the participant of supportive services that may be available to alleviate barriers to employment and increase long-term earnings and opportunities for employment advancement. (d) After the skills assessment has been completed and the participant has been informed about the availability of supportive services, the department shall work with the participant to develop an individual employment plan that: (1) Sets forth an employment goal for the participant and a plan for moving the participant into employment; (2) Is designed to the greatest extent possible to move the participant into employment, help the participant maintain employment, and increase the participant's long-term earnings and opportunities for employment advancement; (3) Makes education and training a priority of allowable work activities, subject to federal work participation requirements and taking into account the caseload reduction credit, when the assessment warrants that education and training are the best means to achieving long-term economic self-sufficiency; (4) Lists the supportive services that are generally available under the program and the methods by which a participant may access these services; (5) Describes the services the department shall provide to enable participants to obtain and maintain employment and increase their potential long-term earnings and opportunities for employment advancement; and (6) Designates the number of hours that he or she must participate in work activities to meet participation standards, unless the participant is deemed by the department to be exempt or temporarily deferred from work participation requirements. (e) (1) The department shall review the progress of the participant in the program and meet with the participant as necessary to review and revise his or her employability plan. (2) The department shall inform the participant of his or her time remaining on the lifetime limit on financial assistance and shall reassess the client's needs for supportive services. (f) The department may develop and promulgate rules requiring program applicants who have been determined to be job-ready to engage in job search activities while the application is being processed. (g) The department shall not require an applicant to engage in job search activities if, in the judgment of the department, the applicant has one (1) or more barriers which if not addressed would prevent the applicant from finding employment. (h) (1) Before requiring the applicant to engage in job search activities, the department shall ask the applicant whether childcare or transportation assistance, or both, will be needed to complete job search activities. (2) If needed child care and transportation are not available, the applicant shall not be required to engage in job search activities as a condition of application approval.

Legislative History

Amended by Act 2019, No. 315,§ 2255, eff. 7/24/2019. Acts 1999, No. 1567, § 18; 2007, No. 514, § 17.