WAG 21-06-02: Volunteers

PM 21-06-02

Volunteers

A customer's participation in the SNAP E&T Program is voluntary. The Office of Workforce Development manages most SNAP E&T Program functions in conjunction with the SNAP E&T Providers. Specific E&T components are tracked through the Illinois SNAP Employment and Training System (ISETS).

revised manual textOral Explanation of Program

  • SNAP households must be made aware of the SNAP E&T program and be given an opportunity to take advantage of its services. SNAP customers who are work exempt may volunteer for the program.
  • FCRC staff must give an oral explanation of the program. The oral explanation should be given at:
  • initial application; 
  • REDE; and
  • whenever contact is made with a SNAP household whose members may need assistance in obtaining educational or work and training skills to become employable
  • An oral explanation of the SNAP E&T program should be provided even if there is not an in-person interview or contact in the office.
  • Review the information reported on the initial and REDE application.
    • During the interview discuss the work status of each member of the SNAP household with the applicant and determine if each member of the SNAP household meets a work exemption. Currently the entire State continues to be waived from implementing the SNAP Work Requirement Time-Limited Benefits policy through 10/31/2024. However, each individual should be evaluated for a Work Provision and Work Requirement exemption and the appropriate exemption indicated in IES. Because all Illinois counties are currently exempt, the EDG Summary Screen will only display Waived County for anyone who would be required to meet the Work Requirement if the policy was in effect.
    • SNAP customers who do not meet a work exemption are considered work registrants. Complete the SNAP Work Rules (Form IL 444-5175) and give to the SNAP household for members who do not meet a work exemption. Multiple members can be included on one Form IL444-5175 based on their applicable requirement. Explain what each nonexempt member is required to do by reviewing and discussing Form IL 444-5175. Issuing a completed Form IL444-5175 and providing an oral explanation of the form serves as registering the nonexempt member for work. See PM 03-15-01 and PM 03-15-02. Do not refer a SNAP customer to the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) to register for work.
    • Once the work status of each member has been determined, the FCRC is able to identify potential volunteers for the SNAP E&T Program and those members who may not be suitable for the program.
    • For customers who are unemployed but work ready, explain the SNAP E&T services that are available to help with work related expenses. Work ready means that the customer already has marketable job skills and may only need supportive services and help in seeking out potential employers.
    • For other customers who lack an education and/or work history, discuss employment interests and the SNAP E&T components that are available to help meet the specific needs of the individual.
    • Explain to the Work Requirement Time-Limited Benefits policy and the members who would be subject to meeting the requirement if the policy was in effect. Inform them of the work and training opportunities SNAP E&T offers that can help them become exempt or at least be meeting the work rule if the policy goes into effect.

 Note: Regardless of a customer's work status, participation in SNAP E&T is not a mandatory requirement.

revised manual textCustomer Assessment

  • The worker initiates an assessment of the volunteer's ability to effectively participate in SNAP E&T by completing Form IL444-5179 - SNAP Employment and Training Referral Assessment (Referrals from FCRC to the Office of Workforce Development) with the volunteer's input. 
  • If Form IL444-5179 is not completed in its entirety, at a minimum, all sections of Page 1 should be completed and both the volunteer and worker sign on Page 4.  Explain to the volunteer the importance of completing Page 1 as this information will be used to determine the appropriate SNAP E&T Provider and other services that best fits their needs. The signature is important because it gives consent to send the referral.
  • Explain to the volunteer that once the referral is received, the Office of Workforce Development will follow-up with their participation in the SNAP E&T Program within 30 calendar days.  Document in Case Comments which member in the SNAP household volunteered and the completion of the referral
  • The worker sends Form IL 444-5179 to the Office of Workforce Development through the applicable Region's email address below. Indicate in the email if the volunteer has a specific Provider they would like to work with.
  • Enter in the subject line of the email: SNAP E&T Referral and the case number. Do not put a customer's name in the email.

new manual textPhone Contact

  • If the SNAP interview is conducted via phone and the volunteer is available to complete the assessment, complete Form IL 444-5179 and obtain verbal permission from the volunteer to submit the referral. On Page 4, in the customer's signature line, write "customer verbal consent via phone". The worker also signs on Page 4; or
  • If the volunteer is not available when the in-person or phone interview is held, give Form IL444-5179 with Form IL44-0267 Verification Checklist to the SNAP household or mail, whichever is applicable. Request Form IL444-5179 be returned within 10 calendar days.
    • If not returned, document in Case Comments that Form IL444-5179 was given to the SNAP household or mailed and was not returned. Do not take a negative action against the SNAP household's benefits if the form is not returned for this voluntary program; or
    • If Form IL444-5179 is returned incomplete and/or without a signature, make two attempts to contact the SNAP household via phone to obtain verbal permission from the volunteer to finish completion of the form and to submit the referral. At a minimum, attempt to complete all sections of Page 1. If contact is made, write "customer verbal consent via phone" on Page 4 on the customer's signature line. The worker also signs on Page 4; or
    • If the SNAP household cannot be reached after two phone call attempts and a message cannot be left, or there is no response to the message, file the referral in the Electronic Case Record (ECR). Document in Case Comments that the form was incomplete and/or not signed. No further action is needed by the FCRC.
revised manual textIES Nonfinancial Question Screen   Worker Action

TANF & SNAP Work Rules - TANF Work & Training, SNAP Work Provisions and SNAP Work Requirements.

