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No Wrong Door EARN Procedures Manual WIOA (Revised: 6/30/15)


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The No Wrong Door EARN Procedures Manual provides guidance on how to implement a new customer-centered service delivery model that is focused on operation of EARN Programs within the new PA CareerLink® Centers. The customer flow, job finding, job placement, and other activities as outlined in this manual and the contracted Scope of Services will ensure that each EARN Program follows a standardized, daily schedule of activities. In addition to this manual, you will continue to receive policy changes and new procedures through email and operations memos from Philadelphia Works and the Department of Public Welfare. You will also have access to all of the other new manuals that support the PA CareerLink® Centers. The EARN Procedures Manual begins with an Introduction to the basic aspects of the EARN Program, Partnerships and EARN Program Locations followed by Department of Public Welfare (DPW) classifications of eligible EARN Program Customers. Additional DPW program requirements are detailed under Program Enrollment, Core Activities and Other Activities. With the policy parameters, partnerships, and customers clearly defined, the manual moves into four main sections. Section One: Customer Flow describes the Sequence of Services, and required day-to-day activity beginning with the EARN Participant and Service Flow. Guidelines for staff roles and responsibilities are followed by new Service Standards for the first two weeks of participation. In Section Two: Job Finding and Job Development, there is expanded structure and emphasis on Job Finding Services through an Integrated Job Development Team, as well as, Targeting and Outreaching Employers. Participants will now test the labor market and take a new approach to receiving job placement assistance. Section Three: Service Enhancement Team references areas of the NWD Service Enhancement Team Procedures Manual that explains the five categories of workshops available to EARN customers through the Product Box and coordination between the Team and EARN Programs. Section Four: Customer Service and Case Management is unique in maintaining training workforce development approach to issues that may interfere with job placement and retention. In this section of the manual, you will learn about tools and techniques that can be used in workforce development settings. This section also includes information on supportive services and documents often needed for work. Also in this section, under Training, Education and Language Services, you will find detailed information on The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, Limited English Proficiency and the Referral Process for Job Specific Skills Training. Data Management and Time & Attendance explain all of the data systems and what is required to meet and track time and attendance requirements as part of Section Four. Under DPW Case File Reviews and Performance Payments is where you will find information on Monthly Performance Payment Review and TANF Sample. Updates to required documentation and performance payments will be issued through operations memos. The DPW Performance Payment Submission Process is addressed in Attachment 17 of the Appendices to make updates readily accessible as operations memos. The Appendices also include forms and other documents that are referenced in the manual. Finally, job titles and descriptions have changed to reflect the standardization of roles and responsibilities within PA CareerLink® Centers.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……. page 8

Partnerships and EARN Program Locations Program Participants

Outreaching and Inviting EARN Customers to the Centers

Program Enrollment, Core Activities and Other Activities Section One: Customer Flow

I. EARN Participant and Service Flow …………………………………….……………………………… page 23 A. Universal Customer Flow Chart B Service Delivery Methods and EARN Staff Roles and Responsibilities II. CAO Referral and Participant Segmentation…………………………………………….………. page 29 A. Segmentation: First-Time or Returning B. Returning Participants III. Service Standards for the First Week of Participation……………………………………….. page 30 A. First Week Program Activities and Services B. Minimum Tangible “Job Finding Services” Outcomes from the First Week of Participation IV. Service Standards for the Second Week of Participation…………………………..………. page 33 A. Second Week Program Activities and Services B. Minimum Tangible “Job Finding Services” Outcomes from the Second Week of

Participation V. Service Standards for Continued Program Participation……………………………………. page 37 A. Participants Employed At Least 30-Hours a Week B. Participants Employed Less Than 30-Hours a Week C. Participants in Community Work Experience

Section Two: Job Finding and Job Development


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I. Four EARN Job Finding Services ………………………………………………………………..……. page 41 A. Structured and Supported Participant Job Search B. Job Development C. Job Placement D. Employer Access for Direct Participant Recruitment II. EARN Team Delivery of Job Finding Services……………………………………………….…… page 47 A. Sequence and Concurrence in the Delivery of Job Finding Services B. Shared Roles and Responsibilities in Job Finding Services C. Designing Job Finding Services to Connect Supply with Demand D. Leveraging the Workforce System for Participant Employment Section Three: Service Enhancement Team Offerings and Standards ………………………………page 51

A. Coordinating with the Center’s EARN Program Team B. Populating the Universal Product Box with Workshops Delivered at the PA CareerLinks C. Quality Standards for Workshops Delivered at the PA CareerLinks

Section Four: Customer Service and Case Management I. Customer Service and Case Management for Job Seekers…………………………………….. page 55

A. Customer Service: The EARN Experience

B. Case Management Process

C. My Self-Assessment

D. Supportive Services

II. Skills Training, Education and Language Services…………………………………………....... page 66


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A. Job Specific Skills Trainings (JSST)

B. Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS)

C. Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians

D. Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Services

Section Five: Data and Information Management I. Information Management…………………………………………………………………….….……. page 75

A. Information Management Systems

B. Commonwealth Workforce Development System (CWDS)

C. Effort to Outcome (ETO)

D. Kronos

E. Telephony

F. Entering Employment Hours into Kronos

II. Time & Attendance………………………………………………………………………………………… page 82

A. Hours of Participation/Time & Attendance

B. Yearly Excused Absence Tracking Policy

C. Termination Policy

III. DPW Case File Reviews and Performance Payments……………………………………………. page 89

A. Monthly DPW Sample Review

B. Monthly TANF Sample

C. Monthly Performance Payment Review


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EARN Procedures Manual Attachments:

Attachment 1: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. page 96 Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) HIPAA Compliance Agreement: Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Acknowledgement Attachment 2: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….… page 98 Grievance and Complaint Resolution Procedure for Participants Attachment 3: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….….. page 106 Worker’s Compensation Employee Notification Attachment 4: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… page 108 DPW Guidelines for Community Service (Community Work Experience) Community Work Experience (CWE) Worksite Agreement Form Attachment 5: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. page 113 Enrollment and Services Form Services Authorization Continuance Placements Attachment 6: ………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………. page 117 Not Reconcilable Attachment 7: ………………………………………………………….………………………………………………… page 118 JSST Referral Tracking Log Attachment 8: …………..………………………………………………………………………………………………. page 119 Attendance Form Attachment 9: …………………………………………………………………………………………..………………. page 120 Job Referral Form Attachment 10: …………………………………………………………………..……………………………………. page 121 Employment Refusal Policy Good Cause for Refusing Employment Attachment 11: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… page 123 Refusal of Employment Warning Notice Refusal of Employment Final Notice Attachment 12: ………………………..……………………………………………………………………………… page 125 My Self Assessment (MSA) My Personal Goals & Action Plan Worksheets & Exercises from Dr. Ford’s Case Management Training & Manual TANF Program Welcome Call Scripts


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Attachment 13: …………………………………….....…………………………………………………………………. page 152 PA Workwear Referral Form Attachment 14: ………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………. page 153 DPW Special Allowance Verification Form Attachment 15: ……………………………………………………………………..……………………………………. page 155 DPW Performance Payment Submission Process Attachment 16: ………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………. page 158 Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) Attachment 17: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… page 159 PA Department of Public Welfare Authorization for Release of Information Attachment 18: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… page 160 EARN Program Metrics and Indicators (RFP)


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EARN Program Introduction

EARN Program Locations and CAO Partners

Program Participants

Outreaching and Inviting EARN Customers to the Centers

Program Enrollment, Core Activities and Other Activities EARN Program Introduction: One Program Partner in the PA CareerLink® Center One EARN Program is located within each of the four PA CareerLink® Centers to provide standardized workforce development services to individuals specifically identified and referred by the County Assistance Office(CAO) as eligible to enroll. EARN Program services also include referral to Job Specific Skills Training (JSST) for individuals who may require additional skills to be employable. The vocational trainings offer comprehensive, industry specific skills development in several occupational sectors including: retail, customer service, allied healthcare, security services, residential/counseling services, childcare, and commercial driver’s license (transportation). Each PA CareerLink® Center has five teams supervised and functionally led by the Center Site Administrator:

1. The Center-Wide Team:

All staff located in the Center are on the Center-Wide Team.

2. The Universal Services Team:

This team is responsible for efficiently and effectively serving customers who enter the Center, initiating quality service delivery, providing a one-on-one welcome meeting, staffing the Career Resource Center, and connecting customers to universal products in the product box and partner programs.

3. The EARN Program Team:

This team is responsible for EARN services, helping customers overcome barriers to employment and enhancing their job finding and keeping skills, helping customers find and retain jobs, ensuring compliance with program requirements, and achieving the EARN Program performance standards and success indicators.

4. The Integrated Job Development Team:

This team works with the WIOA Services, EARN and the Business Services Teams to achieve the Integrated Job Development success indicators by identifying employment opportunities for specific WIOA and EARN customers, contacting employers to urge the hiring of those customers and facilitating the hiring process that results in entered employment.


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5. The WIOA Services Team:

This team is responsible for providing “structured, supported job finding services” and “training for employment services”, determining eligibility for those services, and achieving the WIOA performance standards and success indicators.

EARN Program Locations and CAO Partners

Philadelphia Works and the Philadelphia County Assistance Office (CAO) provide oversight of the EARN Programs with support of the Local Management Committee (LMC) and Department of Public Welfare’s Bureau of Policy Evaluation. Each EARN Program is partnered with CAO district offices. Everyone receiving services at an EARN Program is referred from a specific district office. EARN Programs do not accept walk-ins or referrals from any other agencies or programs. A series of regularly scheduled meetings are held with partners to discuss performance

measurements, policies, improvements, strategies and concerns. Required attendees will be notified.


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Note: NWD Contractors have not been selected for any of the PA CareerLink Centers and CAO districts have not been assigned

PA CareerLink® Centers County Assistance District Offices

Germantown

Chelten District 301 E. Chelten Avenue, 3rd Floor, 19144, 215-560-5200

Glendale District

5201 Old York Road, 19141; 215-560-4600

West Philadelphia

Delancey District 5740 Market Street, 2nd Floor, 19139; 215-560-3700

West District

5070 Parkside Avenue, 19131; 215-560-6100

Suburban Station 1617 JFK Boulevard, 2nd Floor,

19103

Elmwod District 5740 Market Street, 1st Floor, 19139; 215-560-3800

South District

1163 South Broad Street, 19147; 215-560-4400

Ridge/Tioga District 1350 W. Sedgley Avenue, 19132; 215-560-4900

North Philadelphia

Liberty District 219 E. Lehigh Avenue, 19125; 215-560-4000

Somerset District

2701 N. Broad Street 2nd Floor, 19132;215-560-5400

Unity District 4111 Frankford Avenue, 19124; 215-560-6400

Boulevard District

4109 Frankford Avenue, 19124; 215-560-6500


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Job Specific Skills Training (JSST)

JSST Providers and trainings offered through the EARN Program as follows:

Job Specific Skills Training Providers Trainings

Abo Haven

Berean Institute 1909 W. Girard Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19130 215-640-0880

Retail Customer Service

Congreso

216 W. Somerset Street Philadelphia, PA 19133

215-763-8870

Child Development Associate

Goodwill Industries

222 White Horse Pike Stratford, NJ 08084

1-856-466-4583

CDL/B

District 1199C Training

100 S. Broad Street, 10th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19110

215-568-2220

Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)

The Welcoming Center 1617 John F. Kennedy Boulevard 5th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-557-2626

Safe Food Services

The Welcoming Center

1617 John F. Kennedy Boulevard 5th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103

215-557-2626

Vocational Literacy


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EARN Program Participants Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Recipient TANF provides cash assistance to families with children and pregnant women for five years (60 months*). Adult recipients of TANF benefits, who are employable, are expected to pursue employment or participate in an employment and training program in order to find work and continue to receive benefits. Eligibility for TANF benefits is determined by the CAO based upon the household composition, the amount of time they have been receiving benefits and the income and resources of the household. Upon enrollment in the TANF Employment Program, the job seeker participates in a variety of job readiness activities until becoming employed. TANF recipients who do not meet exemption or good cause criteria must, in accordance with federal TANF regulation, seek, accept, and maintain employment in order to receive TANF benefits. If they fail to follow their Agreement of Mutual Responsibility (AMR) and/or the program requirements, the client may be terminated from the employment and training contractor and reported to the CAO. *Extended TANF Extended TANF customers are permitted to continue receiving TANF benefits and participate in respective activities beyond the 60-month limit, because a hardship (as defined by federal law) has been identified. It is important to note that Extended TANF customers cannot participate in education or job skills training activities. Outreaching and Inviting EARN Customers to the Centers

A. Overview of the EARN Program Referral Process 1. CAO district offices refer customers to the a specific Center’s EARN Program 2. The Earn Program Team monitors the referrals made by the CAOs on a daily

basis to determine the quantity of referrals and the appointment dates 3. Philadelphia Works informs the Center’s EARN Program Team Leader of the

names and phone numbers of customers with open referral dates 4. The Earn Program Team in each Center records the referral results in CWDS,

including whether the referred customer reported or failed to report for the scheduled appointment

5. The EARN Program Team is responsible for determining the appropriate

disposition of the referrals and meeting the requirements and deadlines of the CAO for reporting disposition


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B. Two Methods used by the Community Engagement and Outreach Team to Achieve the Success Metric of “Increasing the Show-Rate of EARN Customers” 1. Assisting each Center’s EARN Program Team in outreaching and engaging

referred EARN customers who failed to report for scheduled appointments 2. Implementing strategies to increase the number of referred EARN Customers

who report for their original scheduled appointments

C. Engaging Referred Customers Who Failed to Report 1. The Community Engagement and Outreach Team will review CWDS on a daily

basis to determine which referred EARN customers failed to report for their scheduled appointment

2. The Community Engagement and Outreach Team will contact the appropriate

EARN Program Team Leader to offer active assistance in contacting and rescheduling the customers who failed to report

3. Assistance in re-invitation may include phone, email, text, social media, and/or

any other means of potential contact 4. Those contacted will be rescheduled for the next referral day of that week of

the following week, if there is an excusable reason for not reporting

D. Increasing the Number of Customers Who Report for Appointments 1. The Community Engagement and Outreach Team monitors the referrals made

by the CAOs on a daily basis to determine the quantity of referrals and the appointment dates

2. Philadelphia Works informs the Community and Outreach Team of the names

and phone numbers of customers with open referral dates 3. Upon notification of the referral Community Engagement and Outreach Team

immediately:

a. Attempts (at least twice) to contact the referred customer by phone to:

(1) Remind them of the appointment

(2) Stress the importance of making the appointment (3) Answer questions the customer may have (4) Help problem-solve any barriers the customer may have in

making the appointment


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(5) Promote the benefits of workforce services for both referred

customer and his/her family b. Mails a “Welcome to EARN Program” letter that:

(1) Reminds him/her of the appointment location, date and time

(2) Summarizes the benefits to be gained through participation and the potential risks for not making the appointment

(3) Informs of him/her of what to expect when s/he makes the

appointment (4) Provides a phone number and staff name of who to call for

more information

E. The Community Engagement and Outreach Team will work with the CAOs to promote the EARN Program Services to increase the show-rate of those referred by:

a. Developing an agreement for the CAOs to contact referred customers

who did not report and reschedule them for another day of the same week or the next referral day available

b. Providing promotional materials on the PA CareerLink® Center and the

EARN Program for CAO staff to give customers at the time they complete and sign the Agreement of Mutual Responsibility

c. Preparing promotional materials on the PA CareerLink® Center services

and the EARN Program for posting in the CAOs d. Making weekly presentations each week at the CAOs to provide a mini-

overview of the EARN Program, urge their participation, meet individually with referred customers (if possible), and prepare them for the first day of the Program


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Program Enrollment, Core Activities and Other Activities Program Enrollment While the goal remains that clients will be enrolled within 7 working days of the referral, it is understood that the goal will not be reached in 100% of cases. In circumstances where enrollment within the 7 day time frame is not possible please work with the CAO to determine the best action to take. This might often be due to but not limited to child care and transportation issues. There is not a need to referral/reject each client after 7 days and have the CAO create a new referral. The system (CWDS) time frame is still 15 days. Once enrolled, customers are required to complete 30 hours of program participation per week (Sunday to Saturday) unless otherwise indicated on the AMR. Single parent households with a child under the age of 6 years old are required to participate for 20 hours per week. In the event a customer does not report as scheduled or refuses to cooperate, the following referral rejection codes may be used according to the situation. Referral Rejections Below are descriptions of and typical guidelines for the use of Referral Rejection Codes.

