The Franklin/Hampshire Employment Training Consortium is beginning a new initiative called the Enhanced Services Program. This new program will help TAFDC clients – both work program required and non-work program required – who would benefit from participating in skills training, job readiness and pre- and post-training job search programs begin the transition to work. Clients who either need skills training to become job ready or are currently job ready should be referred to this program. Through skills training, intensive case management, job readiness activities and job placement and retention provided by the Franklin/Hampshire Employment Training Consortium Enhanced Services Program, it is hoped clients will be better prepared for employment and receive high wages once employed. The Program has a planned start date of March 17, 2008 in the Greenfield TAO and is scheduled to end on June 30, 2008.

A supported work program in collaboration with the Corporation for Public Management, where TAFDC recipients will get entry level clerical positions in DTA offices with intensive supervision and training. It is for clients with substantial barriers, and is currently serving 6 clients.

Attached is a New Initiative Memo on referrals from the Springfield Liberty TAO to the Mass. Behavioral Health Partnership.

Vocational specialists will be introduced to all DTA offices, but starting with Brockon, Dudley Square, Fall River, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Malden, New Bedford, North Shore, Revere, and Springfield State Street. Certain TAFDC recipients who are subject to but not meeting the work program requirements, and recipients with documentation of a learning disability or who have been screened as possibility having a learning disability will be referred to these specialists.

The Project Hope new initiative will provide supported work services to 10 pre-selected families receiving TAFDC and living in Crittendon-Hastings House. The new initiative is through June 2008 only for the following TAO: Boston Family Housing. The goal of this program is to provide employment and permanent housing for these families.

The Commissioner's letter in the August 2007 Transitions Newsletter summarizes the steps that should be taken before a recipient is sanctioned for noncompliance with the work program. These include a full explanation of the the work program, asking clients about potential barriers, and referral to child care, domestic violence services and transportation assistance, referral to a partnering agency such as DSS, DMH, DPH, MRC or FOR Families). Sanctions should be applied consistently, prudently and only as a last resort. "Reducing the benefits available to already low income families is a drastic step that should only be made after we have taken all appropriate steps to support the family, and determined that there are no good cause reasons that explain the nconcompliance."

Instructions on providing transportation payments and participation forms to participants in Supported Work programs, which now include pre-worksite training.

Effective September 8, 2003, nonexempt grantees whose youngest child is between the ages of two and mandatory full-time school age: 1)are now required to meet the Work Program requirement unless they meet a reason found in 106 CMR 203.400(A)(1). 2) may meet the Work Program requirement through Department-approved education or training activities in addition to employment or community service. 3) if in the final three months of time-limited benefits and currently enrolled and participating in a Department-approved education or training activity, may be granted a three-month extension to complete the activity. A second three-month extension may be granted to complete the activity, if necessary.

An LOQC review found discrepancies in TAFDC AUs that need to be corrected. The discrepancies occur between an AP’s Work Program Exempt/ Nonexempt status and an AU’s Exemption Status on the Work Program Requirements window.

Based on comments received regarding Field Operations Memo 2003-31, an e-mail was sent to TAO Staff in the first week of November asking that work on that memo stop until further notice. This memo reinstates Field Operations Memo 2003-31and provides additional AU instructions. A new report listing the approximately 2000 AUs (reviewed by LOQC in July) will be sent electronically to TAOs for processing.

The Work Requirements window did not allow AU Managers to enter Work Program Required = Yes for Noncitizen Assessed Persons (AP) who are nonexempt and have a legal obligation to support their dependents and are ineligible for TAFDC for themselves because of their INS status.

A recent review of TAFDC APs who are work program required has revealed issues with the TAFDC Tab of the Work Requirements window that prevent accurate data from being saved. Although the correct Work Program Requirements information appears on the window, this data was not properly saved in BEACON.

The purpose of this memo is to clarify the procedures AU Managers must follow during the 60-day work search period whenever a grantee becomes work program required.

Field Operations Memo 2004-16 clarified the procedures AU Managers must follow during the 60-day work search period whenever a grantee becomes work program required.

Nonexempt grantees will soon be required to meet the Work Program requirement (unless the exemptions found in 106 CMR 203.400(A)(1) apply) in the following ways:

The current release of BEACON (2.1.10) has two changes that impact the Work Program. This Field Operations Memo highlights those changes. A User’s Guide, Transitional Assistance Programs and BEACON will be updated to reflect those changes.

The Department is committed to ensuring that TAFDC recipients who are subject to the work requirement participate in an appropriate activity. However, it is equally important that recipients who have a legitimate barrier to participation not be subjected to inappropriate sanctions.