Is anyone in the household subject to a work rule (TANF Work and Training or SNAP Work Provisions or Work Requirement?

Answer YES, if at least one member in the SNAP household is not exempt from the Work Provisions and the Work Requirement.

Answer NO, if all members in the SNAP household are exempt from the Work Provisions and Work Requirement.

Note: The entire state continues to be waived from the SNAP Work Requirement time-limited benefits policy through October 31, 2024. Since the policy is not in effect, a customer is not subject to meeting the requirement and is not limited to 3-months of SNAP benefits. However, workers must still screen customers for an exemption and apply that exemption in IES. This information is needed for the Office of Workforce Development reports that are sent to Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Because the entire State is waived, the Work Requirement exemption given to the customer will not display on the IES EDG Summary Screen. The EDGE Summary Screen will display Waived County.
Would you like to review the SNAP Work Requirement Screen? Answer YES
Would you like to review the ABAWD Time Limited Clock Screen (SNAP)? Answer NO, for all SNAP customers. All counties in the entire State are waived from implementing the Work Requirement time limited benefits policy through October 31, 2024
Would you like to review the SNAP Employment and Training Screen?

Answer YES, regardless of whether the customer volunteers or not, explain the program and discuss with the customer any barriers that would prevent them from being a suitable participant in the program, even with the help of supportive services.

SNAP E&T Screen Displays:

  1. Name: Select the SNAP individual's name.
  2. Individual #: (read-only)
  3. When SNAP Employment & Training was discussed with the individual, was the individual determined to be suitable for SNAP Employment and Training?
    1. Select YES, if the individual is suitable for participation even if they are not currently volunteering. This helps the Office of Workforce Development identify suitable individuals for the program in IES who may later decide to participate.
    2. Select NO, if the individual is not suitable even if not volunteering.
  4. Individual participating in a SNAP Employment and Training Program? 
    1. Select YES, if the individual volunteers.
    2. Select NO, if the individual does not volunteer at the time of the interview..
  5. E&T Activity Review Month: Worker enters the date SNAP E&T was reviewed with the customer.
  6. Click the Add Button to record the information entered above. Failure to click Add will not record the information.

Entry of Component

  • FCRC workers do not enter the SNAP E&T activity component information in IES. The fields are disabled, and a message displays "Specific E&T activities are tracked through the Illinois SNAP Employment and Training System (ISETS)" in the Individual Information section of the screen.
  • The Office of Workforce Development will complete the final evaluation of the customer's education, work history and determine the appropriate component(s) in the SNAP E&T Program

Information Received from Office of Workforce Development

  • Review any information received from the Office of Workforce Development about a customer's participation in the program to determine if any case action is required. Information will be provided in either the form of an IES task or email to designated FCRC staff from the Office of Workforce Development and will mainly occur when the SNAP Work Requirement Time-Limited Benefits policy is in effect and the customer is engaged in a SNAP E&T component to meet the Work Requirement. 
  • The customer is responsible for reporting changes to the FCRC based on their reporting requirement (Change Reporting or Mid-Point Reporting). Explain the applicable reporting requirements to the SNAP household. Employment information received from a source other than from the customer is considered unclear information even if the information is received from a SNAP E&T Provider.
  • Inform Change Reporting SNAP households to report getting a job within 10 calendar days of the date it becomes known to them. Mid-Point Reporting SNAP households are not required to report a job but are required to report when the income exceeds the monthly gross income standard for the household size. When SNAP Work Requirement Time-Limited Benefits is in effect, customers living in counties that must meet the requirement are centrally converted to Change Reporting status.

Office of Workforce Development or SNAP E&T Provider:

  • Within 2 workdays after receipt of the referral, the Office of Workforce Development staff:
    • Will enter the customer's information from the referral into ISETS; and
    • Contact the customer within 30 days; and
    • Make a referral to a SNAP E&T Provider who will do a full assessment and complete the Employability Plan. 
    • Log all customer referrals, component participation, supportive services, case notes, and outcomes of the SNAP E&T program into the Illinois SNAP Employment and Training System (ISETS) tracking system; and
    • Report information to the FCRC if a case action is needed.
  • If a SNAP E&T Provider is not available, the Office of Workforce Development will manage the customer's case for employment and training.
  • All staffing will be handled by the Office of Workforce Development and the SNAP E&T Provider.