Code 1: Did Not Report - Customer did not come to the program at any time. If you know why the customer did not come to enroll, enter a comment and use rejection code 1 even though a reason was provided. For example, the customer may have called to say that a relative is ill or they do not have child care. The important factor here is that they did not come to the program. Code 2: Refused to Cooperate – Customer must come to the program and once they are there, one of the following is determined:

Unexplained Absence/ MIA – Customer is present and leaves the program without being

excused

Lateness - Customer arrives late on Day 1 and does not indicate a commitment to attend

going forward. You may allow late customers to participate on Day 1 and withhold entering

the enrollment until Day 2

Dress code – Allow customer to participate in the program and facilitate referral to PA

Workwear (PAWW) or other clothing resources. Do not referral reject unless the customer

refuses PAWorkWear and/or continues to dress in a manner that would prohibit job

interviews. Business attire is not required for all types of employment and is not required

for program participation. A clarification comment is required for all Code 2 rejections

Code 5: Other – Customer reports to enroll in the program, but expresses barriers (with documentation) that will immediately prevent ongoing participation. Barriers may include health issues involving the customer or family member; court, DHS or other appointments; housing issues and CCIS issues. If it is verified that CCIS services were provided and the


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customer refused to follow up with those services, use Code 2. A clarification comment is required for all code 5 rejections. Code T: Referred in Error – Customer reports to the program and is a student, is in 3rd trimester of pregnancy or the CAO requests a Code T. A clarification comment is required for all code T rejections.


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Core Activities and Other Activities for TANF customers TANF regulation defines participant activities that are countable toward achievement of the federal Work Participation Rate (WPR). Called “core” activities, they restrict the length of time customers can participate in activities associated with job search, education and skills training under certain circumstances. The federally mandated core activities are: Caring for a Community Service Participant’s Child

English as a Second Language (ESL)

Adult Basic Education (ABE)

General Equivalency Diploma (GED)/High School-Preparation for GED

Activity

Code Durational limits Core/Non Core Description

6 N/A CoreThe hours a TANF client spends caring for a child of another TANF

client who is participating in a community service.

Activity


11 N/A Non Core

ESL is part of a vocational educational training plan specifically

designed to improve the individual's English language proficiency

needed to compete successfully in the current job market. When

providing ESL instruction, vendors are required to ensure it is

provided as part of a vocational educational training activity. The

ESL portion of the curriculum focuses on vocabulary and reading

assignments which relate to the participant's current course of

vocational training.

Activity


12 N/A Non Core

ABE is designed to increase literacy and computational levels

consistent with employment goals. The educational activity must

be embedded with other skills training activities that have been

determined necessary in order to meet the goals set on the

participant's EDP.

Activity


Educational activity offered by an accredited high school or GED

provider.

* This is a core activity for: single heads of household under the age

of 22; and families with both parents under the age of 22 who are

each participating in this activity for the required hours.

When the participant maintains satisfactory progress as determined

by the educational provider, the client will receive credit for

compliance with 20 hours per week of activity.

** This is non-core for all others.

18 N/ACore or

Non-Core


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Community Service

On the Job Training (OJT)

Subsidized Employment

Activity


Community service is a beneficial activity available for clients who

have a negligible work history, or who live in communities where

there is minimal employment. CAO caseworker must note the

number of hours on the client’s AMR.

CAO determines number of hours per week allowed in this activity

based on the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Clients who participate for the required hours per week are given

credit for total core hours of participation even if the actual hours

are less than the core requirement.

20 N/A Core

Activity


22Limited to 12 mo. but may

extend for certain cases.Core

OJT is full or part-time, private or public sector employment that

combines a period of subsidized employment with instruction

necessary to perform specific job functions. The wage subsidy is

provided by a contracted employment and training provider to the

employer. Individuals are employed by the OJT employer from the

start of the program and are expected to be retained in

employment at the conclusion of the OJT contract. Employers who

fail to retain participants without good cause will not be given an

additional OJT contract. OJT provides individualized occupational

skills training to acquire specific skills and employment

competencies through participation in a work setting. This activity

may include internships, practicums, professional certification, and

clinical training required by an academic or training institution for

licensure, when the client is paid by an employer to attend.

Activity


Subsidized employment provides public or private section

employers with a wage subsidy for a negotiated period of time.

Subsidized employment programs do not require the employer to

provide special training to the participant other than that which any

other employees in the same position should receive. In order to

use subsidized employment as an activity, programs must enter

into a written agreement with the employer.

Employers that terminate clients at the conclusion of the subsidy

period without cause are not permitted to receive a subsequent

wage subsidy.

23Up to six months although

exceptions may be possible. Core


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Vocational Educational Training

Paid Work Experience

Work Study

Unsubsidized Employment

Activity


Up to 12 months in a lifetime.

Any time used in a month

counts as a month.

The Vocational Education time limit inlcudes time spent in activity

codes 14, 15, 16, and 24.

24 Core

Skill/vocational training is a time limited TANF activity. Clients are

limited to 12 months in a lifetime. Vocational Education provides

training in specific occupational skills needed in the current job

market.

Activity


26 6 months in a lifetime Core

PWE is an opportunity for clients’ to enhance workplace skills and

employability. PWE is subsidized employment. Current DPW

regulations allow this activity for a maximum of six months in an

individual’s lifetime with the following exceptions. PWE may be

extended if an individual has a disability covered under the

provisions of the ADA or if an individual has to withdraw from PWE

for good cause such as injury.

Activity


31 N/A Core

Work Study is employment at a college that is subsidized by funds

from a federal or state work study program. Work study normally

combines an academic program with paid employment in which a

client gains practical experience in the workplace. Income received

from work study is exempt from the client’s TANF and SNAP

computation and does not have a financial affect on the amount of

the family’s TANF or SNAP grant.

Activity


33 N/A Core

Unsubsidized employment is full or part-time employment,

including self-employment, in which neither the employer nor

employee receives a subsidy from TANF or other public funds. The

program must document the job start by obtaining a copy of a pay

stub or on a letter from the employer on company stationery.


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Non-Core Vocational Education

Jobs Skills Training Directly Related to Employment

Activity


This code is for clients without a high school diploma or GED.

Vocational Education provides training in specific occupational skills

needed in the current job market.

Clients who are required to participate for 30 or more total hours

per week can use this activity toward the non-core requirement.

The client must be enrolled in a core activity for the appropriate

number of hours.

This activity cannot be counted as a core activity, but 20 hour-per-

week clients may volunteer to participate for hours beyond their

minimum 20.

Move Up must be utilized to provide these services if it exists in the

area

Use code 34 if the participant does not already have a high school

diploma or GED.

Use code 35 if the participant already has a high school diploma or

GED.

34 or 35 N/A Non Core

Activity


Job skills training directly related to employment is formal training

provided by a contracted employment and training vendor, that is

specifically designed to improve an individual’s skills on the job,

and may include continuing education or job skills courses.

The activity can be provided after individuals have exceeded their

12 months of vocational educational training so that they may

complete their program and for clients who are meeting their core

activity requirements but who also wish to participate in the

activities listed in this document.

Note that baccalaureate degree programs may be approved and

counted as non-core “skills training directly related to

employment” for clients who are meeting their 20 hour per week

core requirement through a work-related activity,

Additional activities may be embedded within the curriculum and

include ABE, ESL and GED.

38 N/A Non Core


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Job Search/Prep Training and ongoing job search

Note: Includes Universal Workshops

Rehabilitative Services

Vocation-Specific Work Experience (VWE)

Activity


Job search and job search readiness is the activity of seeking

employment combined with instruction for finding, accepting and

keeping employment. It consists of time the individual spends

looking for employment on their own, including registering with

CareerLink, attending workshops*, job fairs and computer labs.

Substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment and other

rehabilitative treatments are included with job search and job

readiness when the necessity of treatment is documented by a

qualified medical, substance abuse, or mental health professional.

(This does not include physical health rehabilitative services)-

Please see AC-49)

After a four-week consecutive period of job search/job readiness,

the client must be enrolled in a different Core activity for at least a

week.

One week of job search/job readiness is defined as 20 hours for a

single parent with a child less than six years of age (for a total of 240

hours for the 12-week limit in a 12 month time frame) or

30 hours for a single parent with all children age six or older or no

child under age six (for a total of 360 hours for the 12-week limit in a

12 month time frame)

Core

TANF clients with a child

under six are allowed to

participate for up to 240

hours in a rolling 12-month

period and all other clients

are allowed to participate for

up to 360 hours in a rolling 12

month period.

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Activity


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TANF clients with a child

under six are allowed to

participate for up to 240

hours in a rolling 12-month

period and all other clients

are allowed to participate for

up to 360 hours in a rolling 12

month period.

Core

Rehabilitative Services include family violence counseling, Office of

Children Youth and Families (OCYF) specified family services plan,

substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling and any

other type of rehabilitative activity. Physical rehabilitation

treatment is excluded from this activity. Rehabilitative services

must be determined necessary and documented by a qualified

medical, substance abuse or mental health professional.

Activity


51 N/A Core

VWE is DPW-funded work experience, which is directly related to

an individual’s field of study during their enrollment in vocational

or post-secondary education. As in many adult education models, it

is important that classroom theories are applied in a “real life”

environment to ensure that a client can more readily connect

theory and practice, which results in helping them become more

employable. VWE is intended to offer the individual the

opportunity to apply their current course of vocational or post-

secondary education in a vocation-specific work setting.


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Federal regulations also impose a time-limit on the employment and training services that are provided to TANF clients. With a few exceptions, all employment and training programs must follow these rules when providing services to program participants.


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SECTION ONE: Customer Flow A. Universal Customer Flow Chart:

Welcome Process for First-Time Center Customers

Walk-In Customers:

Customers who initiated the

visit without staff outreach of referral

Referred Customers:

Sent by Community

Connection Partners with Community Connection Partnership Agreements

Outreached Customers:

Invited by PREP Coordinator

and Community Engagement and Outreach Team, (EARN) and required to come to the

Center

Greeter and Front-Desk

Initial JobGateway® Registration and Profile

Not Registered, Comfortable Using Computer

Self-Completion

Career Resource Center

Already Registered

Not Registered, Not Comfortable Using

Computer

Paper and Pencil Registration

One-on-One Welcome Meeting

Career

Resource Center

Meet with Skills+

Employment Staff

Partner Programs

-EARN -WIOA

Services -myPlace

-DVOP -Other Partners

Group Workshops:

Skill Advancement

And Job Finding

No Wrong Door EARN Procedures Manual

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B. Service Delivery Methods and EARN Staff Roles and Responsibilities

1. Services will be delivered through a mix of one-on-one meetings, group workshops, and supervised participant self-directed activities. The mix of service delivery methods will be determined by each EARN Program.

2. The service delivery methods must include all specified required activities, meet the defined

service standards, and result in producing the minimum tangible “job finding services” outcomes from each week of participation.

3. Each EARN Program will have a standardized, daily schedule of activities for the first and second

weeks of participation that includes all of the required services and meet the service standards. Additional activities may be added by the EARN Program as long as all required services and activities are included.

4. This schedule will include what is to be accomplished and taught each day, the method by which

each service will be delivered, who will deliver each service, and the hours to be expended on each service activity.

5. Each EARN Program will clearly define its staff’s specific roles and responsibilities in delivering

the services, meeting the service standards, and achieving the service outcomes. 6. If different staff positions share in the delivery responsibilities for certain services and/or

services are delivered concurrently by different staff positions, specificity must be provided on who does what and how the customer will be seamlessly handed-off and/or shared between staff members.

Position descriptions

Team Leaders

Support and champion the vision and implementation of the “No Wrong Door” service

delivery design as specified in the standardized procedures manual and within applicable

state and local policies

Provide functional leadership to (and, if contractor-hired staff, directly supervise) their Team

members by directing their day-to-day work (within the parameters of the Department of

Labor and Industry’s Workforce Delivery System “Policy 02-2014 Version002” and the

Memoranda of Understanding with co-located partners)

Ensure and monitor their Team’s compliance with program-specific regulations and

requirements and provide ongoing coaching to improve the Team’s individual and collective

performance


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Provide direct services to their Team’s customers when needed to ensure prompt and

effective services (including carrying a caseload, when applicable)

Achieve their Team’s performance outcomes and success metrics

Workforce Advisors

Workforce Advisors (Universal Welcome/Skills/Employment Team)

Provide excellent, prompt, and staff-assisted customer service to all center customers in the

universal welcome, skills, and employment functions (as outlined in the standardized

procedures manual)

Able to help all Center customers in any of the welcome, skills, and employment functions

and exhibit flexibility as they are deployed by their Team Leader according to customer

demand to ensure a smooth customer flow

Assist Center customers in the CRC

Help customer access resources in the community that will meet customer needs

Provide advice on job finding and skill development to make customers more competitive

Recommend, promote, and schedule universal product box services for Center customers

Connect Center customers (if interested and potentially eligible) to partner programs

Ensure each Center customer leaves each Center visit having received a tangible service

Contribute to meeting the Center-wide success indicators

Workforce Advisors (EARN and WIOA Services)

Provide excellent, prompt, and staff-assisted customer service to customers referred to and

served by their program

Serve as the case manager for assigned customers and meet the regulatory requirements

for eligibility, participation, case notes, and follow-up services regarding employment and

retention


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Work with the Integrated Job Development Team and its job developers to transition

customers to appropriate employment as quickly as possible

Recommend, promote, and schedule universal product box services for their customers

Provide program-specific services, including (where applicable) assessment, support

services, incentives, and Individual Employment Plan development

Connect assigned customers to the universal product box services continuously

Contribute to meeting their assigned program’s performance metrics and success indicators

Quality Assurance and Data Specialists

Work with their assigned Teams to ensure compliant, accurate, and timely entry of required

program data

Provide technical assistance to team members in meeting data entry requirements

Review individual case records to ensure compliance and integrity

Analyze data for program trends and make continuous improvement suggestions to

enhance performance outcomes

Job Developers

Work with the workforce advisors and the individual customers of the EARN and WIOA

Services Programs to identify and capture employment opportunities

Outreach and contact appropriate employers (in coordination with the Cross-Center

Business Services Team) to promote the hiring of customers in jobs that meet program

requirements (including both subsidized and unsubsidized employment)

Record all employer contacts and services in the CWDS system

Maintain contact with the employer during the hiring process and, if the job seeker is not

hired, determine the reason why and work with the assigned Workforce Advisor to improve

the job seeker’s competitiveness


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Contact employers post-hire to determine job retention, champion advancement, and, if job

retention is not achieved, to identify the cause/s and follow-up accordingly

Work with the Cross-Center Business Services Team in organizing in-Center recruitment and

hiring events

Recommend to the Life Skills Coach and the Cross-Center Product Box Team activities,

workshops, and curricula that will assist customers in employability, job finding, and skill

development

Contribute to meeting the TANF and WIOA Services performance metrics and success

indicators

Life Skills Coach (EARN)

Provide guidance to customers experiencing challenges and barriers to their goal of

employment or training that are beyond the work of the assigned Workforce Advisor

Refer customers to outside agencies and organizations to assist customers dealing with

critical life issues that act as barriers to successful employment and job retention

Coach customers and give them the tools that will assist them with learning how to resolve

issues independently as they navigate through everyday life, employment, and program

participation

Facilitate workshops that are specifically designed to meet the specific needs of EARN

customers

Contribute to meeting the EARN performance metrics and success indicators

Community Worksite Coordinator (EARN)

Work with the EARN Workforce Advisors to find appropriate community service worksites

for EARN customers who are unable to find subsidized or unsubsidized employment and to

serve as a “participation bridge” while seeking such employment

Identify potential community worksites and service positions that are aligned with labor

market demand and that provide direct and transferrable skills and work experience to

EARN customers to increase their employability


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Develop worksite agreements that specify the responsibilities of the worksite in providing

supportive supervision in an authentic work environment, the skills to be taught, and the

time limitations on community service for the EARN customer at that site

Maintain contact with worksites throughout community service to ascertain EARN customer

attendance and skill attainment

Work with the Integrated Job Development Team and job developers to identify

unsubsidized and subsidized employment opportunities to transition EARN customers as

quickly as possible to paid employment

Achieve the success indicator of “percentage of customers moving from Community Service

to Entered Employment”


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II. CAO Referral and Participant Segmentation

A. Segmentation: First-Time or Returning B. Returning Participants

Chapter II: CAO Referral and Participant Segmentation (Process Steps 1, 1.A, and 1.B) A. Segmentation: First-Time or Returning

1. Referred participants will be identified as either first-time or returning participants on the first day of participation.