Field Operations Memo 2004-37 tells TAO Staff about processing recipients affected by the Work Program increased hour requirement. Field Operations Memo 2004-37 A tells TAO Staff about the revised Work Program requirement sanction process and expanded good cause reasons. Effective with Increment 2.1.11, the Compliance End Date field is a mandatory fill with a pop-up message reminding AU Managers to complete the field before exiting the window. There is also a hard edit if the date entered in that field is more than six months in the future. It has been determined that certain AUs who had a “Meets Compliance; reason entered on the TAFDC tab of the Work Requirements window, did not have end dates entered in the Compliance End Date field.

ESP vendors need to know the number of hours a recipient is required to meet the Work Program requirement. The ESP Referral and Response form is used to refer recipients to an ESP component. The number of hours must be added to the form by the AU Manager until a change is made in BEACON to include the hourly requirement. It is expected the change to this form will be in the next BEACON increment.

Field Operations Memo 2005-8, page 3 reminded AU Managers to enter the Food Stamp Attributed Amount before Authorizing the pending Work Program Sanction on the Interview Wrap-up window.

Field Operations Memo 2004-27 informed TAO staff of the increased Work Program requirement hours for certain recipients. Effective with the returned March Participation and Response forms, Work Program required recipients must meet the increased hours. A notice (Attachment A) will be mailed during the first week of February to all Work Program required recipients telling them about this change.

This Field Operations Memo reinforces DTA field instructions for processing applicants who have previously used the 60-day work search period.

ESP vendors need to know the number of hours a recipient is required to participate in an activity to meet the TAFDC Work Program requirement. The ESP Referral and Response form (ESP-16) is used to refer recipients to an ESP component. Field Operations Memo 2004-42 instructed TAO Staff to annotate the number of Work Program hours on the form until a change is made in BEACON to include the hourly requirement.

Participating in an education or training activity meets the Work Program requirement for up to 12 months (see 106 CMR 203.400(A)(2)(i)). The 12 months may be a calendar year or may be a series of non-consecutive months.

Field Operations Memo 2005-23 told TAO Staff about a notice telling the recipient that at least nine of 12 months had been used in an education or training activity. The notice would be mailed in a batch job processed on the 25th of each month. Due to a BEACON design change, the notice will now be mailed in a batch job processed on the 1st business day of the following month.

This memo gives TAO Staff procedures for removing interrupted sanctions when the Assessed Person (AP) is participating in another activity (including work), has a “Meets Compliance” reason or is in an extension and appears on the “Clients with Sanctions” view in an “Interrupt” status.

The Department is in the process of making changes to the TAFDC program to comply with federal reauthorization of the TANF block grant. One of the most significant areas to be addressed is participation in work-related activities. A recent review of TAFDC AUs has found recipients who are Work Program required but who are not participating in an activity for the required number of hours.

The Department is in the process of making changes to the TAFDC program to comply with federal reauthorization of the TANF block grant. One of the most significant areas to be addressed is participation in work-related activities. A recent review of TAFDC AUs has found recipients who are Work Program required but who are not participating in an activity for the required number of hours.

The Department is in the process of making changes to the TAFDC program to comply with federal reauthorization of the TANF block grant. One of the most significant areas to be addressed is participation in work-related activities. A recent review of TAFDC AUs has found recipients who are Work Program required but who are not participating in an activity for the required number of hours.

This Field Operations Memo gives an overview of BEACON functionality changes and AU Manager responsibilities as it relates to the Job Search/Job Readiness counter.

This memo informs TAO staff about a special project to clean up the BEACON Resource Search window; and gives TAO staff procedures for reviewing and updating the status of community service sites in their area, specifically removal of community service sites no longer active.

This Field Operations Memo tells TAO Staff about: a change to this procedure which will streamline referrals to Supported Work; and a change in procedures when a recipient gets an unsubsidized job during the initial three weeks of the activity.

This memo informs TAO Staf that; the FLSA calculations will be automated, effective with BEACON, scheduled for April 2, 2007; how the change will appear in BEACON; and the FLSA_CALC2 icon located on each desktop is no longer necessary.

Effective 9/24/07, TAO providers can use the online ESP guide to find providers servicing their TAO's for specific activities.

This voluntary program is an interagency arrangment that allows certain non-exempt TAFDC recipients who have Section 8 to participate in a 5 year program with case management and services to help the person become employed. Once the person is employed, the increased tenant rent portion resulting from the increased income will be put into escrow for the client, accessible on a very limited basis. If the client's family is able to stay off TAFDC for 12 months due to employment the escrowed money is returned with interest to the client. The accruing escrow is treated as a non-countable asset for TAFDC purposes.

