EMERGENCY RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
Date of Adoption: December 3, 2001.
Purpose: Amend WAC 388-310-1300 to extend sponsorship of community jobs to private businesses.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-310-1300.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.08.090, 74.04.050, and 74.08A.340.
Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.
Reasons for this Finding: Approximately 20,000 adult recipients of temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) are at risk of using up all sixty months of TANF available to them without having developed the means to self-support. Many of these recipients may qualify for the community jobs program, which is a form of protected employment designed to get recipients ready to compete in the general job market. Community jobs placements are currently restricted to government (including tribal) and nonprofit agencies, and we are running out of placements. If we do not open community jobs to the private businesses as soon as possible, recipients may have to wait up to nine months for placement and lose several of the limited remaining TANF months.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0;
Pilot Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 0,
Repealed 0;
or Other Alternative Rule Making:
New 0,
Amended 1,
Repealed 0.
Effective Date of Rule:
Immediately.
December 3, 2001
Brian H. Lindgren, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit
2912.2 The community jobs program ((helps you gain work skills and
experience by enrolling you in a temporary, subsidized job. You
will also receive other services and support to help you move
into unsubsidized employment as quickly as possible.
(a) The state department of community, trade and economic development (DCTED) administers the community jobs program.
(b) DCTED selects community jobs contractors (CJC) by using a competitive "requests for proposal" process. DCTED, based upon the successful proposals, develops contracts specific to each selected community jobs contractor.
(c) The CJCs develop and manage the community jobs positions, pay the wages, provide support services and act as the "employer of record" while you are enrolled in a subsidized community job.
(d) Employers at the community jobs work sites must take actions to help participants move into unsubsidized employment. If they do not meet this requirement, they will not be considered for additional community jobs employees.
(e) The department of social and health services funds the community jobs program and reimburses your wages to the CJCs.
(2) How will I be affected if I am enrolled in the community jobs program?
If you are enrolled in the community jobs program:
(a) Your case manager will assign you to a community job position for no more than nine months.
(b) You may be assigned to a community job position when:
(i) You have gone through job search without finding a job; and/or
(ii) You and your case manager decide you need a supportive work environment to help you become more employable.
(c) You may not be enrolled in any community jobs position that requires you to do work related to religious, electoral or partisan political activities.
(d) You, your case manager and the CJC will review the appropriateness of your community jobs position every ninety days during your nine-month placement, looking at:
(i) Your continued TANF/SFA eligibility;
(ii) Any earned or unearned income received by you or another member of your assistance unit (that is, you and other people in your household who are included on your cash grant): and
(iii) Whether the community jobs position is actually helping you become more employable.
(e) You may work twenty or more hours per week in the community jobs position and will be paid the federal or state minimum wage, whichever is higher.
(f) You will earn sick leave and annual leave at the rate agreed upon by DCTED and the CJC for community jobs participants.
(g) The amount of your TANF/SFA monthly grant will be determined by following the rules in WAC 388-450-0050 and 388-450-0215 (1), (3), (4), (5) and (6). WAC 388-450-0215 (2), does not apply to your community jobs wages.
(3) What kind of employers provide community jobs work sites?
The CJC may ask the following categories of employers to provide you with a community job work site:
(a) Federal, state or local governmental agencies and tribal governments; and
(b) Private and tribal nonprofit businesses, organizations and educational institutions)) is a paid work experience that helps you gain work skills and experience by placing you in a temporary job where your wages are paid by the community jobs program. You will also receive other services and support to help your move into a job where your employer pays all your wages.
(2) Who runs the community jobs program?
The state department of community, trade, and economic development (DCTED) runs the community jobs program. They contract with the community jobs contractors (CJC) who develop and manage the community jobs positions, pay the wages, provide support services and act as the "employer of record" while you are enrolled in a community job.
(3) What types of work sites are used to provide community jobs?
The following work sites may be used to provide community jobs:
(a) Federal, state or local governmental agencies and tribal governments;
(b) Private and tribal nonprofit businesses, organizations and educational institutions;
(c) Private for profit businesses.
(4) What are the requirements for the work sites?
Work sites:
(a) Must help you move into a job where the employer pays all your wages. If they do not meet this requirement, they will not be considered for additional community jobs employees.
(b) Cannot require you to do work related to religious, electoral or partisan political activities.
(5) What are the benefits of community jobs?
You benefit from community jobs by:
(a) Learning work skills;
(b) Getting work experience;
(c) Working twenty or more hours per week, while being paid federal or state minimum wage, whichever is higher; and
(d) Earning sick leave and personal leave at the rate agreed upon by DCTED and the CJC.
(6) How do I get into community jobs?
You will be placed into community jobs after you and your case manager decide:
(a) You would benefit from CJ after you finished job search without finding a job; and/or
(b) You need a supportive work environment to help you become more employable.
(7) What happens after I am placed in the community jobs program?
When you are placed in the community jobs program:
(a) You will be assigned to a community job position for no more than nine months;
(b) Your placement in community jobs will be reviewed every ninety days during your nine-month placement for the following:
(i) Your continuing TANF/SFA eligibility;
(ii) Any earned or unearned income received by you or another member of your assistance unit (that is, you and other people in your household who are included on your cash grant); and
(iii) Whether the community jobs position is actually helping you become more employable.
(8) How does community jobs affect my TANF benefits?
The amount of your TANF/SFA monthly grant will be determined by following the rules in WAC 388-450-0050 and 388-450-0215 (1), (3), (4), (5) and (6). WAC 388-450-0215(2), does not apply to your community jobs wages.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.04.050. 99-08-051, § 388-310-1300, filed 4/1/99, effective 5/2/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.04.050 and 74.08A.320. 98-10-054, § 388-310-1300, filed 4/30/98, effective 5/31/98.]