2. Participants who are first-time participants will begin the first week of participation and receive

the services defined in Section III. B. Returning Participants

1. A returning participant will have a one-on-one meeting with a Workforce Advisor during the first week.

2. During this meeting, the Workforce Advisor will discuss:

a. The reason/s for the participant’s return b. The participant’s learning from the experience c. What can be done to make participation more successful this time d. The participation rules, expectations, and consequences (emphasized in the context of the

reason for the return) e. Strategies for overcoming potential personal, job finding, and job retention challenges that

led to the return

3. The participant and the Workforce Advisor will:

a. Complete or review the required enrollment forms b. Complete or review an update of “My Self-Assessment and “My Personal Goals and Action

Plan” c. Develop a service plan to meet the requirements of the AMR/EDP

4. After the completion of the program entry requirements, the Workforce Advisor will customize

and schedule the first two weeks of activities for the participant.


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5. The first two weeks of activities may include:

a. Immediate scheduling of Community Work Experience as a program participation activity; b. Supported, structured, and supervised job search activities c. One-on-one meeting/s with the Integrated Job Development Team (if return is due to the

loss of a job that was not the fault of the participant); and/or d. Consideration for participation in Job Specific Skills Training and, if appropriate and decided,

initiation of the processes for referral to JSST e. Participating in all or some of the first and second week program activities for all first-time

participants f. Participation in Universal Workshops offered by the Center

6. After the first two weeks of participation, the returning participant will receive the same

services received by first-time participants as defined in Section V.

III. Service Standards for the First Week of Participation A. First Week Program Activities and Services B. Minimum Tangible “Job Finding Services” Outcomes from the First Week of Participation Chapter III: Service Standards for the First Week of Participation (Process Step 2) A. First Week Program Activities and Services During the first week of participation, the participant will (at a minimum):

1. Complete program entry requirements, including:

a. Enrollment or (reenrollment) into the program, with all required forms b. Review of the Agreement of Mutual Responsibility (AMR) or the Employment Development

Plan (EDP) for participant understanding and commitment c. Completion of the “My Self-Assessment” and “My Personal Goals and Action Plan” d. Development of a service plan to meet the requirements of the AMR/EDP

2. Understand program rules and participation requirements, including:

a. The hours of participation required and the consequences of non-participation


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b. Use of KRONOS for participation hours c. Receipt, review, and understanding of the EARN Participant Handbook d. The expectation for continuous participation in job finding activities throughout program

participation 3. Know the benefits of work, including:

a. Identification of the participant’s prime motivation for work (beyond program compliance) b. Impact of wages on the participant’s benefits (including both cash and noncash assistance)

4. Have an individual strategy for overcoming potential personal, job finding, and job retention challenges, including:

a. Referrals (as needed and appropriate) to community services b. Access to childcare, transportation, and interview/work clothing c. Background checks, clearances, and references d. A “Work Ready Portfolio” with all of the documents needed for job application and

employment, including an official identification card, a Social Security card, and the documents needed to complete the I-9

5. Learn job-finding skills, including:

a. Identifying job openings and networking b. Applying for jobs c. Practicing basic computer skills to identify and apply for jobs online d. Interviewing effectively

6. Develop tangible job-finding tools, including:

a. A Job Finding Plan with specific activities and dates b. Resume (in both electronic and hard copy formats) c. Sample job application form for use in completing applications online and/or in person d. Enhance the profile in JobGateway for effective job matching e. Access to universal Workshops


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7. Meet (as a group) with the job developer/s, including:

a. The role of the job developer from Integrated Job Development Team and Job Placement Services

b. How to “earn the right” to be referred*

(*Note: A participant is determined to have “earned the right to be referred” through an assessment of their job search readiness, job readiness, and program behaviors indicating job readiness; please refer to the chapter on “Standards and Procedures for EARN Job Finding Services” in this manual.)

8. Test the labor market, including:

a. Identification (with the assistance of EARN staff) of job openings for application b. Application (with the assistance of EARN staff) to at least three current job openings during

the first week of participation 9. Conduct a self-assessment of the first week of participation and progress (with EARN staff

feedback), including:

a. Participant self-assessment of the week’s activities, the level and quality of his/her participation, major learning, and commitment to find employment

b. Individual feedback on progress from the EARN Instructor and Workforce Advisor c. Celebration of areas of progress and identification of areas needing continuous

improvement

10. Know the plans for the second week of participation, including:

a. Day-by-day activities and hours b. Meet individually with job developer from Integrated Job Development Team, if “earned the

right to be referred” c. Continue to identify job openings and apply for jobs d. Prepare for Community Work Experience beginning the third week of participation, if not

employed and not making significant progress in job finding e. Learn and improve appropriate workplace behaviors for job retention and advancement and

job coping skills f. Hone and practice job search skills learned in the first week


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B. Minimum Tangible “Job Finding Services” Outcomes from the First Week of Participation By the end of the first week, each participant will have:

1. Completed a customized Job Finding Plan 2. Developed both an electronic and hard-copy resume 3. Created a sample job application form with the detail needed to complete job applications and

practiced applying for jobs online and in-person 4. Registered in JobGateway to be available for job matching and instructed on how to use

JobGateway to identify job openings 5. Learned and practiced job search skills, including identifying job openings, applying for jobs, and

interviewing skills 6. Applied for at least three currently open jobs through job leads identified by either EARN staff or

discovered by the participant in his/her self-directed job search 7. Understood how to “earn the right to be referred” by job developer for Job Development and

Job Placement Services 8. Been referred to the job developer for Job Development and Job Placement Services, if job

search ready and job ready

IV. Service Standards for the Second Week of Participation A. Second Week Program Activities and Services B. Minimum Tangible “Job Finding Services” Outcomes from the Second Week of Participation Chapter IV: Service Standards for the Second Week of Participation (Process Step 3) A. Second Week Program Activities and Services During the second week of participation, the participant will (at a minimum):

1. Participate daily in supervised and structured job finding activities, including:

a. Daily, facilitated, in-center activities where participants are supervised and supported in identifying job leads and applying for jobs

b. Access to Universal Workshop offerings c. Explore the most common jobs and industries hiring EARN participants and explore which

one/s to target in their job search


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d. Discuss job-finding challenges with peers and brainstorm solutions to overcome them e. Use the Internet to identify job openings, match for jobs using JobGateway (and other job

matching sites), and apply for jobs online f. Improve the resume and sample job application form developed in the first week of

participation g. Practice interviewing skills through mock interviewing h. Update his/her Job Finding Plan to include activities for the next four weeks

2. Intensify the test of the labor market:

a. Follow- up on self-identified or EARN staff-identified job leads b. Apply for at least one job every day (for a total of five additional job applications by the end

of the second week of participation) c. Go on interview/s if contacted by an employer (or arranged by the job developer); follow-up

on any interview/s; and debrief interview/s with EARN staff d. Attend employer-sponsored recruitment events

3. Meet one-on-one with a job developer, if the participant has “earned the right to be referred”

a. Meet with a job developer to review, customize, and offer advice on their job-finding tools in relation to current job opportunities

b. Receive appropriate job leads and referrals for participant application and follow-up

4. Learn Job keeping and job coping skills, including:

a. Importance of job retention b. Expected workplace behaviors c. Dealing with bosses and co-workers d. Coping with work/home balance and stress e. Problem-solving skills

5. Understand the purpose and requirements of Community Work Experience, including:

a. The purpose of Community Work Experience is more than just compliance with participation hours


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b. Community Work Experience is to teach skills, enhance resumes, provide specific work

experience in occupations where employers are hiring, and, potentially, serve as try-out employment with the host agency

c. Community Work Experience does not replace job search activities; all participants in

Community Work Experience are to continue job-finding activities each week during their participation in CWE

d. A single CWE position and site has a maximum limit of 45 days

6. Prepare to begin Community Work Experience the third week of participation (if not employed and not making significant progress in job finding activities*), including:

a. EARN staff present Community Work Experience option/s (including the names of potential

host site/s and work experience position description/s) b. Participants applies and interviews for position/s c. If selected by the host site, the EARN staff works with the participant to specify the skills to

be learned in the position and how the CWE will be used to leverage unsubsidized employment

d. Complete any logistical details needed to initiate CWE on the first day of the third week of

participation (*Note: If EARN staff determine an individual participant is making significant progress in job finding activities and participant job search hours are available, the third and fourth weeks may be allocated to and scheduled for continued job finding activities. Examples of “significant progress” could include: job interviews are scheduled; the participant has demonstrated a strong commitment to finding a job immediately; and/or the participant has been determined to have “earned the right to be referred” and is working with a job developer who believes they have realistic prospects for employment within the next two weeks.) However if an individual participant is not making significant progress in job finding by refusing job offers, follow the Employment Refusal Policy in the Appendices.

7. Present the opportunity for Job Specific Skills Training (JSST) to specific participants who are identified as likely to benefit from JSST, including:

a. During the second week of participation, EARN staff will identify participants who are

potential candidates for JSST and discuss this opportunity individually with those so identified


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b. During this meeting, EARN staff will conduct an assessment to determine if training is needed to find a job, if sufficient participation hours are available to complete the training, and if the participant is interested in JSST

c. If the participant is interested in JSST, EARN staff determine the participant needs JSST and if

participation hours are available, the participant will then be referred to a JSST program provider(s) for potential participation (Process Steps section 3, II A)

8. Conduct a self-assessment of the second week of participation and progress and plan the

activities for the next four weeks, including:

a. Participant self-assessment of the second week’s activities, the level and quality of his/her participation, major learning, and commitment to find employment

b. and other EARN staff c. Celebration of areas of progress and identification of areas needing continuous

improvement d. Development of day-by-day activities (with hours) for the third week (and every week until

employed), including Community Work Experience and at least four hours a week in supervised, structured job finding activities

e. Identify the contact methods, dates, and times with the Workforce Advisor for the third

week (and every week until employed) B. Minimum Tangible “Job Finding Services” Outcomes from the Second Week of Participation By the end of the second week, each participant will have:

1. Updated his/her Job Finding Plan for the next four weeks 2. Identified job openings and applied for at least one job every day and at least eight jobs by the

end of the week 3. Met with the job developer (if determined to have “earned the right to be referred”) and

received job leads and referrals for application and have applied for those jobs 4. Learned job keeping and job coping skills 5. Practiced application and interview skills by applying and interviewing for at least one

Community Work Experience position


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V. Service Standards for Continued Program Participation A. Participants Employed At Least 30-Hours a Week B. Participants Employed Less Than 30-Hours a Week C. Participants in Community Work Experience Chapter V: Service Standards for Continued Program Participation (Process Steps 4.A, 4.B., and 4.C) After the first two weeks of participation, participants with be segmented into three categories of participation: a. Employed at Least 30-Hours a Week; b. Employed Less Than 30-Hours a Week; c. Unemployed and Participating in Community Work Experience. Services and service standards vary for each category: A. Participants Employed At Least 30-Hours a Week (Process Step 4.A)

1. Job retention services will be offered and delivered to participants employed in jobs of at least

30 hours a week 2. Workforce Advisors will contact and provide retention services to all participants in this category

at least two times a month for 26 weeks

a. If the participant obtained the job through a job development or job placement referral made by the job developer, the job developer will make contact with the new employee during the first week and notify the Workforce Advisor of the results of the contact

3. Contact may be by phone, email, or in-person. The purpose of the contact is to confirm

continued employment and offer support and advice to the participant in maintaining the job

B. Participants Employed Less than 30-Hours a Week (Process Step 4.B)

1. The EARN Program will make available continued job finding services to all participants working less than 30-hours a week and encourage (and/or require) participation in those services

2. After counting the hours of unsubsidized employment, any remaining required participation

hours will be met through supervised, structured job search activities (and, only if necessary, through Community Work Experience)

3. Participants (working with their Workforce Advisor) will be expected to update their Job Finding

Plan to continue the search for employment of at least 30-hours a week 4. Participants will be scheduled to report to the EARN Program for supervised, structured job

search activities for the hours remaining for job search services


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5. Participants will be invited to participate in the daily supervised and structured job finding activities held for new participants in the second week of participation, if their work schedule does not conflict with attendance

6. Three strategies and sets of services will be delivered and offered to those who are employed,

but working less than 30-hours a week

a. Seeking More Hours with the Same Employer (Process Step 4.B.1)

1. Participants will be taught that job performance is key to an increase in hours 2. Participants will be taught how to ask for more hours and be encouraged to do so on a

weekly basis 3. If the participant obtained the job through a referral from the job developer, the job

developer will contact the employer (after a reasonable period of positive job performance) to urge more hours of work for the participant

b. Seeking a New Job of At Least 30-Hours a Week with a New Employer (Process Step 4.B.2)

1. Job developers will meet individually with these participants to offer job development

and job placement referrals for jobs of at least 30 hours a week

c. Seeking Another Part-Time Job for a Total of At Least 30-Hours a Week (Process Step 4.B.3)

1. The Workforce Advisor will work with the participant to resolve childcare and transportation challenges that may be confronted with holding two, part-time jobs with variable hours

2. Job developers will meet individually with these participants to offer job development

and job placement referrals for another part-time job

7. When participants have obtained employment of at least 30-hours a week, they will receive the services under “Process Step 4.A. –Employed at Least 30-Hours a Week”

C. Participants in Community Work Experience (Process Step 4.C.)

1. Authentic Work Experience Related to the Labor Market (Process Step 4.c.1)

a. Each EARN Program is responsible for developing worksites with nonprofit and/or

government agencies where participants will have an authentic and meaningful work experience that teaches hard and soft skills, appropriate workplace behaviors, and the importance of attendance and timeliness


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b. All worksites will meet DPW worksite requirements and sign the “Community Service Agency Agreement.” (See Attachment 6 for DPW Community Service Guidelines and Standardized Worksite Agreement)

c. All Community Work Experience positions will have a position description (with meaningful

and tangible work activities) and an identified, specific supervisor who is responsible for the participant’s workplace learning and performance. CWE positions have a maximum duration of 45 days

d. If the participant has not achieved unsubsidized employment by the end of the 45 days

duration maximum, the participant will be required to apply and interview for a new CWE site and position

e. Priority for CWE positions will be given to those that provide the specific work experience and skills in the occupations where most participants find unsubsidized employment, including: food service, customer service, child/elder care, and health care

f. Participants will not be “given” or “assigned” a CWE position; they will be required to apply

and be interviewed by the position supervisor prior to being selected for and accepting the position

g. The Community Worksite Coordinators will:

Work with the participant and the supervisor to clearly specify the skills to be learned and the work performance standards to be met

Make onsite visits to the worksites within the first 30 days of the CWE and meet with both the participant and the supervisor to discuss performance and skill progress and, if necessary, recommend improvements

Facilitate weekly meetings with new and re-enrolled customers to complete assessment for internship readiness and proper matching, eligibility for participation and assignment

Obtain signed worksite agreement from business/organization and maintain copy on file at EARN Center

Complete Community Service Placement Report

Assist site representatives in developing meaningful job descriptions that enables the interns to develop skills and experience, schedule work hours and identify the interns direct supervisor

Explain administrative requirements, Telephone Time Entry (TTE), timesheets, evaluations, etc.

Visit worksites on a weekly basis to assess intern(s) progress and employment possibility, issues or concerns from representative or intern, etc.

Reassess interns after 30 days to determine employability, additional training needed, if site reassignment necessary, etc.

