Virginia Law

A. VIEW recognizes that parents have the obligation to support their children through employment.

B. VIEW shall recognize clearly defined responsibilities and obligations on the part of public assistance recipients. VIEW shall require an Agreement of Personal Responsibility and the obligation to seek and obtain employment. Refusal to sign the Agreement of Personal Responsibility shall result in termination of TANF. The Agreement of Personal Responsibility shall be written for each nonexempt participant specifying, among other applicable requirements, the following:

1. The participant's obligations and responsibilities:

a. That it is the participant's responsibility to seek employment to support his own family.

b. That it is the participant's responsibility to participate in assignments made by the case manager.

c. That it is the participant's responsibility to notify the case manager of any change in the participant's circumstances that would impact the participant's ability to satisfactorily participate in the program.

d. That it is the participant's responsibility to accept offers of suitable employment. Refusal to accept offers of suitable employment will result in the loss of the participant household's TANF.

e. That it is the participant's responsibility to arrange and find transportation and child care. The agency will provide for transportation and child care, to the extent funding is available, only when the participant is unable to make his own arrangements.

2. Explanation of the two-year time limit.

C. Modification of the Agreement of Personal Responsibility shall not impact or change the two-year time limit for receipt of TANF benefits.

D. A VIEW participant who does not meet an exemption shall be required to participate in a work activity. The department shall ensure that participants are assigned to one of the following employment categories after TANF eligibility determination and entry into the VIEW program:

1. Unsubsidized private sector employment (full-time, part-time, or temporary) is the preferred employment category. A participant shall be required to accept any offers of suitable employment as defined in § 60.2-618 of the Virginia Unemployment Compensation Act.

2. Subsidized employment as follows:

a. The department shall conduct a work activity that shall be known as the Full Employment Program (FEP), which shall replace TANF benefits with subsidized employment.

b. The local department, employer, and the full employment participant shall sign a written agreement. At the expiration of this full employment agreement or when the participant leaves FEP, he will be reassessed and a modified Activity and Service Plan will be developed to reassign the participant to an appropriate employment category.

c. The employer is reimbursed for the wages paid to the participant up to the value of the participant's TANF benefits as contained in the agreement signed between the department and the employer.

(1) The employer subsidy will be based on the actual hours the participant works.

(2) The value of the participant's TANF benefits will be based on the benefits received over the period of assignment to a Full Employment Program placement.

3. Community work experience.

a. The participant can be placed into community work experience. Job placements shall serve a useful public purpose as provided in § 482 (f) of the Social Security Act (42 USC § 682 F).

b. The department and local departments shall work with other state, regional, and local agencies and governments in developing job placements. Placements shall be selected to provide skills that will make the participant more employable and serve a public function. Participation in community work experience shall be for an initial period of six months. Program participants shall not displace regular workers.

c. At the expiration of the community work experience assignment or when the participant leaves community work experience, he will be reassessed and a modified Activity and Service Plan will be developed to reassign the participant to an appropriate employment category.

d. There shall be no sick leave benefit attached to this component since participants work in exchange for their TANF and SNAP benefits. Participants who are ill or incapacitated will continue to receive their benefits.

4. In order to be considered a work activity in VIEW, on-the-job training must be provided by an employer. This is typically employer-required unpaid training by an employer that must be completed before an individual will be hired.

E. Other VIEW activities include:

1. Education.

a. Education may only be provided in conjunction with work-related activities during the participant's two-year time period.

(1) Educational activities can be substituted for community work experience hours during the participant's initial six-month placement in community work experience. The participant must be engaged in community work experience for at least 20 hours per week in addition to the educational activities. After six months of participation in community work experience, the number of hours required in the work activity can be reduced to allow participation in education to further the participant's employability.

(2) Participants who enroll into education or training programs prior to coming in VIEW shall be required to meet the requirements of the program.

b. Post-secondary education. Participants assigned to post-secondary education should have demonstrated the capability to successfully complete the educational activity in the prescribed time period in an occupational area for which there is demand in the community.

2. Job skills training may only be provided in conjunction with work-related activities during the participant's two-year time period. The choice of occupational skills training offered will vary in each jurisdiction depending upon local labor market conditions. However, skills training must be related to the types of jobs that are available or are likely to become available in the community.

3. Job search and job readiness.

4. Community service.

5. Vocational education.