4.5 Initial Employment Plan

4.5.3 Employment Plan Summary and Participant Signature

An employment plan (EP) is a written agreement developed jointly by a participant and his/her case manager. The EP should be a mutually agreed upon plan based on the job seeker’s strengths, needs and preferences, within the confines of policy and efficient use of funding.

Following an assessment, the FSET agency collaborates with the participant to develop an EP. The FSET agency is responsible for engaging in a career planning process in partnership with each participant, the outcome of which is an individualized EP integrating the participant’s career interests with local labor market conditions. Each participant’s EP includes one or more employment goals and an action plan. The action plan includes the assignment of allowable activities designed to assist the participant in reaching employment and career goals. The FSET worker should utilize the S.M.A.R.T. criteria (below) when setting objectives for the participant to meet:

Specific – target a specific area for improvement;
Measurable – quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress;
Achievable – specify goals that are reachable;
Realistic – state what results can realistically be achieved, given available resources;
Time-related – specify when the result(s) can be achieved.

An EP should:

Be developed following a thorough assessment;
Include a clear description of short and long term employment goals;
Be used as a case management tool to identify an individual’s occupational goals and to identify action steps required of both FSET and the individual in order to accomplish the goal;
Be viewed as a means by which participants are able to set forth their goals and measure their progress, rather than as a document that must be completed prior to entering an FSET component activity;
Be maintained at all times from point of enrollment, and;
Be reviewed and updated as necessary throughout the work program. See section 8.1 Employment Plan Reviews for information on requirements for completing EP reviews.

4.5.1 Components of an Employment Plan

The EP consists of two main components: 1) Goals and action steps and 2) Individualized activities. Together, the FSET worker and participant set goals, determine action steps, and select appropriate FSET activities and related supportive services necessary to achieve those goals. The participant has the option of accepting all or any part of the FSET worker’s recommendations. However, ABAWDs meeting the work requirement through FSET participation are required to comply with qualifying activities in order to maintain FS eligibility. If an ABAWD disagrees with the activities assigned, the FSET worker should identify other types of qualifying activities from which the ABAWD may choose in order to maintain FoodShare (FS) eligibility, as long as completing those activities is realistic and directly related to an achievable goal.

4.5.2.1 Goals & Action Steps

The FSET agency should work with the participant to develop at least one primary employment goal and associated action steps to reach that goal.

The Department of Health Services (DHS) also encourages the FSET agency to work with the participant to develop secondary and long-term employment goals and action steps to reach those goals, as applicable to individual participant needs.

4.5.2.2 Assign Component Activities

After completing goals and action steps, the FSET agency works with the participant to assign one or more individualized activities that will facilitate progress toward reaching identified employment and training goals. When assigning activities, the FSET worker should take into account the individual’s participation status. Participation requirements for FSET activities differ for non-exempt ABAWDs who need to meet the work requirement and voluntary non-ABAWDs or exempt ABAWDs.

For non-exempt ABAWDs who need to meet the work requirement, the FSET worker should account for the following when assigning activities:

- Qualifying Components for ABAWDs: In order to meet the work requirement, ABAWDs must participate in qualifying FSET component activities. Job search, including job search training, is not considered a qualifying component for ABAWDs unless it comprises no more than half of an ABAWD’s monthly participation hours. For more information on which activities are considered qualifying activities for ABAWDs, see section 1.4 FSET Component Activities.

- Co-enrollment in Another Work Program: During the enrollment process, the FSET worker may become aware that the participant is co-enrolled in another employment program. Co-enrollment in FSET and other qualifying work programs is allowable to meet ABAWD work requirement (see Appendix E for a list of other allowable work programs). If a participant is co-enrolled in another program, the FSET agency is responsible for making contact with the other program to establish a collaborative partnership for serving the participant.

- FSET Participation Requirements: Non-exempt ABAWDs must meet the work requirement by working at least 80 hours per month. Some ABAWDs need to participate in FSET for 80 hours a month in order to meet the work requirement because they are not engaged in any other type of work. Other ABAWDs are referred to FSET because although they are already partially meeting the work requirement, they need to participate in FSET in order to make up the difference between their current work hours and the 80 hour requirement. When assigning activities and developing the EP, each ABAWD’s current work activities outside FSET, such as co-enrollment in another work program or part-time employment, must be considered on a per-person basis. See section 6.3.2.3 Determining Participation Hours.

- Workfare and Workfare Job Search: When placing an ABAWD in workfare, the FSET worker should keep in mind that participation hours are determined differently for this activity type. See section 6.3.2.4 for details on determining participation hours for workfare. In addition, federal regulations allow ABAWDs assigned to workfare to complete a 30-day job search period prior to starting their workfare placement, and this activity counts toward meeting the work requirement. For more information on workfare job search, see section 6.3.2.5.

The Assign Activity page in the CARES Workers Web (CWW) FSET Tool provides a detailed list of activity types that may be used to assign FSET activities. This list includes both qualifying and non-qualifying activities for ABAWDs. It also contains FSET fundable activities and activities that may be assigned, but are not fundable through FSET. Refer to Appendix C of this document for a detailed list of assignable component activities.

FSET education and work activity sites must not discriminate against the individual because of age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal (retaliation), and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information. All FSET participation sites must be in compliance with federal, state, and local health and safety standards.

Note: Non-ABAWDs and exempt ABAWDs do not need to meet the ABAWD work requirement and are not subject to the same participation requirements as non-exempt ABAWDs. The FSET agency should ensure that voluntary non-ABAWDs and exempt ABAWDs are offered the opportunity to participate in FSET without being subject to the ABAWD work requirement.

4.5.3 Employment Plan Summary and Participant Signature

The EP summary must be printed and signed by the participant and FSET worker each time an EP is created or updated. By signing the EP summary, the participant is agreeing to the goals, action steps, and assigned activities listed in their plan. A signed copy of the EP summary should be stored in the participant’s electronic case file (ECF).

If the FSET worker mails the EP summary to the participant for a signature, it is requested that the participant sign and return a copy within 10 days of the receipt of the summary. Failure to sign the summary may result in a delay of supportive services.

If a participant disagrees with and refuses to sign the EP summary, the FSET worker should explore other available options consistent with the results of the assessment, the goals of the FSET program, and availability of FSET funding. If an ABAWD disagrees with the activities assigned, the FSET worker should offer other types of qualifying activities from which the ABAWD may choose in order to meet the work requirement and maintain FS eligibility, as long as completing those activities is realistic and directly related to an achievable goal.

This page last updated in Release Number: 15-01

Release Date: 02/26/15

Effective Date: 02/26/15