Maintain tracking data base of CS Interns assignments


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2. Continuous Job Finding Services Until Employed (Process Step 4.B.2)

a. All participants will continue to update and implement their Job Finding Plan while in CWE b. At least four hours each week of each CWE participant’s required participation hours will be

allocated to in-Center supervised, structured job search activities c. Participants will apply for at least five jobs each week while participating in CWE d. Participants will update their resumes, sample job application forms, and JobGateway

registration to reflect their CWE position and new skills learned

3. Participants will be taught how to ask the host CWE site and supervisor to hire them in unsubsidized employment. Participants who have been identified as having the “right to be referred’ will meet with the job developer for job development and job placement services

4. Once employed, participants will receive the applicable services under “Process Step 4.A. Employed

at Least 30-Hours a Week” or “Process Step 4.B. - Employed Less Than 30-Hours a Week”


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SECTION TWO: Job Finding and Job Development I. Four EARN Job Finding Services A. Structured and Supported Participant Job Search

B. Job Development

C. Job Placement

D. Employer Access for Direct Participant Recruitment

Chapter I: Four EARN Job Finding Services

A. Structured and Supported Participant Job Search

Job Seeker/Participant

B. Job Development

C. Job Placement

Employer

D. Employer Access for Direct Participant Recruitment

All EARN Programs will staff and actively offer and implement four job-finding services for participants: A. “Structured and Supported Participant Job Search” Services:

1. Definition: Providing job seekers with the tools, skills, and advice needed to search for and find jobs

2. Standards and procedures:

a. All participants will be considered to be job seekers from the first day of enrollment b. Every participant will apply for at least five current job openings every week of program

participation (after the first week where the requirement is three applications) until they are employed


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c. The EARN Program will structure and support the participant’s job search by ensuring all

participants will (by the end of the first week of participation) have:

1. Completed a customized Job Finding Plan 2. Developed both an electronic and hard-copy resume 3. Created a sample job application form with the detail needed to complete job

applications and practiced applying for jobs online and in-person 4. Registered in JobGateway to be available for job matching and instructed on how to use

JobGateway to identify job openings 5. Learned and practiced job search skills, including networking and interviewing skills 6. Applied for at least three jobs through job leads identified by either EARN staff or

discovered by the participant in his/her self-directed job search B. “Job Development” Services:

1. Definition: Contacting an employer without a known job opening to promote a specific job seeker for employment that results in an interview

2. Standards and procedures: Workforce advisors will identify participants who are both job search ready and job ready and contact the Integrated Job Development team to promote those specific participants to employers who potentially may want to interview them for hire.

a. Each job developer is to conduct at least four job development employer contact activities

per week b. Employers to be contacted for job development include both those with whom the job

developer has a current relationship and those employers in industries with occupations that are most likely to hire EARN participants

c. Job developers will have available to them resumes from those job search ready and job

ready participants to use in promoting the participant to the prospective employer d. Once the identified employer decides to interview a promoted participant, the job

developer and workforce advisor will then follow the protocols for “Job Placement” services


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C. “Job Placement” Services:

1. Definition: Staff working with both the employer and job seeker during the referral, interview, and hiring

process resulting in employment 2. Standards and procedures:

a. The job developer will identify job openings that match the qualifications of the participant. These job openings may either be those advertised or those identified by the job developer through employer outreach for job order solicitation.

b. The workforce advisor will meet with the participant to determine and confirm the

participant is both job search ready and job ready prior to any referral. c. The workforce advisor screens the participant for the potential job referral by:

1. Confirming the participant has the experience, skills, and educational qualifications

specified for the opening

2. Ensuring the participant will meet any pre-employment requirements for the job opening, including relevant criminal and credit background checks, integrity and skills testing, and, references

d. Only participants who are positively screened by the workforce advisor for the job opening

will be referred to the job developer e. The job developer will then assist the screened participant in applying for the job opening,

using the employer’s specific job application process

f. The job developer will contact the employer to inform the employer that a job applicant is being referred, promote the participant, and encourage (and, if possible, schedule) an interview

g. If an interview is scheduled, the job developer will meet with the referred participant to:

1. Discuss the specifics of the job opening and confirm the participant’s interest in the job

2. Provide the participant with any known details about the employer and the employer’s hiring practices

3. Prepare the participant for the interview through mock interviewing specific to the job opening

4. Inform the participant of the interview date and time using the Job Referral Form (Attachment 11) and (working with the workforce advisor) resolve any transportation, childcare, and/or clothing needed to successfully interview


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5. Inform the participant that s/he is to contact the job developer immediately after the scheduled interview

h. When the participant contacts the job developer after the interview, the job developer will:

1. Ask the participant for a self-assessment of the success of the interview, including any potential hiring objections raised by the employer during the interview

2. Assist the participant in immediately sending a post-interview thank you and follow-up note to the employer

3. Inform the participant that the job developer will be contacting the employer to determine the employer’s perception of the interview and encourage his/her hiring

i. The job developer will then contact the interviewing employer to:

1. Seek the employer’s reaction to the interview and the potential interest in hiring the

applicant 2. Attempt to overcome any hiring objections and encourage hiring 3. Thank the employer for interviewing the applicant and ask if the employer would like to

interview additional applicants

j. If the participant is not hired, the job developer will meet with the participant to:

1. Inform the participant s/he was not hired and, if known, the reasons why 2. Work with the participant to learn from the application and interview process for

continuous improvement in his/her job finding activities 3. Begin to identify other job opportunities that may be available to the participant and initiate

the application process

k. If the applicant is hired, the job developer will:

1. Meet with the participant to:

a. Inform the participant s/he was hired and celebrate the success. b. Discuss the importance of job retention

c. Encourage the participant to immediately contact the job developer or the assigned

workforce advisor with any challenges they confront at work that makes job retention difficult


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d. Set expectations for continuous job finding activities if the job is scheduled for less than 30-hours a week

2. Complete the job placement form and inform other appropriate EARN staff of:

a. The hire, the employer, the start date, the wages, and the hours for data entry b. The need to contact the participant to ensure that s/he has the transportation,

childcare, and work clothing needed for job retention

3. Contact the employer (by phone or email) to:

a. Thank the employer for the opportunity to work with him/her b. Notify the employer of the job developer’s availability to assist in helping to resolve any

job performance issues c. Ask if there are other job openings available either currently or in the near future and, if

so, would they like screened applicants to be referred

l. At the end of the first week of employment, the job developer will contact both the participant and the employer to assess job satisfaction and offer advice for improvement of job performance

For those participants who appear to be at risk of losing or quitting their jobs, the job developer will notify the appropriate workforce advisor. The Workforce Advisor will then immediately contact the participant to encourage job retention and overcome personal or workplace challenges that may be impacting job retention and job performance. See Attachments 12 and 13 for the Job Refusal Policy and letters. D. “Employer Access for Direct Participant Recruitment” Services:

1. Definition: Providing employers with the opportunity to directly recruit for openings and to meet and/or interview participants at the EARN Program

2. Standards and procedures:

a. Employer Direct Recruitment Services include:

1. Presentation of job openings and company information to job seekers at the Center: A special event presentation by the employer at the Center of the job opportunity with pre-event publicity to potential applicants

2. In-Center employer/s-sponsored workshops: Customized pre-employment workshops

designed to give potential applicants the basic skills and knowledge needed to apply for job openings with the sponsoring-employer


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3. In-Center hiring events for all interested applicants: Space and publicity for in-Center

recruitment where all interested job seekers can come to learn more about the job, apply for the job, and/or have an initial interview for the job

4. In-Center hiring events for pre-screened applicants: Interview space at the center for

pre-screened (and scheduled) job applicants

5. In-Center pre-referral and/or pre-hire testing and assessment for skill verification: Standardized skills testing and assessment using Center instruments or the employer’s current applicant assessment instruments prior to referral and with the results of the assessment included at the time of referral

6. Off-site recruitment events sponsored by employers for either all participants or pre-

screened applicants

b. Job developers will promote these opportunities to employers who are ready to hire and each EARN Program will have at least six of these employer-sponsored events each month

c. The job developer (working with the workforce advisors) will identify appropriate

participants for these employer-sponsored events and promote and schedule those participants for the events.


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II. EARN Team Delivery of Job Finding Services A. Sequence and Concurrence in the Delivery of Job Finding Services B. EARN Staff Roles and Responsibilities in Job Finding Services C. Designing Job Finding Services to Connect Supply with Demand D. Leveraging the Workforce System for Participant Employment Chapter II: The EARN Job Finding Services Team A. Sequence and Concurrence in the Delivery of Job Finding Services

1. “Structured and Supported Participant Job Search Services” are:

a. Continuously offered to all participants until the participant has achieved employment of at

least 30 hours a week b. Emphasized during the first two weeks of participation to set the expectation for

employment, have the participant test the labor market, and to help EARN staff identify participants needing more intensive staff assistance to find employment

2. During the delivery of “Structured and Supported Participant Job Search Services”, EARN staff

(including workforce advisors, employment facilitators, and EARN instructors) will identify those participants who are job search ready and job ready for “Job Development” and “Job Placement” Services to be provided by the job developer.

3. A distinction is made between “Job Leads” and “Job Referrals”:

a. “Job Leads” are identified, publically advertised job openings available for application and

where there is not an existing referral relationship between the employer and the EARN Program

b. “Job Referrals” are made by job developers to screened candidates to employers where an

employer relationship exists through “Job Development” and/or “Job Placement” Services c. All EARN staff continuously help all participants identify “job leads” and encourage

application d. Participants must “earn the right to be referred” through the development of job search

skills and program participation behaviors, since the employer relationship must be maintained and nurtured though the referral of only qualified applicants

e. The job developer is the final decider of who has “earned the right” to be referred to a

specific employer


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4. All four job-finding services will be actively promoted and offered to not only new, unemployed participants, but also to participants in:

a. Community Work Experience to transition them to unsubsidized employment b. Jobs of less than 30-hours a week to assist them in finding a new job of at least 30-hours a

week or a second part-time job to meet the threshold of 30-hours a week

B. Shared Roles and Responsibilities in Job Finding Services EARN Staff work together as a team to help participants find and retain jobs with each staff, according to function, contributing to successful employment outcomes; the primary staff responsibilities in the delivery of job-finding services are:

1. Workforce Advisor/s:

a. Work with the participant to complete “My Self Assessment” and “My Personal Goals and

Action Plan” with the expectation and clarity of rapid employment as the primary goal b. Assist the participant in becoming job search ready and job ready through the amelioration

of personal challenges, including needed supportive services such as childcare, transportation, work clothing, and counseling

c. Reinforce and support the job finding skills taught by the EARN Instructor in group sessions d. Review the resume and sample job application form developed in the group sessions to

ensure completion and offer advice for improvement e. Monitor the “Structured Supported Job Finding Services” as outlined in the participant’s Job

Finding Plan and document and record the participation hours f. Provide known job leads to the participant and set the expectation for application g. Identify those participants who meet the minimum criteria for job search ready and job

ready for internal referral to the job developer as a candidate for “job development” and “job placement” services

h. Serve in the role of employment facilitator (when specifically designated by EARN Team

Lead) to:

Support and structure job finding activities for participants who are: not yet employed; working in jobs less than 30 hours a week; and, participating in Community Work Experience

Identify job leads with participants to meet the required number of job applications per week and assist participants in submitting a quality application


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Assist participants in registering in JobGateway; teach the participant how to match for job leads in JobGateway (and other job matching sites); and, conduct job matching

Identify those participants who meet the minimum criteria for job search ready and job ready for referral to the Integrated Job Development Team as a candidate for “job development” and “job placement” services

2. EARN Instructor/s:

a. Teach and facilitate the learning of skills in resume development, online and paper job

application, interviewing, and job keeping b. Ensure each participant develops: a Job Finding Plan (with specific, expected activities and

participation hours); a hard-copy and electronic resume; and, a sample job application form c. Provide known job leads to the participant and assist in application d. Identify those participants who meet the minimum criteria for job search ready and job

ready for internal referral to the Integrated Job Development Team as a candidate for “job development” and “job placement” services

3. Community Worksite Coordinator:

a. Develop Community Work Experience worksites and work experience positions that provide

relevant and authentic experience in and skill development for the types of unsubsidized jobs most frequently found by EARN participants

b. Communicate the specific skills to be learned and work experience to be gained to both

participant and the worksites c. Inform the participant of the expectation to continue to implement his/her Job Finding Plan

while in Community Work Experience d. Identify those participants who meet the minimum criteria for job search ready and job

ready for referral to the Integrated Job Development Team as a candidate for “job development” and “job placement” services

e. Manages the agreement and compliance of the Community Worksite

4. Job Developer:

a. Meet with all new participants (in a group setting) during the first week of participation to

discuss and define the four job finding services and the criteria for receiving “job development” and “job placement” services and how participants “earn the right to be referred”


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b. Communicate all identified “job leads” and application opportunities and prepare in-Center job opening promotional materials and display

c. Receive internal referrals from the workforce advisors, EARN instructors, employment

facilitators, and community worksite coordinator of those participants who are candidates for “job development” and “job placement” services

d. Meet individually with each participant who may be potentially referred to review,

customize, and offer advice on their job finding tools (including the Job Finding Plan, resume and sample job application form) in relationship to current job opportunities.

e. Support the participant’s Job Finding Plan through giving the participant job leads and

assisting the participant in application. f. Inform the workforce advisor of any personal challenges the participant is confronting in

implementing his/her Job Finding Plan so the employer advisor will meet with the participant to offer advice and needed supportive services

g. Provide appropriate “job development” and “job placement” services with “referrals” for

the participant as outlined in these procedures h. Achieve at least 10 countable placements per month through the provision of “job

development”, “job placement”, and “employer access for direct participant recruitment” services

i. Report to appropriate workforce advisor on a weekly basis the individual’s participation in

and compliance with job finding activities and participation hours for data entry j. Notify the workforce advisor immediately of the participant’s employment, including the

employer, the start date, the wages, and the hours for data entry k. Contact employers to promote, schedule, and arrange for “Employer Access for Direct

Participant Recruitment” activities at the PA CareerLink® Center

C. Employer Contact Database

1. The Integrated Job Development Team will use the inventory of EARN participants (with their most common skills, interests, and qualifications) as the primary driver in determining which employers to outreach. They will also have a database of all employer contacts, which includes:

a. Employer name and address b. Contact person with contact information c. Dates, purposes, and outcomes of each contact


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SECTION THREE: NWD SERVICE ENHANCEMENT TEAM A. Coordinating with the Center’s EARN Program B. Populating the universal Product Box with Workshops Delivered at the PA CareerLinks C. Minimum Workshops to Be Offered and Delivered A. Coordinating with the Center’s EARN Program Team

a. EARN Program customers are required to participate in the EARN Program with a minimum

number of participation hours per week b. Workshops delivered by the Service Enhancement Team may help EARN customers meet those

participation hours c. There are two types of workshops that count for participation when customers attend:

(1) Job Seeking Workshops (such as, effective job applications, resume development, and

interviewing skills)

(2) “Skill Advance for Employment” where the skills taught are tied to a specific occupations (such as, cash register training for retail jobs; customer service in hospitality jobs; and food safety for restaurant jobs)

d. The Service Enhancement Team will work with the EARN Program Teams to ensure that workshops delivered meet the criteria for the workshops to be “countable” for EARN Program participation

e. Since attendance (when scheduled) is mandatory for EARN customers, the Service

Enhancement Facilitators will know in advance who is to attend and will report, using CWDS date entry, to the EARN Teams who attended and who did not

f. EARN customers frequently have special challenges in finding employment may be looking

for first jobs or seeking jobs with a spotty work history g. The Service Enhancement Team will ensure the workshop content and materials respond to

the challenges of EARN customers by either including these challenges within the general workshops offered or designing and delivering workshops targeted to these special challenges

h. The EARN Program Team includes staff who serve as “Instructors” and provide program

orientation and group workshops for EARN customers


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i. The Facilitators located at each Center will work with the EARN Program Instructors located at the Center to ensure that customer learning is mutually reinforced and content presented is complementary and not contradictory

j. The Service Enhancement Team will ensure all EARN Workforce Advisors have the most recent workshop schedule, know the major content of the workshops, receive promotional materials to encourage workshop attendance, and are trained in how to effectively promote the workshops

From the NWD Service Enhancement Team Procedures Manual

B. Populating the Universal Product Box with Workshops Delivered At the PA CareerLinks

A. Five Categories of Workshops to Be Offered

1. Service Orientations An overview and introduction to PA CareerLink services and/or Partner services 2. Job Finding Skills and Tools and Job Readiness Job finding and job readiness workshops (including job clubs) that are popular with Center customers, are responsive to the diversity of Center customers (particularly first-time job seekers and those with barriers to employment), mirror employer hiring expectations and practices, and produce tangible outcomes 3. Skill Advancement for Employment

a. Short-duration workshops to help customers become more competitive and that

respond to employer skill demands at job entry (e.g., learning of software applications, customer service skills, and “cash register” orientation for those potentially entering retail and hospitality industry jobs and test preparation to increase the customer’s performance on employer’s and placement/entrance tests)

b. Workshops that enhance the customer’s literacy in English and/or prepares them for

GED testing c. Digital literacy to help customers find employment, access virtual services, and be

prepared to learn and use employer-specific software applications

4. Life Management Skills for Employment

Workshops to help customers manage their non-work life to be able to cope with finding and retaining a job, including topics such as financial literacy, problem-solving, and transitioning from public assistance to employment


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5. Overcoming Challenges to Employment for Special Populations

Workshops that target specific customer segments with special challenges to finding jobs (such as, ex-offenders, older workers, veterans) with strategies to overcome those challenges

C. Quality Standards for Workshops Delivered At the PA CareerLinks

A. Minimum Workshops to Be Offered and Delivered

1. The following workshops will be delivered at least once a week at each PA CareerLink:

a. Service Orientation

(1) Welcome to PA CareerLink

b. Job Finding Skills and Tools

(1) Getting the Best Jobs from JobGateway (including enhancement of the initial registration and profile and how to match for job opportunities on JobGateway)

(2) Hot Jobs in Philadelphia (understanding labor market demand) (3) Exploring Careers (4) Effective Job Applications (including both online and paper

applications) (5) Using Social Media to Find Jobs (6) Developing Resumes and Cover Letters (principles) (7) Resume Critique (customized resume improvement) (8) Interviewing Skills

c. Skill Advancement for Employment

(1) Digital Literacy (2) At least one occupation-specific skill development workshop

d. Life Management Skills for Employment and Overcoming Challenges to Employment for Special Populations


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(1) At least two workshops in either of these two workshop

categories responding to the needs of Center customers

e. While not a “workshop”, the Service Enhancement Team is also responsible for monitoring TABE testing and providing this service frequently enough to respond to need and demand by Center customers


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SECTION FOUR: Customer Service and Case Management

I. Customer Service and Case Management for Job Seekers

A. Customer Service: The EARN Experience

B. Managing Process

C. My Self-Assessment

D. Supportive Service

Chapter I: Customer Service and Case Management for Job Seekers A. Customer Service: The EARN Experience

Our customers form an impression of the services offered and the paths to employment that lay ahead from the first contact with EARN staff. Even though CAO is charged with selling the program as a rewarding opportunity to find work, it is the EARN staff and quality of services that will define the customers’ experience. Quality of service includes the customer’s right to expect that you will maintain confidentiality about their program involvement in accordance with your signed HIPAA Compliance Agreement.

