JOBS Orientation Handbook
The Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Program The Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) program helps Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) participants with work-readiness, training and job placement services. Federal law requires TANF recipients to work or participate in defined work activities and the JOBS program will help you meet these requirements. Read this handbook carefully. It describes your work requirements and answers frequently asked questions about the JOBS program. Act Now You are limited to 60 months of TANF benefits in your lifetime! 1
What is a JOBS referral? Your TANF program eligibility worker will send you a referral for orientation to the JOBS program. You must attend the appointment listed on the referral form or, if no appointment is listed, contact Job Service North Dakota within seven days of the date of the referral to schedule an orientation appointment. Your TANF case will not be authorized nor will you receive TANF benefits if you fail to schedule and attend a JOBS orientation. Attend JOBS orientation Meet your JOBS coordinator and get program details and expectations. Arrange Childcare and Transportation Arrange childcare and transportation for the JOBS orientation and work activities. Complete the OWRA work readiness assessment with your JOBS coordinator. Outline a Work Plan Work with your JOBS coordinator to discover your work skills for the job market and complete a plan that outlines how you will quickly meet work requirements. Do I have to work or participate in work activities? Federal law requires any caretaker or parent who receives TANF benefits to work or participate in work activities unless: You are over the age of 65, or You are the parent/caretaker of a child under two months of age. In addition, dependent children over the age of 16 and not in school must participate. 2
Can I be excused or exempt from participation in the JOBS program? You must provide medical proof that you cannot participate in any JOBS program activity in order to be excused. Your medical documentation may be referred to the State Medical Review team for evaluation and recommendation. Your participation level would be determined based on the team s recommendations. Your JOBS coordinator cannot make the decision to exempt you from JOBS program participation. What are my work requirements? Your goal is full-time paid employment that will allow you to become self-sufficient. If you are unable to locate full-time paid employment, you must meet the work requirement by participating in work activities approved by your JOBS coordinator. You will be required to provide proof of your work or activity hours. Failure to provide this documentation may result in case closure. You are required to participate during the entire month in which you receive a TANF benefit payment. 3
if you do not have a high school diploma or GED, your work activities may include working on those goals. Work Activities Include: Employment paying at least minimum wage. Unpaid work experience. Community service. Job search and job readiness activities. On-the-job training. Job skills training directly related to employment. * High school/ged or education directly related to employment. * Childcare services for another TANF recipient involved in community service. Short-term vocational training. * Participation in two or more activities may be required. Falsifying work hours may result in charges of fraud, which may lead to criminal charges or civil action against you. 4
Support Services for Work Activities Support services such as financial assistance for transportation and childcare, may be available to help you get a job or participate in approved work activities. The childcare payment is limited by the maximum amounts allowed by the Childcare Assistance (CCA) program. Check with your TANF program eligibility worker to learn how to apply. You must apply for CCA before hiring a childcare provider. In addition, the CCA program requires that childcare providers be licensed, registered, or approved family members. Financial assistance is also available to help with professional licenses, dues, exam fees, interview expenses, clothing, uniforms, or tools, and may be available to help with moving expenses when you move to accept a job. Supportive services are not automatic. They are evaluated on an individual basis and as funding is available. No payment can be made without prior approval. Your case must be in good standing to receive supportive services. There are also supportive services to help you transition off TANF and into work. They may include, but are not limited to Childcare assistance, transportation assistance, and other supportive services. 5
What happens if I can t get to work? If you have difficulty arranging childcare or transportation, you must contact your JOBS coordinator immediately to explain your efforts to take care of these issues. You must follow through with suggestions made by your TANF program eligibility worker and/or your JOBS coordinator. You may also be referred to other services that can help you overcome your barriers. Your cooperation is required. What happens if I don t cooperate? If you do not cooperate, you may be sanctioned from the JOBS program by County Social Services. A sanction will reduce your TANF grant. A sanction could also lead to the closing of your entire case if it is not corrected within a short period of time. Your food stamps may also be affected by a sanction. You may be sanctioned from the JOBS program if you: Fail to contact your JOBS coordinator for orientation within seven days of referral. Miss a scheduled appointment for any program activity. Do not report for work when scheduled. Do not participate in a work activity. Do not maintain satisfactory progress in a work activity. Fail to fulfill the requirements of your employment plan. 6
Refuse a job, quit a job, are terminated from a job, or reduce hours at work without a good reason. Fail to meet the federally required number of hours of participation each month. A sanction will affect you and your household in the following manner: Your portion of the TANF benefits will be removed from your household s benefit check in the month the sanction is effective (sanction penalty month). You must complete a proof of performance to correct the sanction prior to the end of the sanction penalty month. If you do not begin your proof of performance during the sanction penalty month and complete it, your entire case will be closed at the end of that month, and you and the other members of your household will not be allowed to receive TANF for one additional month. If you are the only person in your household that receives TANF benefits and you are sanctioned, your case will close when the sanction starts. You will not be eligible to receive TANF benefits for at least two months from that date. If you reapply for benefits, no one in your household will be allowed to receive TANF benefits until you correct the outstanding sanction. 7
