WAG 21-06-07-f: Transitional Jobs/Earnfare

PM 21-06-07-f

Transitional Jobs/Earnfare

1. FCRC or SNAP E&T Provider:
   • Reviews and discusses the Transitional Jobs/Earnfare component with each customer.
2. FCRC:
   • Completes Page 1 and signs on Page 4 of the Employment and Training Assessment (Form IL 444-5179) to refer a customer to the Office of Workforce Development. Emails Form 444-5179 to the respective email address below.
   • 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. 
     • Region 1 send to: DHS.FCS.SNAPRegion1@illinois.gov 
     • Region 2 send to: DHS.FCS.SNAPRegion2@illinois.gov
     • Region 3 send to: DHS.FCS.SNAPRegion3@illinois.gov
     • Region 4 send to: DHS.FCS.SNAPRegion4@illinois.gov
     • Region 5 send to: DHS.FCS.SNAPRegion5@illinois.gov
3. Office of Workforce Development:
   1. Enters the information received on Form IL444-5179 into ISETS within 2 workdays.
   2. Once the information has been entered into ISETS, determines if there is an appropriate SNAP E&T Provider for a customer referral. If there is a SNAP E&T Provider with slots available, processes the referral in ISETS.
   3. If a Provider slot is not available, places the customer on a waiting list. Notifies the customer of their placement on the waiting list.
   4. If there are SNAP E&T services available but not a SNAP E&T Provider, then the Office of Workforce Development will serve as the Provider offering Case Management and supportive services. If SNAP E&T Services or a Provider are not available, the Office of Workforce Development will notify the customer and the FCRC.
4. SNAP E&T Provider:
   • Uses ISETS to make and accept referrals, manage SNAP E&T participation and enter case notes, progress report information and issue supportive services.
5. Office of Workforce Development or SNAP E&T Provider:
   • Completes customer's attendance and progress in ISETS.  If ISETS is down, manually uses Regular Earnfare Attendance Record (IL444-2606D).
6. Office of Workforce Development or FCRC or SNAP E&T Provider:
   • Verifies the need for all supportive service expenses and their costs. This information must be furnished by the customer. To authorize supportive payment for expenses, see WAG 21-06-11.
     • Note: The FCRC should only issue supportive services if they cannot be issued by the servicing SNAP E&T Provider (a bus pass to attend the initial meeting with the SNAP E&T Provider).

Eligibility and Benefit Level

Office of Workforce Development:

1. Determines the participant's hours of work obligation by dividing the SNAP benefit amount by the number of people eating together to get the person's SNAP work obligation amount. Divides the result by the current State minimum wage (round down). Effective 01/01/2023, the State minimum wage is $13.00. A customer living in a multi-person SNAP household  is deemed to be receiving a per capita share of the SNAP household's benefits for purposes of calculating the hours of work obligation.
2. Reports to the Provider the number of hours required to meet the work obligation.  For each hour worked after the work obligation, the customer may earn the State minimum wage per hour. A customer may work a maximum of 35 additional hours per month.

Note: The SNAP benefit amount a household is determined to be eligible to receive is used to calculate the work obligation amount, regardless of benefits being reduced due to a recoupment. The household's hours of obligation for any given month may not be carried over into another month.

Notification

SNAP E&T Provider:

The customer's enrollment in Earnfare is limited to 6 months out of a 12-month period. The 12-months is a fixed period which begins in July and ends in June of the following year.

Thirty days before the customer's 6-month completion date, issue SNAP Employment and Training Notice of Termination from Transitional Jobs/Earnfare Participation (Form IL444-2858E).