Prior to arrival at the Center, customers should receive a telephone call from a designated Workforce Advisor. As the first contact with the EARN program, it is important for customers to feel welcome and anticipate that they will receive quality job finding services and support. This contact also allows staff an opportunity to identify any problems that may interfere with keeping the referral appointment including childcare, transportation, illness, etc. Speaking with each individual directly is preferred, although leaving a telephone message is acceptable, when necessary. At least two attempts should be made to contact each referral by phone before a message is left. Tip: For your convenience, Welcome Call Scripts are located in the appendices of this manual. These scripts can be used when contacting job seekers for the first time. What do job seekers experience when they walk into your program? In addition to pleasant surroundings and a warm welcome from staff, job seekers should quickly learn how they can benefit by participating in a standardized, daily schedule of activities. The sooner customers are able to personalize their experience through meaningful, value-added activities, the more likely they are to stay. Orientation should be friendly, motivational, eye-opening, non-threatening and meaningful. Keep in mind that many job seekers come through the EARN Program doors more than once. What will motivate them this time to follow-through?

During orientation:

Review the Participant Handbook is required (including the Grievance and Compliant Resolution Procedure for Participants)

Encourage questions;


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Give truthful, simple answers;

Present information in plain language that they can clearly understand, i.e try not to use acronyms and other service jargon

Remain professional and respectful; you are a role model;

Provide a tour of the facility to allow customers to become comfortable with their surroundings

B. Managing The Process

The approach we recommend for working with job seekers enrolled in EARN programs is based on the philosophy and techniques found in the training and manual titled Making Case Management Work: Empowering People for Change Second Edition written by Dr. Beverly O. Ford. Essentially, this approach is about empowering the individual to work on his/her own behalf. The second edition goes into specific detail on how to empower customers while executing good process. This approach will be important in allowing customers to find their own motivation for immediately testing the job market and later striving to earn job placement services as they see the value in working on their own behalf to get hired. As Workforce Advisors partner with job seekers, they serve as “keepers of the process” by doing the following: 1. Provide structure for the participant by adhering to a standard sequence of services 2. Function as a change agents whose primary tasks are to:

Help job seekers get ready for change

Teach the skills job seekers need to manage change

Provide access to resources that support change 3. Critical skills for staff members to have include the ability to:

Build partnerships with job seekers that encourage them to take responsibility for their lives

Gather and organize relevant information that will affect job seeker self-sufficiency

Analyze information to plan effective change strategies

Plan and implement strategies designed to move job seekers toward self-sufficiency

Use tools and techniques from the case management manual to improve counseling skills

Listen, demonstrate active listen, by asking open-ended and feeling questions as detailed in Chapter 9 of Making Case Management Work


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Handle difficult situations with hostile job seekers and those who have unrealistic goals constructively (see Chapter 16 – Good Strategies for Tough Issues, Making Case Management Work);

Engage job seekers (see Section 3 of the Making Case Management Work for detailed, related exercises; some of these are highlighted in Section 8 of this Operations Manual, as well, for your immediate reference)

4. Customer support includes data management. Improve EARN performance data by rewarding

job seekers for their hours of participation and use these methods:

Report activity hours timely and accurately

Use the excused absence policy creatively

Encourage job seekers to use make-up hours, if necessary

Record case notes diligently that support the hours and activities recorde;

Reinforce the goal of self-sufficiency by reminding job seekers of the motivational items they listed on the MSA as, “Things I don’t like…” and “Things I would like…;”

Know Your Job seekers - Workforce Advisors and job developers must work together to match job seekers to employment opportunities, therefore they both must know well the job seekers and the jobs that are available

C. My Self Assessment (MSA) EARN customers often ask, “Why am I here?” My Self Assessment is a required tool that can generate a conversation with a purpose and lead customers to answer that question. As job seekers are guided through the MSA, they begin to see their EARN program experiences as part of a process for achieving their goals. Program activities become means rather than mandates.

A major benefit of the MSA for you is that you do not have to have a degree in counseling to use it effectively with groups or individuals. The tool is designed for self-discovery and to stimulate conversation about individual needs and goals.

By using the My Self Assessment, you can help participants recognize where they are now and see where they want to go regarding employment, education, family, and personal goals. This tool works well when used individually or in a group setting. “Effective interviewing,” “role plays” and “goal setting” are techniques to use when working with job seekers. Effective interviewing and goal setting can be taught one-on-one or in groups. (See Attachment 14 for MSA and related tools).

Effective Interviewing

Interviewing should stimulate open dialogue, establishing trust and rapport between the job seeker and Workforce Advisor.

Interviews should help job seekers learn more about themselves by verbalizing personal interests, strengths and challenges, etc.


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Interviewing should create a comfortable atmosphere for self-discovery.

The interviewer should be trained to listen for indications of what is working and what is not working in the customer’s life, in order to identify areas for change.

Goal Setting

Goal setting should acknowledge what the job seeker has achieved in employment, training, and education, but also emphasize outcomes that are S.M.A.R.T- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. The more specific the goals, the better able the job seeker is to recognize her accomplishments.

Goal setting helps job seekers become empowered and motivated. Staff can work with customers to set several objectives or short term tasks, i.e. establishing stable childcare, writing a resume, scheduling and attending three job interviews weekly, taking a job with fewer than 30 hours. Completing these short- term goals can lead to reaching major goals such as working full-time.

Setting short term goals allow individuals to feel successful more often, bolstering their confidence and motivation.

Using My Personal Goals and Action Plan, ask the participant to write goals and a corresponding time-line to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Provide guidance and support throughout this process so the goals are S.M.A.R.T - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Role Playing

Role plays are simulations of particular events or situations in which critical thinking and decision making skills can be employed. This creative approach can provide an opportunity for the job seeker to engage in problem-solving and reflection in a real-world context. When participating in or observing a role play, staff may be able to glean additional information about a job seeker’s employment skills, strengths and challenges based on their actions, communication, and body language portrayed during the role play.

An example, a job interview role play may reveal to both the participant and the staff member what communication skills and confidence are apparent or lacking and whether or not additional soft skills training is needed. Managing Groups

Because EARN referrals often result in many new and repeat job seekers enrolling at once, program staff would benefit from using group techniques to manage the MSA efficiently. Group discussion often provides insight into an individual‘s behaviors, motivations, abilities and aptitudes. Careful observation may also reveal previously undisclosed barriers communicated between customers instead of to staff.

Your group session can accomplish several goals and help job seekers:

Find and use their personal motivation.


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See their strengths and successes.

Identify the problems they need to solve and the help they need.

Gain support, knowledge, and resources from each other.

Learn about the help available from other agencies to support them in making changes.

Make an initial commitment to get started on their goals.

Tips & Activities When Working with Groups

To maximize job seeker involvement and interaction, try to limit the group size to 10-15 people. This is a good size for group interaction and is not too large for a new group facilitator.

Ice Breakers! Help job seekers to meet each other and share information about themselves, i.e. career interests, stories about children, hobbies, work experience, etc.

Separate participants into pairs to talk about their employment backgrounds. Ask them to share information about what they liked about past jobs, did not like, or careers they would like to know more about.

Schedule computer room time for groups where Workforce Advisors can observe, in a classroom setting, if a particular job seeker seems uncomfortable using the computer and falls behind the rest of the group. This may be brought up and explored with the customer individually in terms of selecting a training program and career path that best suits his/her abilities.

Choose a location that will accommodate the group size you anticipate.

Have name tags for each person and ask all participants to introduce themselves. Use everyone’s names frequently to help everyone get to know one another.

Secure a flip chart and markers to write during group discussion. If you are using co-facilitators, one person can write on the flip chart while the other person leads the discussion. Be sure to record what participants say in response to questions asked. This reinforces that their ideas are important and have value.

Consider using small gifts as rewards for attending. These can be pens, cups, bags, t-shirts, etc. Token awards recognize the job seekers’ efforts and are good advertising to potential job seekers.

The case management manual has helpful exercises for Workforce Advisors when leading groups. For more information on groups read the Publication Group Power: Expanding the Circle of Hope-Dr. Beverly O. Ford.


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D. Supportive Services Customers often require additional support in order to work or attend program activities. Special Allowances (SPALS) The CAO will determine eligibility for special allowances including, but not limited to uniforms, background checks, books and tools. Customers seeking additional support are required to complete a DPW Special Allowances Verification Form (Attachment 16) and submit it to the CAO co-located worker. Accordingly, the SPAL form “…will be used by the CAO to discuss with the customer the availability of existing supports and determine what supportive services are required to enable participation in employment, education, training or an activity noted on the Agreement of Mutual Responsibility, AMR or Employment Development Plan, EDP.” Consideration is given to whether or not participation would be possible without the item or service requested; and whether the item or service is provided by the employer, activity, school or training provider. Consideration is always given for the least costly, most practical item or service to meet the need. Documentation to support the SPAL request must be returned to the CAO within 10 days of the request. PA Workwear (PAWW) EARN Program participants are eligible for a referral to PAWW if they have a need for clothing. This could include an interview outfit for job search or specific clothing for work if required by the employer. The need for clothing is determined by the CAO or employment and training contractor. The goal of PAWW is to promote and help ensure the economic independence of individuals who receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) by providing professional attire for job interviews and specific clothing necessary for employment or training in lieu of a special allowance for clothing from the County Assistance Office (CAO) or Employment and Training (E&T) Contractor. To achieve that goal, EARN customers may be eligible for clothing from either Dress for Success or Career Wardrobe as assigned. When clothing is needed, the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) provides a referral form for use by the EARN Program (Attachment 15). The clothing provider will make every effort to schedule appointments and provide clothing to individuals for the purpose of employment or training and will comply with requests from DPW for information and statistics to help track the performance of this initiative. Work Ready Portfolio Employers usually require new employees to present identification and other documents. To make sure that you have all of this information in one convenient location, customers will create a Work Ready Portfolio. Assist them in deciding which documents or forms of identification they should apply for to ensure that their Work Ready Portfolio is complete. The Work Ready Portfolio may include any or all of the following:


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Birth Certificate

When hired, employers will most certainly need your customer’s Social Security card, driver’s license, and/or other government issued photo ID. To obtain these documents, your client will need to have a Birth Certificate to prove his/her age and identity. Therefore, the Birth Certificate is often requested for a client who is missing or does not have a Social Security card, learner’s permit, driver’s license or photo ID. For participants born in Pennsylvania, visit: www.portal.health.state.pa.us.

Social Security Card In order to work legally in the United States, you must have a Social Security card that proves your identity, citizenship and eligibility to work in the United States. If you do not have a Social Security card, or cannot find it, you will need to obtain one prior to beginning employment. www.ssa.gov Criminal Background Check Criminal background checks are sometimes necessary for employment and/or training purposes. This may also include FBI/ fingerprint clearances. Professions such as nursing, teaching, childcare, banking, credit merchants, retail, etc. may require a criminal record check as a condition for employment. A signed release of information form must be completed along with the Criminal Background Check. http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal Child Abuse Clearance Request If you are interested in working in a school or childcare environment a Child Abuse Clearance is often required prior to employment in these fields. A signed release of information form must be completed along with the Child Abuse Clearance application. http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/findaform/ Pennsylvania Learner’s Permit, Driver’s License & Renewal License You may want or need to obtain a Pennsylvania Driver’s permit, driver’s license or a license renewal. The request is often made when choosing an employment that requires a valid driver’s license. The license can also be used as an official form of identification. http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/forms/index.shtml Pennsylvania Non – Driver’s Photo Identification Card The Driver’s Photo Identification Card serves as a proper and official picture identification for employment and/or training purposes. If you not have proper identification or the means by which to obtain proper identification, requests for a non-driver photo ID card are generally accepted and processed. http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/forms/index.shtml Utilities Emergency Services Fund (UESF) Customers with unstable housing and/or utility issues, find it difficult to fully participate in employment and training activities. Philadelphia Works has partnered with the Utilities Emergency

http://www.portal.health.state.pa.us/

http://www.ssa.gov/

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal

http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/findaform/

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/forms/index.shtml

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/forms/index.shtml


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Services Fund (UESF) to offer assistance to customers with outstanding utility bills and housing payments. UESF also delivers a series of life skills workshops at EARN Program locations. UESF assists low-income families by preventing utility terminations, getting utility service restored and with immediate stabilization of housing through the provision of housing assistance. UESF services include: 1. Housing and utility services for at least a 30 day period Through the UESF Emergency Shelter Program, UESF ensures that rental or mortgage payments

and utility payments are made so that low-income individuals or families maintain housing for at least 30 days. Payments may be made for the highest monthly bill for each utility and rent or mortgage. In order to increase the likelihood that families and individuals maintain their housing, all customers are directly referred to the PA CareerLink for employment services, including development of individual plan to obtain employment.

2. Utility assistance to restore service or avoid utility termination Through the UESF Utility Grant Program, and in partnership with PECO, the PGW and PWD,

UESF provides financial grants with matching utility bill credits to wipe out utility bills. The assistance received must “zero out the bill”, and cannot be renewed for at least two years. In addition, customers receive access to a vast array of other energy and energy related services so that families may move closer to financial self-sufficiency.

3. Housing assistance for imminently homeless individuals and families

The UESF Housing Assistance Program provides payments for rental and mortgage arrearages as well as security deposits for new housing acquisition. Assistance will be provided based on funding availability from UESF’s external sources.

4. Housing Stabilization Supportive Services

Using a comprehensive case management model, UESF will provide the following:

Benefits: UESF pre-qualifies applicants, completes and files applications, and follows-up regarding approvals for LIHEAP, SNAP, CHIP, WIC, Medicaid, Earned Income Tax Credits, and PECO/PGW assistance programs.

Self-Sufficiency Workshops: These sessions are designed to instill knowledge as well as a sense of responsibility among families to help sustain housing stabilization. Topics include: Understanding Utility Bills & Electric Supplier Choice, Self-Help Weatherization, Financial Literacy, and Tenant Rights & Responsibilities.

Additional Supports: Additionally, UESF works with partners for employment, education, food resources, weatherization and conservation assistance, and the Water Revenue Assistance Program (WRAP). UESF case managers work with 7 local employment agencies, as well as making referrals for local job fairs and training opportunities. They also have established relationships with several GED tutoring and testing organizations, in addition to veteran and ex-offender employment resources.

UESF will provide financial assistance, referral to outside resources, and Philadelphia Works, Inc. supportive services to customers that have housing and utility issues and are referred by EARN and JSST programs.