Attached is a Field Ops Memo on calculaing the maximum number of hours someone can be required to do community service (dividing the grant plus food stamps by 
the $8 minimum wage), updated to take the increase in the MA minimum wage into account. The memo fails to state that child support assigned to 
the state must be subtracted when calculating how much the recipient is receiving in TAFDC and food stamps for purposes of the FLSA calculation. The Memo 
says DTA can require recipients to do another activity in addition to or instead of community service if they cannot meet the full work requirement 
with community service because of the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

In an effort to achieve our goal of increasing economic opportunities for our clients, the Department has developed a Vocational Specialist Program in our TAOs. The vocational specialists will help applicants and clients overcome barriers to employment by meeting with work program required applicants and clients to assess their service needs, barriers to employment and to provide coordination with community support services. The New Initiatives Memo entitled “TAFDC – Vocational Specialists in TAOs (Phase One)” dated January 31, 2008, introduced TAO Staff to the vocational specialist initiative. This memo informed TAO Staff about vocational specialists being placed in the Brockton, Dudley Square, Fall River, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Malden, New Bedford, North Shore, Revere and Springfield State TAOs. Beginning March 31, 2008 (on an incremental basis), the following TAOs will next receive their vocational specialist: Fitchburg and Framingham will each receive a full-time worker, while Greenfield, Milford, Southbridge, Taunton, Plymouth, North Adams, Pittsfield, Falmouth and Hyannis will each receive a part-time worker. TAO Staff will be notified of the specific arrival dates of the vocational specialists. This will complete the state-wide roll-out of vocational specialists in TAOs.

Due to the importance of ensuring that clients are enrolled in an activity that can lead to economic self-sufficiency, as well as meet their work program requirement, the marketing of the FSS program is being expanded to a new group of clients, those who live in Somerville or Framingham Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) or have their Section 8 certificate administered by the Somerville or Framingham PHAs. The purpose of this Field Operations Memo is to: • remind TAO staff about the FSS program; • explain the benefits of the FSS program; • advise AU Managers and Full Engagement Workers of their roles; • give TAO staff information about the PHAs participating in the FSS program; and • give the FSS contact list for the RNPs and the PHAs. Obsolete Memos This Field Operations Memo obsoletes Field Operations Memo 2008-3A.

This Field Operations Memo provides revised procedures for referrals to the Regional Non-Profit (RNP) housing agencies. These procedures mirror procedures for referrals to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) detailed in Field Operations Memo 2008-30.

Due to its success, the Franklin/Hampshire Employment Training Consortium is continuing to offer the Enhanced Services Program to our clients. This program will help TAFDC clients, whether work program required or not, who would benefit from participating in skills training, job readiness and pre- and post-training job search programs begin the transition to work. Clients who either need skills training to become job ready or who are currently job ready should be referred to this program.

The Department is planning to change the TAFDC Employment Services Program (ESP) education and training activity regulations. This change will allow a client to meet the work program requirement by participating in an education program beyond the Associate’s degree level. The change will be effective October 1, 2008.  If an applicant or client is planning to enroll in a four-year or advanced degree program beginning in September, this program will meet the work program requirement. It is important an applicant or client knows this, if he or she is planning to attend an education program for the 2008 fall semester.

Field Operations Memo 2008-37 provided revised procedures for referrals to the Regional Non-Profit (RNP) housing agencies.   This Field Operations Memo gives TAO staff a new list of TAFDC clients with Housing Choice (Section 8) vouchers who will receive Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) informational sessions detailed in Field Operations Memo 2008-37. The list will be e-mailed with this Field Operations Memo.  The following TAOs have clients on this list:  Brockton, Lawrence, Lowell, New Bedford, North Shore, Plymouth and Taunton.  TAO staff must follow procedures in Field Operations Memo 2008-37 for these clients.

As a result of changes to Federal work participation rules, effective October 1, 2008 the Department changed how it counts clients’ work program participation in the following areas:1) homework/study time counts towards overall participation in certain education and training activities; 2) post-secondary education beyond an Associate’s degree (including Bachelor’s and Graduate Degree programs) meets the work program requirement (provided the client has not already exceeded the 12-month limit of education or training activity to meet the work program); 3) child support counts in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) calculation when determining community service participation limits; and 4) the Job Search/Job Readiness counter is activated during a client’s first weeks in a Supported Work – Job Search/Job Readiness activity.

