PM 21-02-05: Work Experience

WAG 21-02-05.

revised textWork Experience (WE) places the client in a supervised work assignment with public, private, or not-for-profit employers, organizations, and governmental agencies that have an agreement with the Department. The client receives no payment other than their assistance benefits.

Who may participate in the activity:

A client may participate in Work Experience when:

  1. The client is unemployed.
  2. Participation is appropriate to help the client reach their employment goal.

Place the client in an available work assignment based on work history, prior training, experience, skills, and vocational preference.

Make the assessment during a meeting with the client, after reviewing all available information in the case record. Coordinate the placement with the employment goal(s) in the Responsibility and Services Plan.

The person may participate in WE for as long as needed to reach their employment goal(s). Participation must be reassessed at least every 6 months, during the TANF REDE. Determine whether the client is gaining work skills and if there is a chance for employment. If continuing the work assignment will benefit the client, reassign them to the same or another work assignment. The client may also be approved for another activity.

NOTE: You may place a client who is sanctioned in Work Experience only if they have cooperated with the sanction reason. If they have not cooperated, do not place them in Work Experience.

What the activity requires:

The person must perform their work assignment for the required number of hours per week.

Work Experience is subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). See PM 03-13-01-b.  

The client must report on time, as scheduled, to the Work Experience employer when they are told of their assignment. When they cannot report to the assignment or they will be late, they must notify the employer right away.