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Eligible EARN and JSST customers include: 1. Customers who have been evicted from rental units, whose mortgages have been foreclosed, and/or whose utilities have been terminated: 2. Customers who are in danger of rental eviction, mortgage foreclosure, and/or utility termination as evidenced by a rental eviction notices, mortgage foreclosure notices, or utility termination notices; 3. Customers who are sixty (60) or more days delinquent in rent, mortgage, and/or utility payments. UESF Referral Coordination and Scheduling: UESF will provide referral coordination; interview scheduling; intake interviews; documentation examination; additional documentation/information requests; plan development and forwarding; reporting of newly discovered issues; notification of payments to customers; and process and outcomes documentation, tracking, and reporting. UESF will conduct the following: 1. Referral Coordination. UESF coordinates the flow of customer referrals with each EARN Program and JSST service

provider. 2. Interview Scheduling.

Customers are scheduled for intake interview appointments at UESF, with the time and day based on the level of urgency of the customer’s housing or utility situation. Only customers that are in an urgent status will be scheduled for intake interview appointments. Customers with the most urgent issues will be seen the same day.

3. Intake Interviews. UESF counselors will meet with the customers, evaluate the housing and utility situations, and

determine the level of need of the customers. Customers will bring to the interview the following information and documentation: Delinquent bills, notice of pending utility termination, notice of utility termination, eviction notice, foreclosure notice, condemnation notice, and other.

4. Documentation Examination. UESF counselors will examine the information/documentation and make determinations

regarding the adequacy of the information/documentation in order to complete the intake interview. If additional information and/or documentation are necessary, the UESF counselors will request it from the customers or from the referring organizations.

5. Plan Development and Forwarding. UESF counselors will develop customer plans focusing upon housing and utility issues. The plans

will include referrals/recommendations that will assist the customers in resolving their housing issues. UESF counselors will forward copies of the plans to the referring organizations. Included in the plan will be:


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a. Coordination with UESF utility and housing assistance programs. Eligibility determinations for UESF Programs, including:

Emergency Shelter Program (ESP) which maintains housing and utility services for at least a 30 day period. Financial assistance is provided to eligible customers in an amount equal to the highest monthly arrearage amount for rent or mortgage and each of the three utilities;

Utility Grant Program (UGP) which restores utility service or averts utility termination. Financial assistance is provided to eligible customers for up to $1,500 for PECO or PGW and up to $500 for PWD;

Housing Assistance Program which provides imminently homeless individuals and families with rental, mortgage and security deposit assistance, based on funding availability;

Housing Stabilization Supportive Services including benefit provision, self-sufficiency workshops, employment, education, and food resources.

b. Coordination with other utility grant programs. Referrals to other utility grant programs including the LIHEAP Cash Program, LIHEAP Crisis

Program, LIHEAP Crisis Exception program, and City Grant Program; c. Coordination with low income utility payment programs. Referrals to low income utility payment programs, including the PGW Customer

Responsibility Program (CRP), PECO Customer Assistance Program (CAP), and PWD WRAP Program;

d. Coordination with programs designed to reduce utility costs. Referrals to programs designed to reduce utility costs, including Weatherization Assistance

Program (WAP), Energy Conservation Workshops, and housing repair programs; e. Coordination with housing assistance programs. Referrals to housing assistance programs including TURN tenant counseling and eviction

prevention counseling, foreclosure prevention, HEMAP, and housing counseling.

6. Reporting of New Issues. UESF counselors will report any newly discovered issues regarding the customers to the

referring organization.

7. Supportive Services Payment Determination and Issuance. Supportive Services payment(s) will be based upon the complete documentation/information

and development of the plan. The recommendation will be reviewed by the UESF counselor supervisor. Based on the approval, Supportive Services payments will be issued to housing and/or utility vendors.

8. Payment Notifications to Customers. UESF counselors will notify the customers and the referring agency in writing of payment

approvals or other outcome within ten days of initial Intake Interview. 9. Process and Outcomes Documentation, Tracking and Reporting.


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ETO case notes will include the amount of Supportive Services payment, date of payment, and vendor name and address or other information related to the outcome.

EARN Program Utility Fairs and Housing Stabilizations Workshops Utility Fairs are held only at EARN Program locations to process applications for direct utility assistance:

1. The first week UESF provides EARN Programs with flyers and posters advertising the utility fair to for them to display and give to participants.

2. The second week is an in-house utility fair for EARN participants, providing direct financial

assistance. 3. The third week UESF conducts in-house appointments. 4. The fourth week UESF provides flyers to EARN Programs for a second visit to complete

applications. 5. The fifth week UESF visits each EARN Program for a second time. 6. The sixth week UESF offers an in-house utility fair for participants, providing direct financial

assistance.

When appropriate, EARN participants are processed through UESF’s Housing Stabilization. Housing Stabilization Workshops are offered at each of the EARN Program sites. Topics include:

Budgeting

Self-Help Weatherization

How to Save Money on Utility Bills

Housing Rights and Responsibilities.


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II. Skills Training, Education and Language Services

A. Job Specific Skills Training

B. Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS)

C. The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians

D. Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Services

Chapter II: Skills Training, Education and Language Services

A. Job Specific Skills Training (JSST)

Most customers can usually find work after a thorough assessment of their skills, education, job interest, work history and testing the job market are used to identify the right opportunity. However, some will require additional skills and training before employment can become a reality. For those individuals, we maintain skills training providers as a vital resource within our workforce development network. It is the expectation of Philadelphia Works that all EARN Programs will offer training as an option when deciding in the best interest of the customer. JSST Assessment and Referral Process All opportunities for training are based on the availability of training slots, CAO approval and meeting eligibility criteria. Customers may be identified for training at any point during the enrollment period. However prior to arranging a site visit or training referral, the CAO co-located worker must validate the availability of training hours AND approval granted from the RESET Systems Unit Manager for the type of training being considered. Step 1: Eligibility Criteria While it is understandable that EARN service providers may want to use the entire enrollment period as an opportunity for job placement, retaining customers who are unlikely to get employment without job training will not improve the countable placement outcome.

Customers eligible for referral to JSST should meet the following criteria (+ indicates mandatory criteria):

Work experience and/or skills assessment indicate vocational training is needed to become

employed Adequate vocational training (code 24) time verified in CIS - Has not met the 12-month lifetime limit for vocational educational training as stipulated by TANF Reauthorization (if the customer has met the 12-month limit, he or she may be able to participate in training but only in addition to the 20 hours per week spent in a “core activity.” (CAO validation required)+ Customer indicates an interest in training+

Time and attendance requirements are met

The ability to follow directions is demonstrated

Works well with others

Currently not participating in training+

Meets educational and other entrance requirements (including TABE) for a specific training+


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Has not already received all required certificates and/or licenses necessary to become employed in the field selected for training (CAO validation required)+

Will be successful in completing training and obtaining employment

Criminal Background Check or Child Abuse Clearance obtained (if required)

When a criminal background check is required to begin training, a free one may be obtained through the Administrative office of the Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) website:

http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/DocketSheets/CP.aspx.

Instructions for running background checks through this site can be found here:

http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/RefDocuments/US%20Docket%20Sheets.pdf.

Important note: The free criminal background check through the AOPC is just as valid as one obtained through PA Access to Criminal History (PATCH) for the purpose of JSST.

Contractors should not share a print-out of the AOPC results with employers, because the AOPC results include arrests that did not lead to a conviction and it is illegal for employers to consider arrests that do not lead to conviction.

The PATCH results must still be obtained for providers requiring a clean criminal background check for enrollment.

In addition to the above eligibility criteria, below is a list of career-oriented questions Workforce Advisors may want to ask a jobseeker when evaluating their employment and training goals:

Tell me about your work history.

What are your future employment goals?

Have you participated in any skills training? If so, when, and for what? If so, did you complete? If not, why not?

Tell me about your “ideal job?” What is it about it that attracts you?

Tell me about three jobs you would like.

How much do you know about the jobs or training that interests you?

Tell me about your educational history.

What were/are your favorite school subjects?

How much time would you invest in education or training?

How much time in the evenings will you have to devote to your studies?

Step 2: EARN Customer Site Visits After the CAO has validated available training hours and granted permission for the training of interest, a designated Workforce Advisor contacts each JSST point person to arrange for eligible customers to visit the training locations of interest. Site visits are typically on Wednesdays although alternate days may be arranged to accommodate JSST and customer schedules. The JSST Referral Tracking Log (Attachment 9) is forwarded via secure e-mail to each applicable training provider to track the outcome of the site visits. The form is due to the training providers and to [email protected] on Wednesday mornings by 9:00 AM for site visit preparation.

Providers that are registered to use KRONOS® or Telephony will have potential students clock-in or dial-in upon arrival at the site visit. If visiting customers are unable to clock-in or dial-in or a provider is unregistered, the training site will email show/no-show information to the designated Workforce

http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/DocketSheets/CP.aspx

http://ujsportal.pacourts.us/RefDocuments/US%20Docket%20Sheets.pdf

mailto:[email protected]


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Advisor by close of business the day after the scheduled site visit day so the visitation hours can be credited.

Once site visits are completed, customers return to the EARN Programs to meet with staff and finalize their career training program choice and receive information regarding that program’s start date and time of the provider’s 2-day pre-enrollment phase. EARN Programs should receive updated referral tracking logs that indicate the same from the JSST providers no later than close of business on Thursdays.

Step 3: Referral to JSST Pre-enrollment Phase JSST providers update the JSST Referral Tracking Log for all students scheduled to attend the two-day assessment. The form must indicate the outcome of all referrals, both accepted and not accepted and be forwarded to the referring EARN Programs and [email protected] by close of business on Mondays. EARN Programs must initiate and maintain outreach to the participants during the pre-enrollment phase to ensure they attend training. If scheduled participants fail to report on day one or do not complete the pre-enrollment phase, they must return to the EARN Programs immediately for re-engagement. Step 4: Transition to Training EARN Programs identify participants being transitioned to skills training and perform the following:

1. Enter an outcome under the customers’ enrollment record in ETO. Terminate customers in CWDS

(using code 7 “other”). All EARN transition dates will be on the Friday that ends the training provider

assessment period. Customers will be required to report to the training provider on Monday (or

the first business day of the week in the event of a holiday). No backdating is permitted. Data entry

is expected to be completed by COB on Tuesday so JSST providers can enroll promptly.

2. EARN Program staff will request that the on-site CAO co-located worker open Project D0017 for

Philadelphia Works training providers (JSST). However in the event the co-located worker is unable

to open a timely referral and ensure the appropriate and timely closure of an EARN enrollment,

Philadelphia Works will submit those requests directly to central CAO. An updated AMR is needed

for those transitioning to training providers.

3. EARN Programs will also forward the full transition packet to the point person at the training

provider by close of business Monday. If PDF documents/scans are used to e-mail transition

paperwork for customers, the documents must be e-mailed securely to avoid HIPAA violations of

confidentiality. Also remember when identifying students within the body of any email it too must

be sent securely. No identifying information may be placed on the subject line.

The transition packet must include:

• Updated AMR • Assessments (work readiness, barriers, skills) • TABE test results (if needed, schedule testing with the Service Enhancement Team) • Criminal Background and Child Abuse Clearance (if applicable) • Signed Excused Absence Log indicating time remaining for excused absences

Signed and updated Action Plan (MSA and My Personal Goals and Action Plan)



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JSST providers enroll students in CWDS on Monday (even in the event of a holiday, due to holiday credit) following a successfully completed pre-enrollment phase. In the event enrollment cannot take place within 3 days, a request for technical support will be e-mailed to both [email protected] and [email protected].




B. KEYSTONE EDUCATON YIELDS SUCCESS (KEYS)

All customers who express interest in enrolling in a credit-bearing certificate course or an associate’s degree program at Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) should be made aware of the advantages of enrolling in KEYS. Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS) is a collaborative program between the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) and the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges. KEYS is designed to assist TANF recipients who attend Pennsylvania community colleges and ensure the successful completion of the chosen course of study.

KEYS has been developed in response to growing research that shows that EARN recipients who earn a credit bearing certificate or an associate’s degree are better able to get jobs at family-sustaining wages with benefits and have greater opportunities for advancement. Educational studies show that individuals who earn a credit bearing certificate or associate’s degree earn more money after graduation than those who have not attended college.

The KEYS program provides assistance and services to EARN recipients who are enrolled at any of the 14 community colleges in Pennsylvania. The primary goals of KEYS are to:

1. Ensure continuing attendance and participation by EARN recipients who are enrolled in

Pennsylvania community colleges with the intent of graduating with an associate’s degree or credit bearing certificate.

2. Provide the services and supports necessary to assist EARN students in completing educational activities.

Discussion:

The Philadelphia CAO will refer new EARN applicants to KEYS who are either already enrolled or wish to enroll in CCP. Philadelphia EARN customers who decide to attend CCP will be referred by the EARN provider, via the CAO, to the KEYS program. Steps for KEYS:

1. Workforce Advisors will contact the CAO co-located worker when a customer is already enrolled in CCP or pursuing enrollment

2. CAO co-located worker meet with the customer to discuss KEYS. The CAO worker will also inform the student facilitator of the potential enrollment and determine the timing of enrollment that is to the customer’s best advantage.

3. Advise the CAO co-located worker of the impending transfer so that the AMR can be updated.

4. Continue to provide employment and training services until the agreed-upon start date. The CAO and CCP are responsible for all service delivery, tracking activities, time and attendance once the student is enrolled in KEYS.

After 12 months of vocational education, the student is required to meet the EARN work requirements by other work-related activities including work study, community service, subsidized or unsubsidized employment, and paid work experience. Refer to federal requirements for minimum hours per week of participation for a single parent and two parent families in vocational education and work-related activities.


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5. Terminate the customer using code 7 the day before enrollment in KEYS is to start.

Note: KEYS is an open-enrollment program that makes it possible for individuals to begin participation in KEYS at any time, provided the student is scheduled to attend classes the following semester. The KEYS student facilitator can enroll the student, if referred to KEYS, during the semester prior to their semester begin date. A student should not be referred to KEYS if the student will not begin classes the next semester. Arrange a start date with the student facilitator and the customer.

C. THE WELCOMING CENTER FOR NEW PENNSYLVANIANS

The Welcoming Center Referral Process The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians (WCNP) offers English as a Second Language (ESL) services and connects Limited English Proficiency (LEP) individuals from around the world with the opportunity they need to succeed in the workplace. The Center works closely with employers from a wide variety of sectors, including clerical support, customer service, manufacturing, hospitality and healthcare, to help them meet their human resource needs.

Determining Eligibility:

All LEP customers from the EARN Programs are eligible for referral to the Welcoming Center.

The language must be one that generally is not spoken in the demographic cluster of the referring CAO. If the CAO occasionally or frequently refers customers to a TANF Program that speak the language in question, the customer would not be referred to the Welcoming Center.

Each TANF Program is responsible for maintaining a complement of staff that represents the customers from their CAO demographic. EARN Programs must ensure that services are provided to those with limited English proficiency. This may include resources within the community or through other EARN Programs. Please see section on Limited English Proficiency Services (LEP), for more information.

Enrollment and Referral:

The first day upon arrival the eligible LEP customer will enroll at the TANF Program.

By 11:00 a.m. fax or email the LEP Request Form to Marlene Dobson, Business Engagement Specialist, [email protected] or fax at (215) 567-7171.

The Business Engagement Specialist will review the request form and approve it once she has confirmed the EARN Program’s inability to provide service in the customer’s native language. A final decision will be made by 12:00 p.m. o If the referral is accepted, the Welcoming Center will receive notice of the new referral via

email. o If the referral is denied, the customer will remain with the EARN Program for services.

Please see section on LEP services. o Customers are required to report to the Welcoming Center as scheduled. o Customer will be escorted by EARN Program staff to the Welcoming Center.

The Welcoming Center staff will contact the Business Engagement Specialist via email confirming all arrivals.

The Business Engagement Specialist will notify each program to close the EARN record for all arrivals (please see the data procedures below).



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Data Requirements: The EARN Program staff will:

Send the Business Engagement Specialist a completed Enrollment Form on the same day as the referral;

Terminate the customer to transition Code “7” in CWDS following notification of the referral being accepted;

Inform the co-located CAO worker to open the enrolled customer under D0017 and update the AMR to reflect referral to the Welcoming Center.

Send an updated AMR to the Business Engagement Specialist on the same day as the referral;

Verify that the co-located CAO worker put in the district referral.

Training: The Welcoming Center staff provides soft skills training in the following areas:

Interview skills and resume preparation

Professional and cultural behaviors including eye contact and a firm hand shake

General workplace customs including timeliness and absentee policies

ESL:

BEST assessment to determine if the customer is enrolled for ESL or placement services

Instruction in oral language, reading and writing In addition, the Welcoming Center staff conducts pre-employment life skills workshops to provide the customers with experiences and instruction for understanding how the American workplace measures responsibility, attendance and employability.