Note: FCRC staff do not have access to ISETS to enter information.

  1. revised manual textExample 1: Mr. T, age 34, receives SNAP benefits. He is currently unemployed and does not meet a work exemption. The SNAP Work Requirement Time-Limited Benefits policy is not in effect in any county. The FCRC completes Page 1 of the SNAP Work Rules (Form IL 444-5175) checking the box for Work Provisions and gives to Mr. T along with an oral explanation of Page 2 - Work Provisions rules, Page 3 - Work Requirement rules (to explain the rules if the policy should go into effect), Page 4 - Voluntary SNAP E&T Program and Page 5 - Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Nondiscrimination Statement and Appeal Rights and Page 6 - United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nondiscrimination Statement. During the discussion, Mr. T states he has a commercial driver's license (CDL) and last worked as an over the road truck driver. He would like some help finding another job. The FCRC completes Form IL 444-5179 with the customer's input. Mr. T did not have answers for some of the questions on the form but he was able to complete all the information needed on Page 1. Both the worker and Mr. T signed on Page 4.  The worker emails the Form IL444-5179 to the Office of Workforce Development through the respective region's email address. The Office of Workforce Development will refer Mr. T to a SNAP E&T Provider that will finalize the assessment and complete the Employability Plan. The SNAP E&T Provider and Mr. T will work together to determine the E&T components that best fit his needs.
  2. revised manual textExample 2: Ms. B and her 4-year old daughter receive SNAP benefits. Ms. B is exempt from the Work Provisions because she is responsible for the care of a child under the age of 6. A person who is exempt from Work Provisions is also exempt from the Work Requirement. Although Ms. B is exempt, she has asked about the SNAP E&T Program and would like to volunteer for some job training experience. It is not necessary to give the SNAP Work Rules (Form IL 444-5175) to her because she is exempt. The FCRC completes all sections on Page 1 and a few of the other questions in other sections of Form IL 444-5179 with the customer's input. Ms. B and the worker sign on Page 4. The worker emails Form IL444-5179 to the Office of Workforce Development through the respective region's email address. The Office of Workforce Development will refer Ms. B to a SNAP E&T Provider that will finalize the assessment and complete the Employability Plan. The SNAP E&T Provider and Ms. B will work together to determine the E&T components that best fit her needs for the type of job training she would like.
  3. revised manual textExample 3: Ms. J, age 24, and her 3- year old child are receiving SNAP benefits. Ms. J has some experience at being a hair stylist in her home with friends and family. She would like to attend cosmetology school to become licensed and open her own business. Ms. J is not required to meet a work rule because she is responsible for the care of a child under the age of 6. It is not necessary to give the SNAP Work Rules (Form IL 444-5175) to her. However, Ms. J call the office to  inquire  about the SNAP E&T Program and how she can volunteer. The FCRC completes Page 1 of Form IL444-5179 with Ms. J over the phone and enters "verbal consent"  on the customer's signature line on Page 4. The worker also signs on Page 4. The worker emails the completed Form IL444-5179 to the Office of Workforce Development through the respective region's email address. The Office of Workforce Development will refer Ms. J to a SNAP E&T Provider that will do a full assessment and complete the Employability Plan. The SNAP E&T Provider and Ms. J will work together to determine the E&T components that best fit her needs for the type of job training she would like.

When SNAP Work Requirement Time-Limited Benefits is in Effect

  • FCRCs are responsible for managing a customer's eligibility for benefits when the SNAP Work Requirement Time-Limited Benefits is in effect.
  • Refer customers who want to volunteer for SNAP E&T to meet the work requirement. The Office of Workforce Development will report information about participation and if the customer is no longer in the program. The FCRC will determine the appropriate action to take on the customer's eligibility for time-limited benefits.

Community Service

  • A customer may also choose to perform Community Service to meet the Work Requirement. Community Service is not a SNAP E&T component. A referral is not sent to the Office of Workforce Development. FCRCs in nonwaived areas will manage and monitor any customer that self-initiates Community Service with a preapproved Community Service Provider. Community Service Providers offer volunteer positions to individuals receiving SNAP to help them with meeting the Work Requirement when the policy is in effect.
  • revised manual textUse SNAP Activity Report (Form IL444-2610) to verify the work hours at the start of when a customer volunteers with the Community Service Provider. A customer is required to work an average of 20 hours per week (80 hours per month) to meet the Work Requirement. Work hours are not verified monthly. It is the customer's responsibility to report any changes in their work status. Customers participating in Community Service are not eligible for SNAP E&T supportive services.