Arkansas Administrative Code › Agency 208 - Department of Workforce Services › Rule 208.00.22-001 - Amemdment to Transitional Employment Assistance (TEA)/Work Pays Policy

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, June, 2024
10000
ARKANSAS WORK PAYS
Arkansas Act 1705 of 2005 established the Work Pays Program. Work
			 Pays is an incentive program designed to encourage working TEA participants to
			 remain employed after closure of the TEA case while increasing their hours of
			 work and/or hourly wage. Provided they meet Work Pays eligibility requirements,
			 families participating in Arkansas Work Pays will receive: a monthly cash
			 assistance payment in the amount of $204 for up to 24 months, case management,
			 supportive services, and job retention and advancement services. The
			 twenty-four (24) months will count toward the federal 60-month time limit but
			 not the state's TEA 24-month limit. If the participant reaches 60 months while
			 participating in Work Pays, an automatic extension will be given to the
			 60-month time limit. This work incentive program may be limited to 3,000
			 families.
The DWS worker will explain the Work Pays program to the
			 applicant and provide a Work Pays pamphlet during the initial interview for TEA
			 cash assistance. The DWS Workforce Specialist will discuss the Work Pays
			 program with the participant during ongoing case management activities. When
			 the TEA case closes due to employment, the participant will receive additional
			 information about Work Pays, including a Work Pays
			 application.
10100
Work Pays Eligibility Requirements
A participant must meet the following requirements:
1. Be employed at least 30 days prior to the
		  date of the Work Pays application;
2. Have care and custody of a related minor
		  child, including family cap child (TEA Policy 2150.1) and child receiving
		  SSI;
3. Be a resident of the State
		  of Arkansas;
4. Meet the
		  citizenship or alienage requirement (Refer to TEA policy 2220);
5. Apply for Work Pays within six (6) months
		  of TEA case closure;
6. Received
		  TEA cash assistance for at least three (3) months, including months of
		  deferral. (These months do not have to be consecutive. Months from other states
		  do not count);
7. Have not received
		  more that twenty-four (24) months of Arkansas Work Pays Program
		  Benefits;
8. Meet Work Hours
		  Requirement:
a) For initial eligibility - Was
		  engaged in paid work activities for a minimum of twenty-four hours per week and
		  met the federal participation rate for the past month.
b) For on-going eligibility - must be in paid
		  work activities for a minimum of twenty-four(24) hours per week and meet the
		  federal participation requirement for one(1) of the past three(3) months and
		  for at least three (3) of the past six (6) months;
9. Have income below 150% of the federal
		  poverty level for the family size, including SSI and Family Cap Children(SSI
		  and family cap children are counted in the household size
when
		  determining FPL
, even if they are not part of the budget unit.)
Note
: Stepparents with no child in common are NOT
			 part of the Work Pay budget unit. Therefore, the income of the stepparent is
			 disregarded.
10. Comply
		  with the Work Pays Personal Responsibility Agreement;
11. Comply with Office of Child Support
		  Enforcement (OCSE) requirements, including assignment of support and
		  cooperation in establishing paternity and/or support unless good cause exists;
		  and
12. Comply with drug screening
		  and testing requirements.
Note:
If a participant has reached or exceeded the
			 60-month federal time limit when the participant applies (or reapplies) for
			 Work Pays, the application will be denied.