Job Placement: The Welcoming Center:

Identifies available employment opportunities that meet the individual needs of the customers

Places customers that match employment needs

Ensures the customers remain in unsubsidized/subsidized employment for six months.

D. LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY (LEP) SERVICES

The EARN Program is committed to ensuring that all Limited English Proficient (LEP) customers receive services in their native language. For any language population that equals or exceeds 5% of enrollment, an EARN Program is required to provide vital documents written in that language and to hire staff who can communicate verbally and in writing in that language. For assistance in providing services to language populations who do not meet this standard, EARN Programs need to secure interpretation services.

Interpretation Services Philadelphia Works has contracted with Nationalities Services Center (NSC), to provide translation services to the EARN Program. NSC is a non-profit community-based organization whose mission is to serve immigrants in Philadelphia on a multitude of legal, social services, educational and employment issues. On an as needed basis, NSC can provide you with professional interpreters in many foreign languages and deploy interpreters to any location in the city.


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Translation Services Nationalities Services Center has translated scores of critical EARN documents, including letters, forms, flyers, brochures, customer manuals, etc.

Process for Requesting an Interpreter

Step 1- Identify Need There are several points on a job seeker’s path to employment where staff may recognize the need for interpretation services. While in many cases these needs will be identified at the first point of contact with the County Assistance Office (CAO), sometimes a language barrier may not be discovered until later. Therefore, job seekers may be referred for interpretation services at various stages: upon referral from the CAO, during program assessment or after enrollment. When a need for interpretation services has been identified, contact Marlene Dobson, Business Engagement Specialist at 215-557-2855 or by email at [email protected] with details of the situation. Step 2- Information Required by Philadelphia Works and NSC In order to ensure an appropriate and qualified interpreter can be identified and deployed, Philadelphia Works must receive the information detailed below. We will work with NSC to secure an interpreter to meet the customers’ need. For immediate intervention, we can secure an interpreter within one to two business days. However for long-term assignments, this process can take up to one week. Therefore when you call or email Ms. Dobson with the details of your request, please note urgent situations so she may respond accordingly and always include the following:

Native language and special cultural considerations: In what language does the job seeker need interpretation? Does the job seeker have any specific cultural considerations that require a particular type of interpreter?

Program services: What type of program is the interpreter needed for? Job skill training? Job search? Program orientation?

Length of time: Will the interpreter be needed for the duration of the program, or only certain parts? How long will the program last?

Hours, dates & location of program: To find interpreters who will be available for the duration of the program, it is necessary to provide NSC with the specific details of the schedule and location.

Informal assessment of job seeker’s language skills: How would you describe the job seeker’s skill in reading, writing, listening, and speaking English?

Name and contact information of assigned staff person: Programs must appoint an on-site staff person to orient and assist the Interpreter. Please provide this person’s name and contact information when requesting an interpreter.

Step 3 - Preparing for an Interpreter

EARN management is responsible for assigning a staff person who will be in charge of orienting and supervising the NSC Interpreter. Orientation should include the program’s goals, rules and regulations, and general facilities. He or she will serve as the interpreter’s contact on-site and be responsible for answering any questions the interpreter may have, as well as, ensure the interpreter’s daily attendance. In addition to general program orientation, the staff contact should provide written materials, as necessary, to support the



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interpreter’s work in preparing the customer. This may include a copy of the Participant Handbook, the My Self Assessment (MSA), training curriculum, textbooks, and other materials as needed.

In the event the interpreter or participant does not arrive as scheduled or to report other concerns, the staff contact should Marlene Dobson, Business Engagement Specialist at 215-557-2855 or by email at [email protected]

Step 4- Timesheets and Billing Information

The NSC interpreter is responsible for completing a timesheet (provided by NSC) that documents his/her service hours. The timesheet should be reviewed by the staff contact at the program and consequently approved and signed by either the program director or staff contact. The completed timesheet should then be returned to the interpreter for submission to NSC.

NSC will bill Philadelphia Works directly for services rendered.



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Section Five: Data and Information Management I. Information Management

A. Information Management Systems

B. Commonwealth Workforce Development System (CWDS)

C. Effort to Outcome (ETO)

D. Kronos

E. Telephony

F. Entering Employment Hours into Kronos Chapter I: Information Management A. Information Management Systems

The entire Employment and Training (E&T) System is connected by data collection and analysis. These systems are critical for helping administrators and contractors keep track of each job seeker’s hours of participation and all activities and programs including retention once employed. Along with customer service, there is no aspect of TANF operation more critical than managing data and information according to federal and state mandated guidelines and Philadelphia Works policies and procedures.

Four specific information management systems, CWDS, KRONOS, ETO and CIS, are used by the E&T System to:

1. Accurately track job seeker activity and progress through programs 2. Allocate for medical benefits, special allowances, and supportive services 3. Present statistics for services provided, program progress, demographics and trends 4. Verify employment and retention

These systems are reconciled and integrated on an on-going basis:

CWDS to KRONOS Hours of Participation

ETO to KRONOS Enrollment and Activity Detail

ETO to CWDS Enrollments and Activities


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B. Commonwealth Workforce Development Systems (CWDS)

The Comprehensive Workforce Development System (CWDS) is a proprietary data management system. CWDS is the result of a collaborative effort of three Commonwealth agencies, the Department of Labor and Industry’s (DLI) Bureau of Workforce Development (BWDP) and Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), and the Department of Public Welfare (DPW) In addition to the staff at these three Commonwealth agencies listed above, the public at large is the fourth intended user group of CWDS. Each user, whether staff, job seeker or public individual, that accesses the CWDS system must be provided with a unique user name and password. CWDS is a system that uses overnight data transfer and “real time” interface programs to process data stored on the CWDS file server. This system is used to refer job seekers to staff who provide DPW services, to record project and service authorizations, track actual hours of participation and create employment and project closing reports and alerts. Interface processes allow the transfer of job seeker data between the Department of Public Welfare’s Client Information System (CIS), the CWDS file server, and the staff’s CWDS personal computer. The CIS database contains all job seeker eligibility, demographic, project, activity (service authorization), and employment information. CIS generates all cash, medical and food stamp benefits. In addition, all federal TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) reporting comes from CIS. CIS is the official record for audit purposes. The County Assistance Office (CAO) enters all job seeker eligibility, demographic and referral data in CIS. The CWDS database tracks all job seeker demographic, project, activity (service authorization), and employment information for job seekers referred to, enrolled and terminated by staff. The data is maintained on the CWDS file server. CIS sends the referral, eligibility and demographic job seeker information to the staff’s PC. Nightly processes transfer the job seeker data from the CWDS file server to the CIS database. CIS is updated with the project and activity information from CWDS. Alerts are created in CIS for referral rejections, project terminations, and employment reported by the staff. Understanding the Referral and Enrollment Process

1. With the implementation of CWDS, CAO’s continue to enter referrals in CIS but instead of

receiving the referral in CWDS through an overnight process, staff will receive the referral within seconds of the entry in CIS.

2. Information entered in CWDS will still transfer back to CIS via the overnight interface. NOTE: If there is a delay in the connection between CIS and the CWDS server, CIS will store the referral for the day and will send it to CWDS that evening. NOTE: CWDS does not change the coordination efforts between staff and CAO. It does not change the recruitment process, program eligibility, scheduled reconciliation or other procedures detailed in the individual Program Guidelines.


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If you have questions about the CWDS system and/or problems related to the system please contact the CWDS Help Desk toll free # at (866) 236-6297.

Data entry requirements The CWDS database becomes the single point of entry for contractors in accordance with the DPW Policy and Procedures Manual, and to monitor participation of job seekers, programs, and agencies.

Contractors are required to enter rejection codes, enrollments, activities (service authorizations), and placement data (See Attachment 7: Enrollment and Service, Placement, and Authorization forms).

1. Referral rejection codes for clients that do not report to program or do not wish to comply within 15 days of the referral 2. Project enrollment begin date 3. Service Authorizations (activities) 4. Employment information 5. Terminations All program activity is required to be data entered into CWDS within 48 hours. CWDS Data Entry Time Limits All program activity data except for unsubsidized employment must be entered into CWDS by the 15th of the month following the month. All program activity data and hours except for unsubsidized employment must be entered and, if needed, updated by 15th of the month after the month of participation

Unsubsidized Employment (AC 33) activity must be entered by the end of the month following the month of participation and hours must be entered and, if needed, updated by the end of the month 2 months after the month of participation. Example: Hours for July must be entered by August 31st and can be edited until September 30th. Mathematical rounding will be utilized to round client’s hours: round down to the next whole hour if the fraction is below .49 and round up to the next whole hour if the fraction is .5 or above. Any data not entered by the data entry deadlines will not count towards the performance based payment or performance outcomes.

C. Efforts to Outcomes (ETO)

Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) is a web based comprehensive case management (participant demographics, interactions, case history, etc.) system, that delivers a more focus on efforts, outcomes, and participant progress as part of program performance. The ETO system

Serves as Philadelphia Works primary database tool as part of our integrated client management system


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Ensure quality and reliability of all data collection, management, and reporting procedures and tools

All entries made into CWDS import nightly into ETO. While most program related data is entered into CWDS, there are some additional elements that are manually entered into ETO.

Demographics- are characteristics of participant’s that are not intended to change as a result of program services. Demographics are information typically collected on an intake form prior to a participant’s receiving services. Entering demographics into ETO creates a participant’s record. Assessments- are typically used in one of two ways. First, they may be used as a continuation of demographics. Assessments are also commonly used to track outcomes or the effectiveness of program services. This is done by collecting responses to a series of waited questions about a participant’s knowledge, belief, attitude or behavior. Touch Points- are case notes. It provides a method for keeping track of the participant’s progress for scheduling of follow-up, tracks time spent with participant and allows for comprehensive case noting. Case Manager Assignments Employment and Community Work Experience locations

D. KRONOS Time & Attendance System

KRONOS is a web based system for real-time information access at multiple locations and agencies. It is used to collect job seekers’ time and attendance in accordance with DPW Policy and Procedures Manual, and to monitor participation of job seekers, programs, and agencies.

The following steps outline the efficiency and importance of KRONOS:

Kronos captures all attendance and participation hours for activities at the TANF Program, including training, education, job search, and hours worked in subsidized or unsubsidized employment. Time clocks are available to capture attendance upon entering and exiting the TANF Program. Kronos creates an electronic timecard for each job seeker, which can be edited by the TANF Program to capture attendance off-site

Kronos imports demographics and location data from ETO

Kronos imports current activity codes from CWDS

Kronos exports participation hours to CWDS via automated upload

With the upload feature to CWDS, Kronos becomes the single point of data entry for attendance data. A wide array of data views and reports help monitor not only job seeker attendance, but also helps detect reconciliation issues between Kronos, ETO and CWDS.


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E. Telephony

Kronos Telephone Time Entry (TTE) is a method in which job seekers enter a timestamp in and out of their Kronos timecards. TTE can be used to capture punches if a job seeker participates at a partner worksite or educational institution. Clients may have access to punch for lunch breaks. All Community Work Experience work-sites must be registered for Telephony (TTE). Paper Attendance Forms will only be accepted under one of the following circumstances: 1. TTE is out-of-order – report the problem immediately to Philadelphia Works and follow-up with Philadelphia Works to ensure the problem is addressed; 2. the job seeker neglects to call-in/out using TTE- this is limited to sporadic instances and must be remedied immediately by talking with the job seeker and work-site supervisor.

Instructions for accessing TTE:

1. Dial the system at (215) 557-2525

2. Job seekers enter their social security number and “1” to clock in and “9” to clock out.

IN and OUT punches in the timecard are reserved for self service by the client. These punches are generated at a Kronos clock or through Kronos TTE (Telephone Time Entry)

Any correction of an IN or OUT punch (missed punch, earlier arrival, later leave) must have a case note explanation in CAPS. The corrected time must be based on a staff witness for that time and the case note must be specific about the circumstance and the name of the staff witness.

Attendance that has not been recorded via self-service must be entered as duration in the Amount column and supportive documentation has to be filed in the clients file. If there was no self-service punch for the day, edit punches are not permitted (with or without case note) for the day.

Lunch deductions may still be applied as added punches based on the schedule at the site of the activity.

The paper Attendance Form (Attachment 10) may only be used to record off-site attendance, for example community work experience hours, when TTE is not available. It may also be completed as a backup when Kronos is down.

F. Entering Employment Hours in KRONOS

A DPW Employment Verification Form (EVF) is required for initial job placement verification. Once employment is verified and pay verification for the customer has been obtained, providers are expected to record employment hours as listed on the documentation. Entering hours into the system without appropriate documentation is not permitted.

Unsubsidized Employment (AC 33) activity must be entered by the end of the month following the month of participation and hours must be entered and, if needed, updated by the end of the month 2 months after the month of participation. Example: Hours for July must be entered by September 30th


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Each week has one value for the hours worked during the week, as a total for the week on the week end date (Saturday).

If a pay stub is used as a verification document, the hours per week may need to be calculated if the pay stub is for a pay period other than 1 week; most often pay stubs are biweekly. For example, if the pay stub shows 64 hours biweekly, the weekly total is 32 hours.

If a week ending Saturday falls in the next calendar month, that week counts toward the following month. For example, the week beginning 1/28/07 and ending Saturday, 2/3/07 belongs in February and is counted as the first week for February.

Upon receipt of the employment documentation, the contractor enters weekly hours into the system beginning with the first week of employment and future weeks ending within the same month. For example, if employment started on January 8, 2007 and documentation was submitted, the weekly values for the week end days (Saturdays) 1/13/07, 1/20/07, and 1/27/07 are entered. Data entry can be monitored with the Participation Totals report:


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Any wrap around hours to meet participation requirements are recorded in Kronos as usual. The following example shows a part time employed customer engaged in two activities for the week:

Please contact Kronos Support if you have any questions about the data entry process and running reports.


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II. Time & Attendance A. Hours of Participation/Time & Attendance B. Yearly Excused Absence Tracking Policy C. Termination Policy

D. Deeming of Community Service Hours E. Study Time Credit

Chapter II: Time & Attendance A. Hour of Participation/Time & Attendance

Using Kronos or TTE, TANF programs must document, on a daily basis, job seekers’ attendance in activities. Each job seeker must clock in and clock out every day. All EARN Programs are required to operate from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm on Monday through Friday. Additional hours are required and should be established based on the flow of customers in the each EARN Program; EARN Programs must allow adequate time for customers to make-up hours as needed. Additionally hours of operation, including extended hours, must be publicly displayed. Customer hours are counted either 30 hours per week or 20 hours per week, Sunday to Saturday. The federal month begins on the Sunday of the week containing the first Saturday of the month. It continues through the week containing the last Saturday of the month. Single parent households

Non Extended TANF with a child under the age of six years of age is required to participate for a minimum of 20 hours per week in a core Activity.

Non Extended TANF with a child of the age of six years of age is required to participate for a minimum of 30 hours per week. 20 hours must be in a core activity and 10 in a non-core activity.

Extended TANF customers are required to participate in 30 hours of core activities regardless of age of the children or pregnancy status

Two-Parent Households

If one parent is enrolled in a program, he or she must participate for 35 hours per week.

If both parents are enrolled in a program and receiving subsidized child care, together they must participate at least 55 hours per week.

State Observed Holidays The federal Department of Health and Human Services allows job seekers to be given participation rate credit for holidays, in addition to the 10 days of excused absences. Job seekers receive credit for participation on the following state holidays:

New Year’s Day

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday


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President’s Day

Memorial Day

4th of July

Labor Day

Columbus Day

Veteran’s Day

Thanksgiving Day

Christmas Day Crediting Hours for Holiday Observation

The job seeker will be credited with the number of non-employment related hours that he or she would normally have participated on the holiday.

For a client to receive credit for a holiday they must have been scheduled to participate on that day.

When available the EARN service provider is to collect documentation from a 3rd party describing or documenting the reason for the absence. If 3rd party verification is not available for a particular absence the EARN is to document the reason for the use of excused time in the case narrative and list the time as excused on the EARN attendance sheet/timecard.

Make-Up Time & Make-Up Work Make-up hours must be incorporated into the schedule during the month in which the holiday falls. For clients that do not meet their required hours in any week, the EARN service provider is to work with the client to make up the hours during the Federal month in which the hours were missed.