The Department changed how it counts clients’ work program participation in the following areas: homework/study time counts towards overall participation in certain education and training activities; post-secondary education beyond an Associate’s degree (including Bachelor’s and Graduate Degree programs) meets the work program requirement (provided the client has not already exceeded the 12-month limit of education or training activity to meet the work program);child support counts in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) calculation when determining community service participation limits; and the Job Search/Job Readiness counter is activated during a client’s first weeks in a Supported Work – Job Search/Job Readiness activity.

This Field Operations Memo informs TAO staff that effective immediately, no referrals to the Division of Career Services program for ESP-funded Job Search/Job Readiness activities should be made by TAO staff. Clients who are currently participating in ESP-funded Job Search/Job Readiness activities may continue to participate in the activity until October 31, 2008. At that point, these clients will be transitioned over to the One Stop Career Center for non-ESP funded services. TAO staff will receive more information on how this impacts work program required clients as it becomes available.

Participation and Attendance forms are sent out to clients the first business day (Monday unless Monday is a holiday) of the week before the last Saturday of the month. These forms must be returned by the client no later than the 10th of the following month (or the first business day after the 10th of the month if the 10th is a weekend or holiday). AU Managers must enter the forms into BEACON no later than the 18th of that month (or the first business day after the 18th of the month if the 18th is a weekend or holiday) to prevent a participation sanction from being created. AU Managers may enter the prior participation month’s returned Participation and Attendance forms onto BEACON up until the Friday before the last Saturday of the current month.

List of ESP activities and locations with increased capacity to meet increased demand.

Clarifies that new regulations eliminated full family sanctions only for work program violations, and that full family sanctions can still be imposed under EDP regulations for failure to comply with Employment Development Plan.

Sanctioned TAFDC recipients are entitled to child care if needed to cure the sanction. Case workers must authorize it in these situations.

Explains how actual participation hours for each client are totaled and displayed on Beacon.

Information about this guide, which details the components of TAFDC ESP and Food Stamp Employment and Training programs.

Describes case worker responsibilites for entering hours once a TAFDC recipient returns an attendance sheet. Case workers must enter hours by the 18th of the month. Also, if a recipient provides the attendance sheet by the Friday before the case is due to sanction or close for not meeting the work or EDP plan requirement, the case worker must enter the hours and remove the adverse action. Sanctioned recipients must have their cases reopened when they submit attendance forms, and case workers should enter attendance forms as part of the application process if they are provided at that time.

Lists the education and training programs that count toward the work requirement for 12 months.

Each recipient only has one 60 day job search period per 60 month time period. Once started, it is continuous, even if the person becomes exempt or finds a job in the middle of it.

There is a work program sanction desk guide with charts outlining what case workers need to do and a work flow chart regarding sanctions.

Automatic bank match on BEACON; TAFDC child under 2 exemption for second parent where first parent is disabled.

New 3-tier TAFDC work requirement.

Child care for community service placements; lack of child care as good cause once community service placement has been approved.

Work program and good cause procedures, interface of TAFDC extensions and EA self-sufficiency plans.

Household composition and income treatment issues for stepparent with stepchild on TAFDC; exemptions in two-parent families.

TAFDC work requirement procedures when child turns 6.

TFADC: notice of second disability denial; TAFDC: verifying domestic violence for dv waiver purposes-- including caseworker responsibilities; TAFDC: domestic violence waivers of the work requirement, recipients' right to apply for dv waivers despite caseworker thinking they do not qualify.

SSI Special Benefits for disaster and moving; TAFDC exemptions in two-parent families where one parent is disabled; FS work requirement and school employees over summer vacation; transportation and lodging as part of excess medical deductions for FS.

TAFDC: recipients enrolling in community college near end of time limit eligible for child care and transportation but may not get extension; time clock in two-parent households and households where one parent moves out; accessing EBT cards out of state; FS: immigrant work quarters; TAFDC: eligibility for pregnant women with family cap date and no children living with them; TAFDC: time clock for recipient denied disability exemption; TAFDC: exemptions for parent with child under two who has gotten waiver or exception to family cap rule.

Multilingual cards must be sent with every manual notice, inlcuding verification checklists; TAFDC: Family cap and deprivation factor; TAFDC: work requirement for parents of school-age children is based on mandatory school age not school attendance (note that while this reasoning still applies for figuring out which work requirement applies, it is no longer true that no work requirement applies to parents of children under 6).

FS: Voluntary quit provision does not apply to applicants exempt from work requirement; undiverted FS must have issuance date not on Sunday or holiday; TAFDC: if no community service site available, excused from work requirement; TAFDC: teen parent living arrangement requirements satisfied when teen lives with any adult related to her or to the baby.