Supervision and Documentation Requirements Agency for Workforce Innovation August 2007

Health and Human Services (HHS) Requires supervision during activity participation Requires supervision during activity participation –For RWBs to receive credit for participation in work activities, the activity must be supervised on a daily basis by an appropriate party  A teacher may supervise classroom or study hours  An employer or supervisor may supervise hours at a worksite or job  An employer may verify the time a participant spent applying for or interviewing for work Required each state to describe supervisory processes for each activity in the Work Verification Plan Required each state to describe supervisory processes for each activity in the Work Verification Plan

3 Federal Guidance All activities require written, signed documentation to receive credit for hours All activities require written, signed documentation to receive credit for hours Documentation is based on the type of activity Documentation is based on the type of activity –Paid versus unpaid

Unsubsidized Employment Supervision Requirements Supervision Requirements –Hours in unsubsidized employment are assumed as actual hours of participation based on proof of wages received from the employer

Unsubsidized Employment Documentation requirements Documentation requirements –Verification of employment  Before entering the employment, documentation/verification must be secured –Verification of hours completed  Pay stubs  Time sheets  Copies of checks  Money order  Work Number (TALX)  Employer contact (last option)

6 Unsubsidized Employment Documentation requirements Documentation requirements –Documentation of hours from the employer must include  Pay rate  Employer name  Hours worked  Time period

7 Unsubsidized Employment Verification through the WORK Number or employer contact must include Verification through the WORK Number or employer contact must include –Employer name –Date contacted –Contact (person talked to or Work Number) –Name of staff making contact –Period/weeks verified –Hours during the pay period –Rate of pay

Unsubsidized Employment- Self-Employment Supervision Supervision –Is assumed based on documented earnings and business expenses Documentation requirements Documentation requirements –Proof of income and business expenses –Receipts from vendors –Checks –Copies of checks –Money orders

Unsubsidized Employment Self-Employment To determine hours, the RWB must use the minimum wage calculation: To determine hours, the RWB must use the minimum wage calculation: –Income - business expenses/the higher of the federal or State minimum wage  Current calculation- business expenses/Florida’s minimum wage of $6.67 –Required to use the higher of the two- federal or State minimum wage

Frequently Asked Questions How do we get proof of business expenses and income if self- employed participants are paid in cash? How do we get proof of business expenses and income if self- employed participants are paid in cash? –Receipts for services –Receipts for equipment and supplies purchased to provide services

Idea Create an employability skills activity for self-employed participants Create an employability skills activity for self-employed participants –Workshops could include  Filling out receipts  Keeping accounts receivable/payable ledgers  Bookkeeping  Writing invoices

Subsidized Private/Public Sector Employment Supervision Supervision –Must be supervised daily Projecting Projecting –Hours cannot be projected if employment is subsidized using TANF dollars

Subsidized Private/Public Sector Employment Documentation requirements Documentation requirements –Verification of income –Pay stubs –Time sheets –Copies of checks –Money orders

14 Verification through the WORK Number or employer contact must include Verification through the WORK Number or employer contact must include –Employer name –Date contacted –Contact (person talked to or Work Number) –Name of staff making contact –Period/weeks verified –Hours during the pay period –Rate of pay Subsidized Private/Public Sector Employment

15 Projecting Employment Hours Projecting is entering actual completed hours at work for hours that are not documented based on previously received documentation Projecting is entering actual completed hours at work for hours that are not documented based on previously received documentation This is a provision of federal law to support individuals who have secured employment and provide documentation on a less frequent basis This is a provision of federal law to support individuals who have secured employment and provide documentation on a less frequent basis

16 Projecting Employment Hours Employment hours may be entered on the JPR screen based on documentation previously received if Employment hours may be entered on the JPR screen based on documentation previously received if –The employment is not subsidized by TANF funds –The employment is not self-employment –The RWB has secured one full pay cycle –A case closure alert has been received and the cash has been closed in the FLORIDA system

Projecting Employment Hours Most cases will close soon after a participant starts working, unless Most cases will close soon after a participant starts working, unless –The participant receives low pay –The participant works few hours –The family receives a high benefit amount –The employment is excluded income (like work study)

18 Projecting Employment Hours What is one full pay cycle? What is one full pay cycle? –Unless we are notified otherwise, one full pay cycle depends on how often the participant is paid  If the participant is paid every two weeks, it would be the first full two weeks the participant is employed –This usually eliminates the first pay check unless they begin exactly when the first pay period starts

Question When would it be appropriate to project hours? When would it be appropriate to project hours?  The participant gains employment and the cash assistance case closes  The participant has provided verification of employment  The participant has provided documentation of hours for one full pay cycle  Attempts to contact participant to get additional proof of hours are unsuccessful

Question Can we project self-employment hours? Can we project self-employment hours? –Self-employment hours cannot be projected

21 Question What happens if the participant provides updated pay stubs? What happens if the participant provides updated pay stubs? –We should try to maintain the correct information in the system –Since we project for such a short period of time, we should try to update the JPRs in the system –Any future weeks projected must be based on the most recent full pay cycle received

Work Experience and Community Service Supervision Supervision –Must be monitored daily by  Supervisor  Employer  Other designated responsible party –The responsible party for supervising and documenting hours must be designated in the worksite agreement

Work Experience and Community Service Documentation may include Documentation may include –Time sheets signed by the designated supervising party –Other attendance records or logs signed by the designated supervising party –Must be secured by the RWB at least every two weeks

24 Work Experience and Community Service What is deeming? What is deeming? –If a family participates in Work Experience or Community Service for the number of hours required based on the calculation –And the calculated hours does not meet the core hours required by federal law (for the case to be counted in the participation rate) –The family can get credit for the core requirement based on the family type