B. Yearly Excused Absence Tracking Policy

The Yearly Excused Absence Tracking Log is to be used in conjunction with the 80 - Hour Excused Absence Policy as described in the BPE Policy and Procedures Manual. Regulations issued by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services limits excused absences to no more than 80 hours in a 12-month period and 16 hours within a calendar month, excluding DPW recognized holidays. This form documents the number of Excused Absence hours used while participating in a program due to either electing to use Excused Absence time instead of attending make up hours or the job seeker fails to comply with an agreed upon make-up plan. The Tragedy Calendar activity, as described in Beverly Ford’s manual and included in Section 8.6 of this book, can assist Workforce Advisors keep track of excused absences. These hours need to be calculated and deducted from the total number of available Excused Absence hours: 80 hours total per annum and 16 hours within a calendar month. Excused absence cannot be applied to employment activity hours. Excused absence time should only be applied when the client has not met the hours requirement for the month.


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Process for Excused Absence(s) When the job seeker returns from an absence there is a conversation between the Workforce Advisor and the job seeker regarding the absence, number of hours missed, and make up time required. If an absence is deemed excused (as listed below and in the DPW Policy and Procedures Manual) Workforce Advisors are encouraged to develop a make-up plan so the job seeker has an opportunity to make up the absent hours and not lose any Excused Absence hours. NOTE: Job seekers may choose to forfeit make-up hours and use an Excused Absence day/hours. Make-up time is not mandatory in this case, and the customer must be charged with Excused Absence hour(s). Each time an Excused Absence is charged, the participant must receive written documentation

from the provider which explains the amount of time used and the amount of time remaining. This documentation must be filed in the case record. All excused time should be documented on the attendance sheets and there should be a note in the client narrative stating that they were awarded excused time.

The following list represents allowable excused absences per the Policy and Procedures Manual- medical, dependent-related and other necessary appointments such as: medical appointments for the job seeker or dependents CAO/WIC appointments legal appointments school appointments, including school events counseling appointments housing appointments obtaining childcare Child support appointments obtaining birth certificates obtaining documents needed for eligibility for DPW programs obtaining transportation other appointments as deemed necessary by the contractor in order to maintain the job seeker

in the program

Additional excused absences include: Illness of the job seeker, their child or dependent Bereavement - up to five days of excused absence for the death of a parent, sibling, spouse,

child or child of a spouse, common-law spouse, grandparent, or previous legal guardian; up to three days of excused absence for the death of an aunt or uncle, or a spouse’s parent, or grandparent; and one day of excused absence for the death of another family member or friend. Documentation can include an obituary notice, funeral program or funeral card.


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Weather or Other Emergency - Job seekers can be excused from participation when the school district in which his/her children are enrolled is closed due to a weather or other emergency; the vendor, training provider or subcontractor’s facility is closed due to weather or other emergency; the job seeker’s place of residence has been affected by an emergency; the vendor determines that a unique or dangerous situation is occurring that prevents the job seeker from attending; or public transportation is unavailable.

If the job seeker fails to make-up the time missed, the Yearly Excused Absence Tracking Log is implemented. All the information is completed on the form as indicated such as the Date of the Excused Absence; the Number of Hours Used (number of hours the job seeker missed); Job seeker and Workforce Advisor’s Initials; and the Log Completion Date (the date the information was documented). This process is continuously repeated when a job seeker does not make up the time/hours missed due to Excused Absences. At the end of the job seeker’s enrollment with your agency (the job seeker is ready to transition to another agency for services or is terminated from your agency) this form will be finalized by the Workforce Advisor by completing the following: The Activity End Date

The Total Number of Hours Used (document under Total Excused Absences Used)

The Total Number of Hours Remaining (represents the hours used deducted from the hours the job seeker had available at the beginning of the enrollment into your program). The form is then signed and dated by the job seeker and the Workforce Advisor/Supervisor.

At the time of the transition, a copy of the form will be given to the job seeker for their records (if the job seeker has been terminated from your agency a copy should be mailed to the job seeker and the case record is updated to document these actions).

A copy of the form is sent with other transition documentation to the job seeker’s next activity site and the original is kept in the job seeker’s file at your agency.

NOTE: It is possible that more than one form will be used depending upon the number of hours a job seeker misses from your agency. If this is the case, add additional forms to the back of the proceeding form. The proceeding form should always document the following: The Total Number of Hours Used (document under Total Excused Absences Used);

The Total number of Hours Remaining (represents the hours used deducted from the hours the job seeker had at the beginning of enrollment in your program).

Each form should also be signed and dated by the job seeker and the Workforce Advisor or supervisor. Upon the transition to another agency, the customer will receive all copies of the form (mailed if the job seeker is terminated) and the case record is updated to document these actions.


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C. Termination

Project termination codes primarily reflect whether or not the client secured employment. The EARN service provider must include the reason for termination in the narrative of the client’s case record and in the CWDS narratives when closing. Termination codes 3, 5, and 7 may not be dated more than three days after the date of termination. For clients terminating with employment, codes 1 and 8, the termination date may be dated back to the last day worked as verified by the paystub.

The termination codes available to EARN are: 1 Employment of 20 hours weekly or greater (part-time) 3 Withdraws or terminates without Good Cause 5 Completion of planned AMR activities - no employment 7 Other 8 Employment of 30 or more hours weekly (full-time) NOTE: If a client has multiple consecutive days of unexcused absence service providers should contact the CAO to discuss the appropriate action required.

Any job seeker that has missed three (3) consecutive days of unexcused absence for scheduled participation must be terminated from the program. However, if the job seeker reports on the 4th day, he or she must remain enrolled in the scheduled activity. The 3-day rule, with approval, may be extended for documented extraordinary circumstances identified by the third day of the absence.

If a client does not participate for all of their required hours during the month they are to be termed within 3 working days of the end of the month.

If the above listed circumstances occur a client may be retained in the program if the CAO agrees that good cause would be granted and the client would benefit from remaining in the program.

Philadelphia Works will provide the TANF Programs with a weekly Less than 100% Report or a Time and Attendance Case Management Report that details those job seekers who are satisfying less than 100% of their Activity Compliance Rate (ACR).

Workforce Advisors must conduct outreach and offer make-up opportunities to all enrolled, as discussed above. However for those job seekers, enrolled at least one full month, who still do not meet the hours required on their AMR, it is recommended that EARN staff schedule an Attendance Resolution Meeting with these job seekers

Using the Less Than 100% Report or the Time and Attendance Case Management report, TANF Programs will prioritize all who need to be contacted and provide Philadelphia Works with the names of the clients who should receive a warning letter announcing the date and time for the Attendance Resolution Meeting.

For each meeting, the Community Engagement and Outreach Team will send a standard letter to all of the identified clients with information on the purpose, location, date and time of each meeting and consequences for non-attendance (see the Warning Letter included in the last section of this manual).

On the scheduled meeting dates, the TANF Program will hold a brief Attendance Resolution group meeting. The TANF director and CAO co-located worker will explain the mandate for meeting hours,


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that there is an opportunity to complete the hours, and the benefits of participating in TANF activities. The TANF director will also tell attendees that they can meet individually with TANF staff. The family advocate, life coach and peer counselor must be available. Each job seeker in attendance must sign a TANF Program Attendance Agreement.

The TANF Program will terminate everyone who was sent a letter, but did not report to the meeting, or provide documentation for hours. Terminations will be processed for all who did not contact the TANF Program within three (3) days of the meeting. This should avoid mass terminations at the end of each month. Consideration will be given to those with extenuating circumstances. For every termination, the TANF Program will give the CAO co-located worker a copy of the signed TANF Program Attendance Agreement and place a copy in the file.

The TANF Program will terminate all meeting attendees who do not satisfy their TANF Program Attendance Agreement to complete their hours, unless there are extenuating circumstances worthy of consideration. For every termination, the TANF Program will give the CAO co-located worker a copy of the signed TANF Program Attendance Agreement and place a copy in the file.

D. Deeming of Community Service Hours (AC20) The CAO determines the maximum number of hours and includes that information on the AMR. Customers cannot be permitted to participate for more community service hours than the amount

indicated on the AMR. The customer is deemed to have met their participation requirement if they participate for the

maximum amount of allowable community service hours as listed on the AMR. By completing the full (total) number of weekly hours on the AMR, when the allowable hours are fewer than the core hourly requirement for the household, the participant may be ‘deemed’ in compliance with the total required core hours for the week.

Hours are only deemed up to the core hour requirement. The contractor then enters the full core

hours into Kronos. If the customer has unexcused absences or otherwise does not fulfill the requirement during the

week of community service activity, deeming may not occur and the actual hours of activity must be recorded.

Example 1:

Customer is non-extended with child under age 6. Weekly requirement is 20 hours per week. The AMR indicates the maximum allowable community service hours are 15 hours per week. If the customer participates in Community Service for 15 hours, 5 hours can be deemed and entered in Kronos for a total of 20 hours. If the customer participates in Community Service for 13 hours, deeming of hours is not permitted, and the actual hours are entered in Kronos.


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Example 2: Customer is non-extended with no children under age 6. Weekly requirement is 20 core and 10 non-core totaling 30 hours per week. The AMR indicates the maximum allowable community service hours are 15 hours per week. If the customer participates in Community Service for 15 hours, 5 hours can be deemed entered in Kronos for a total of 20 hours in activity 20. Also, the customer must complete non-core activity requirement. If the customer participates in Community Service for 10 hours, deeming of hours is not permitted, and the actual hours are entered in Kronos.

E. Study Time Credit for Vocational Educational Training (AC24)

For every hours of class time, the client is to receive one hours of unmonitored study time. This also applies to in-house Voc Ed that has been approved by DPW’s Bureau of Policy.


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III. DPW Case File Reviews and Performance Payments

A. Monthly DPW Sample Review



Chapter III: DPW Case File Reviews and Performance Payments A. Monthly DPW Sample Review

The Bureau of Program Evaluation is responsible for monitoring each of its welfare client employment and training programs to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and DPW regulations, as well as contract provisions. As part of the monitoring process the Bureau will be conducting monthly case record reviews for contracted vendors currently administering the Employment Advancement and Retention Network (EARN) program. The purpose of this review is to verify compliance with your organization’s contractual obligations and to ensure that quality service is being provided to program participants. Once the review is completed you will receive notification identifying any problem areas of operation for which corrective action will be required.

The following indicates the areas of program operation to be reviewed:

Referral / Enrollment

Service Plan Completion

Attendance / Activities Tracking

Durational Time Limits

Employment Information

Terminations

Medical Assessment forms

Narratives / Incentives; and

Data Entry

This review will be conducted monthly but may not include all providers. If your organization has been chosen as part of this monthly random sample review, you will receive an email alerting you to check Swish for the list of names selected. Documentation is required to be submitted to Philadelphia Works within 5 working days of receiving the request unless otherwise noted. Required documentation:

EARN Monthly Case Record Review Form Checklist

The following are acceptable forms of documentation:

Referral / Enrollment

Agreement of Mutual Responsibility form (AMR) (PA 1661);

Employment and Development Plan (EDP) (PA 1531); and


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Case Management Narratives. Service Plan Completion

EDRP

Signed Service Plan Activities / Time Tracking

AMR (PA 1661)

EDP (PA 1531)

Attendance / Activity Sheets

Community Service Agency Agreement Form (PA 1694)

Community Service Weekly Participation Report (PA 590)

Excused Absence Tracking Log

Excused Absence Verification

Attendance Make-up Plan

Employment Verification Form (EVF)

Letter from Employer

Pay-stubs / Wage Documentation. Durational Time Limits

Attendance / Activity Sheets Employment Information

EVF


Pay-stubs / Wage Documentation

Collateral Contact Terminations

Case Management Narrative Transition to EARN (WR only)

Case Management Narratives Narratives / Incentives

Case Management Narratives; and

List of all Incentives issued Data Entry

Attendance / Activity Sheets

EVF


Pay-stubs / Wage Documentation

Commonwealth Workforce Development System (CWDS) Error Screens

CWDS Hotline Ticket # Documentation


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The federal government determines the Work Participation Rate (WPR) through a monthly sampling of the caseload. Each month they randomly select 250 to 300 cases and determine the percentage of those cases where the adults are working or in a work activity at the required number of hours each week. Fifty of those cases selected each month are new applicants who have been on TANF fewer than 30 days. It is rare that applicants are working or in a work activity at the required number of hours that quickly and, as a result, Pennsylvania receives no credit toward the WPR. Philadelphia Works receives the list of randomly selected records and sends an email to the contractors that the list is available in Swish. Contractors are required to retrieve the list from Swish and scan and submit required forms and supporting documentation for the target month. TANF Sampling Checklist and documentation requested below. The following items are accepted by the federal government to document hours of participation. Submit all of the following you have for the client for the sample month:

Pay Stub – a pay stub showing hours worked within the six months before the end of the report month (if client is still working during the report month). For example, if the sample month is July, the pay stub can be for hours worked from February 1st through July 30th

EVF – an EVF showing work hours within the six months before the end of the report month or a letter or statement from the employer that shows the hours worked (if client is still working during the report month). EVF must include employer contact information (name, title, and phone number)

Time Sheets – must be signed by the client; send time sheets even if not signed by the client (*Note, please be sure to list all excused, unexcused absences, and holidays as well as supporting documentation for excused absences)

Kronos Printout – if there are any hours in the “Apply To” column, the Kronos printout must be signed by the client; send time sheets even if not signed by the client Also required:

Weekly Activity Summary Sheet for each week of the sample month (Please indicate actual hours participated, holiday hours, and excused absence hours. Indicate the amount of deemed hours for clients in work experience or community service for the full number of hours permissible under FLSA but whose permissible hours are lower than the required.)

Incentive and Supportive Service Distribution Documentation

Job Search Log – only if it includes hours participated and is signed by the client

Excused Absence Form – only if it includes hours missed and is signed by the client


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Case notes – only if relevant in explaining the client’s hours for the sample month PLEASE DO NOT SEND COPIES OF AMR, EDRP, ASSESSMENTS or PRINT SCREENS


The Bureau of Program Evaluation (BPE) is responsible for monitoring all DPW/OIM employment and training programs to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and DPW regulations, as well as contract provisions. As part of the monitoring process, BPE will be completing monthly payment validation reviews for contracted providers currently administering the EARN program. The purpose of the reviews is to validate placement and retention payments made to your organization, verify compliance with your organization’s contractual obligations, and ensure that quality service is being provided to program participants. Reviews will be conducted for a randomly selected sample for which payment was issued. Performance Benchmarks: 1. Placement 2. Retention 3. Increased Hours Worked (IHW) 4. Activity Compliance Rate (ACR)

See Attachment 17 for the DPW Performance Payment Submission Process. We will also issue operations memos as changes occur.


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EARN Procedures Manual Attachments:

Attachment 1: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. page 96 Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) HIPAA Compliance Agreement: Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Acknowledgement Attachment 2: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….… page 98 Grievance and Complaint Resolution Procedure for Participants Attachment 3: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….….. page 106 Worker’s Compensation Employee Notification Attachment 4: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… page 108 DPW Guidelines for Community Service (Community Work Experience) Community Work Experience (CWE) Worksite Agreement Form Attachment 5: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. page 113 Enrollment and Services Form Services Authorization Continuance Placements Attachment 6: ………….………………………………………………………………………………………………. page 117 Not Reconcilable Attachment 7: ………………………………………………………….………………………………………………. page 118 JSST Referral Tracking Log Attachment 8: …………..………………………………………………………………………………………………. page 119 Attendance Form Attachment 9: …………………………………………………………………………………………..………………. page 120 Job Referral Form Attachment 10: …………………………………………………………………..……………………………………. page 121 Employment Refusal Policy Good Cause for Refusing Employment Attachment 11: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… page 123 Refusal of Employment Warning Notice Refusal of Employment Final Notice Attachment 12: ………………………..………………………………………………………………………………. page 125 My Self Assessment (MSA) My Personal Goals & Action Plan Worksheets & Exercises from Dr. Ford’s Case Management Training & Manual TANF Program Welcome Call Scripts


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Attachment 13: …………………………………….....…………………………………………………………………. page 152 PA Workwear Referral Form Attachment 14: ………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………. page 153 DPW Special Allowance Verification Form Attachment 15: ……………………………………………………………………..……………………………………. page 155 DPW Performance Payment Submission Process Attachment 16: ………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………. page 158 Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) Attachment 17: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… page 159 PA Department of Public Welfare Authorization for Release of Information Attachment 18: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… page 160 EARN Program Metrics and Indicators


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ATTACHMENTS


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One Penn Center at Suburban Station 1617 JFK Boulevard, 13th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103

P: 215-963-2100 F: 215-567-7171

www.philaworks.org