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One and two-parent households are required to participate in an allowable work activity as follows:
|
Year |
Weekly |
Monthly |
Weekly |
Monthly |
Weekly |
Monthly |
|
2000+ |
30 |
120 |
35/55* |
140/220* |
20 |
80 | |
*The second figure applies only to a two-parent household where the family receives federally-funded child care and no parent in the family is disabled or caring for a child with a disability.
**Federal law requires single parents with children under six to participate in work or a work-related activity 20 hours per week. While a work program could require additional hours of participation, a single-parent with a child under six participating at least 20 hours per week is not subject to sanction.
In order to meet the federal work participation rates (see Section 1.3: Work Requirements in this Chapter), TANF recipients must participate in 'countable' work activities. In some limited cases however, the Department may permit recipients to fulfill their work requirements by participating in activities that do not meet the federal definition of a 'countable' activity. For example, some individuals participating in Department-approved adult basic education classes may fulfill their work requirement even if they are not participating in a federally-recognized 'countable' activity.
The following activities shall be countable toward the first 20 of the 30 hours of work activities required for a single-parent/caretaker non-exempt household and the first 30 of the 35 hours of work activities required for a two-parent household:
- unsubsidized employment,
- subsidized private sector employment,
- subsidized public sector employment,
- work experience,
- on-the-job training,
- job search and job readiness assistance for up to six weeks (no more than four weeks may be consecutive),
- community service programs,
- vocational education training (up to 12 months per individual), or
- provision of child care services to an individual who is participating in a community service program.
The following work-related activities also shall count as work participation provided the individual also participates in one of the above activities for at least 20 hours per week for a single parent/caretaker family and 30 hours per week for a two-parent family:
- job skills training related to employment,
- education related to employment, and
- education related to obtaining a high school diploma/GED (only allowable for recipients without a GED or high school diploma.)
A recipient under 20 years of age can count education as a work activity if s/he:
- maintains satisfactory attendance at a secondary school or equivalent during the month, or
- participates in education directly related to employment for an average of 20 hours per week during the month (see Section 4.4: School Attendance and Student Status in Part IV)
No more than 30 percent of the individuals that count toward the federal work participation rate may be in vocational education training. For the purpose of this limitation, teen parents attending school are counted as participants in vocational education training.
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