Making Satisfactory Progress (MSP) - Participation in Welfare-to-Work (WTW) Activities

Participation and Federal WPR Requirements

As a result of the Federal DRA of 2005, more emphasis has been placed on the WPR. This added emphasis has brought about additional instructions from the federal government and the state regarding attendance and weekly hours of participation required of each CWES program client.

The WVP approved by the federal ACF on September 25, 2007 (effective October 1, 2007) provides additional guidance to states regarding attendance and participation requirements under DRA.

For unpaid work activities, the maximum number of hours of combined excused absences and holidays in any given month, for each work-eligible individual, is 16 hours. The county will not receive WPR credit for participation when a client exceeds the maximum allowable monthly hours for excused absences/holidays.

For paid work activities, where a participant is paid for the hours of an absence from that activity such as a paid holiday, paid vacation, or paid sick leave, the actual paid hours are countable as participation.

CWES clients are required to demonstrate that they are MSP in their approved WTW activity(ies). This includes regular attendance and steady progress based on the service provider’s performance requirement for unpaid activities. Progress is measured by the 20/30/35 weekly hourly requirement.

The EC and Service Provider must work together to monitor the client’s progress and participation and that program requirements are met. The EC and EWs must work together to share information regarding new employments to capture as much information as possible to ensure that the county meets the WPR.

In order to meet WPR clients are required to attend assigned activities on the WTW Plan Activity Assignment (WTW 2) as follows:

• 20 hours/week for a one-parent AU with a child less than six years old, of which 20 hours must meet core requirement (activity/hours);
• 30 hours/week for a one-parent AU, of which 20 hours must meet core requirement;
• 35 hours/week for a two-parent AU, of which 30 hours must meet core (both parents may share the hours).

Federal WPR for Two-Parent Assistance Units (AUs)

Unless exempt from participation, in order for adults in a two-parent AU to meet the federal WPR Two-Parent and the All-Families WPR requirements, ALL of the following conditions must be met:

• To meet the Two-parent rate, the AU must have a combined total of 35 hours per week, of which 30 weekly hours must be in core activities. The 30 core hours may be split between both parents.
• To meet the All-Family rate, one of the two parents in the AU must participate at least 30 hours per week, of which 20 must be in core activities.
• To meet both rates (Two-Parent and All-Family), the AU must have a combined total of 35 weekly hours, of which 30 must be in core activities and one of the two parents must participate at least 30 hours per week of which 20 must be in core activities.

Refer to Companion Case Procedures - Welfare-to-Work (WTW) Participation Requirements for specific two-parent scenarios.