25 Deeming Applies only to the worksite activities Applies only to the worksite activities –Work Experience –Community Service Has three principle components Has three principle components –Core hours based on the family type –Calculated monthly hours at the worksite for the family –Actual hours completed at the worksite(s) by the family

26 Deeming A family may be given credit for the “core” hours A family may be given credit for the “core” hours –Currently, the JPR screen records weekly hours. The family may be given credit for all core hours if the family completes all required hours for the week –Some regions have developed local operating procedures to give the family credit for core hours if the family completes the calculated hours for the month  The monthly deeming procedure must be written  All staff should follow the local procedure

27 Assigning worksite hours Assigning worksite hours –Family is assigned hours based on the calculation for the week/month –Two-parent family may share hours or one parent may complete all hours provided the parent is not required to complete more than 40 hours per week –Families cannot be required to completed more than the calculated hours –Individuals cannot be required to completed more that 40 hours per week Credit for worksite hours Credit for worksite hours –Family completes all required hours for the week or month –The required hours are based on the calculation –The career specialist enters the “core” hours on the JPR screen for the weeks/month based on the family type –The career specialist enters a case note including  Calculated hours for the month and the week  The hours completed  The number of hours deemed

28 Weekly Deeming for Worksite Activities

Work Experience and Community Service Deeming calculation Deeming calculation –Family must complete the weekly required hours based on the calculation  Cash assistance + Food Stamp Allotment/Florida’s minimum wage or federal minimum wage (which ever is higher)/4.3 –Family must complete the monthly hours required based on the calculation  Cash assistance + Food Stamp Allotment/Florida’s minimum wage or federal minimum wage (which ever is higher)  The number of hours the family should be instructed to complete each week depends on the number of weeks left in the month to complete the hours

Job Search and Job Readiness Assistance Supervision Supervision –All hours entered on the JPR screen must be supervised –Supervision is documented for all classes, workshops and in-house job searches through time sheets signed by supervising party –Supervision is documented for all on-site job searches through a completed job search form validated as required –Job application or interview cannot be a proxy for hours, job search hours must be actual hours completed

Job Search and Job Readiness Assistance Documentation Documentation –Job readiness programs (classes, workshops)  Signed time sheets  Sign-in and sign-out logs –Job searching at the career center  Sign-in and out logs  Signed time sheets

32 Job Search and Job Readiness Assistance –Job searching “on site” (with employer)  Job search form documenting hours of actual completion of applications, interviews, etc.  The employer may initial or sign the job search and time information –Essentially, the employer is validating the time spent on site completing the application and interview process  The employer may validate other time spent in interviews, etc.  Verification of job search completed

33 Question What if the participant job searches at home? What if the participant job searches at home? –The job search must be supervised, which may be possible through on-line processes –If the job search is not supervised, the hours cannot be recorded in the system –Remember, a participant can job search anytime during the program, but countable hours recorded for job search and job readiness assistance participation is both limited and structured

34 Question Do we have to verify job searches with the employer? Do we have to verify job searches with the employer? –Yes –Ten percent of all job searches done “on site” (with the employer) and completed outside of the Career Center must be verified with the employer –The RWB should develop a process to record the information and monitor the percentage of job searches verified for each participant engaged in job search and job readiness activities

Job Search and Job Readiness Assistance Substance abuse and mental health activities Substance abuse and mental health activities –The RWB must document that the participant assigned to job search and job readiness that is getting credit for treatment hours is “otherwise employable” –The RWB must document that the treatment is needed by a certified professional, which may include a psychiatrist –Document hours of participation in SAMH activities  Time sheets  Signed by a supervising party relevant to the activity participated in –Counselor for group therapy

36 Question Are substance abuse and mental health treatment hours a part of the ten percent that must be verified by the RWB on regular basis? Are substance abuse and mental health treatment hours a part of the ten percent that must be verified by the RWB on regular basis? –Yes

Education and Training Supervision Supervision –Each countable hour of participation must be supervised by a designated responsible party –We recommend the RWB secure who the responsible party is through registration documents, a syllabus, or other written notification –Documentation must support supervised hours of participation

Education and Training Documentation may include Documentation may include –Signed time sheets –Direct contact with the instructor or institution that contains all required information Required information Required information –Instructor (on-site or on-line) or supervising party (e.g., lab monitor) –Course, lab, study hall, etc. –Dates of attendance –Hours related to credit –Contact information of person verifying attendance

Documentation Requirements Documentation “Do’s” Documentation “Do’s” –Secure documentation of actual hours completed prior to entering hours on the JPR screen –Ensure that time sheets and other documentation are signed by an appropriate party –Ensure all documents have the required information prior to entering hours on the JPR screen –Stamp the document when it is received by the provider or RWB

Documentation Requirements Documentation “Do’s” continued Documentation “Do’s” continued –Enter a case note once documentation has been received and JPRs are updated  An ideal case note would include –Activity and type of document –Week(s) of participation –Number of hours completed –Notation if participant completed the assigned hours –File documentation immediately after completing data entry to reduce misplaced or lost documents

Documentation Requirements Do not Do not –Enter a JPR greater than zero without documentation –Enter a JPR greater than zero if the documentation has not been signed by the designated party responsible for supervising hours of participation –Enter a JPR greater than zero based on a participant statement

Documentation Requirements Do not Do not –Enter job search “on-site” hours based on a document without  The date the job search or interview was conducted  Hours of engagement  Employer information –Forge/create documents

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact the Welfare Transition Team through the Agency for Workforce Innovation’s Call Center at An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this document may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.