GED or High School Diploma Incentive Program TANF program recipients who complete high school or their GED may receive a $250 incentive payment. The incentive is available to recipients who were receiving TANF at the time of completion. If you are interested in learning more about the incentive program, contact your TANF program eligibility worker. JOBS program rules are set by the Department of Human Services (DHS). DHS constantly reviews the program and you will be informed of any changes made to the rules. 8
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Equal Opportunity is the Law It is against the law for this recipient of federal financial assistance to discriminate on the following basis: Against any individual in the United States on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation or belief, and Against any beneficiary of programs financially assisted under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014 on the basis of the beneficiary s citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States, or his or her participation in any WIOA Title I financially assisted program or activity. The recipient must not discriminate in any of the following areas: Deciding who will be admitted or have access to any WIOA Title I financially assisted program or activity. Providing opportunities in or treating any person with regard to such a program or activity. Making employment decisions in the administration of or in connection with such a program or activity. 10
What to Do if You Believe You Have Experienced Discrimination If you think you have been subjected to discrimination under a WIOA Title I financially assisted program or activity, you may file a complaint within 180 days from the date of the alleged violation with either the recipient s Equal Opportunity Officer: Address Naike Doglod E-mail ndoglod@nd.gov Equal Opportunity Officer phone 701-328-1976 Job Service North Dakota TTY 800-366-6888 P.O. Box 5507 Fax 701-328-4894 Bismarck, ND 58506-5507 or you may file a complaint directly with: The Director Civil Rights Center (CRC) U.S. Department of Labor 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-4123 Washington, D.C. 20210 If you file your complaint with the recipient, you must wait either until the recipient issues a written Notice of Final Action, or until 90 days have passed (whichever is sooner) before filing with the CRC. If the recipient does not give you a written Notice of Final Action within 90 days of the day on which you filed your complaint, you do not have to wait for the recipient to issue that Notice of Final Action before filing a complaint with the CRC. However, you must file your 11
CRC complaint within 30 days of the 90-day deadline (within 120 days after the date on which you filed your complaint with the recipient). If the recipient provides a written Notice of Final Action on your complaint but you are dissatisfied with the decision or resolution, ou may file a complaint with the CRC. You must file the CRC complaint within 30 days of the date on which you received the Notice of Final Action. 12
LA OPORTUNIDAD IGUAL ES LA LEY Es contra la ley para este receptor de la ayuda economica federal de discriminar sobre labase siguiente: Contra un individual en los Estados Unidos sobre la base de la raza, del color, de la religion, del sexo, del origen nacional, de la edad, de la inhabilidad, de la afiliacion politica o de la creencia, y Contra cualquier beneficiario de programas assistidos economicamente bajo Titulo I mana de Obra Inversion Acto (WIOA) de 1998 sobre el base del beneficiaries ciudadania / estado como un inmigrante admitido legal autorizado para trabajar en Los Estados Unidos o su participacion en cualquier programa o actividad ayudado economicamente por WIOA Titulo I. EI receptor no debe discriminar en cualquiera de las areas siguientes: En decidir quien sera admitido o tener acceso a cualquier programa o actividad de un titulo de WIOA ayudado economicamente. Proveer oportunidades adentro o tratar a cualquier persona con respecto tal programa actividad. Tomando decisiones del empleo en la administracion o en conexion con tal programa actividad. QUE HACER SI USTED CREE QUE HA EXPERIMENTADO LA DISCRIMINACION Si usted piensa que le han sujetado a la discriminacion bajo Titulo I de WIOA del programa o actividad ayudado economicamente, usted puede presentar una queja en el plaza de 180 dias a partir de la fecha de la violacion alegada con El Oficial de la Oportunidad Igual del receptor: 13
Address Naike Doglod E-mail ndoglod@nd.gov Equal Opportunity Officer phone 701-328-1976 Job Service North Dakota TTY 800-366-6888 PO Box 5507 Fax 701-328-4894 Bismarck, ND 58506-5507 o usted puede presentar una queja directamente con: The Director Civil Rights Center (CRC) U.S. Department of Labor 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room N-4123 Washington, D.C. 20210 Si usted presenta su queja con el receptor, usted debe esperar hasta que el receptor escribe un aviso publico de la Accion Final o hasta que han pasado 90 dias (cualquiera sera mas pronto) antes de presentar con el CRC (veya la direccion arriba). Si el receptor no le da un aviso escrito de La Accion Final en el plaza de 90 dias del dia en cual usted presento su queja, usted no tiene que esperar al receptor para publicar ese aviso antes de presentar una queja con el CRC. Sin embargo, usted debe presentar su queja del CRC en el plazo de 30 dias de la fecha tope del plazo de 90 dias. (Es decir en el plaza de 120 dias despues del dia en cual usted presento su queja con el receptor.) Si el receptor le da un aviso escrito de La Accion Final en su queja pero esta descontento con la decision o resolucion, usted puede presentar una queja con el CRC. Usted debe presentar la queja del CRC en el plazo de 30 dias de la fecha en cual usted recibio El Aviso De La Accion Final. 14
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Job Service North Dakota Offices Bismarck 1601 E Century Ave Bismarck, ND 58503 Ph: 701-328-5000 Infojsbis@nd.gov Devils Lake 301 College Dr S Devils Lake, ND 58301 Ph: 701-662-9300 infojsdl@nd.gov Dickinson 66 Osborn Dr Dickinson, ND 58601 Ph: 701-227-3100 infojsdk@nd.gov Fargo 1350 32nd St S Fargo, ND 58103 Ph: 701-239-7300 infojsfg@nd.gov Grand Forks 1501 28th Ave S Grand Forks, ND 58201 Ph: 701-795-3700 infojsgf@nd.gov Jamestown 1307 12th Ave NE, Ste 3 Jamestown, ND 58401 Ph: 701-253-6200 infojsjm@nd.gov Minot 3416 N Broadway Minot, ND 58703 Ph: 701-857-7500 infojsmn@nd.gov Wahpeton 524 2nd Ave N Wahpeton, ND 58075 Ph: 701-671-1550 infojswp@nd.gov Williston 422 1st Ave W Williston, ND 58801 Ph: 701-774-7900 infojswl@nd.gov TTY Relay ND 800-366-6888 7-1-1 WORKFORCE PROGRAMS JSND-5045 (R. 6.2018) Job Service North Dakota is an equal opportunity employer/program provider. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.