WorkFirst HandBook

Employment Services

4.5 Career Services Program

The Career Services Program section includes:

4.5.1 What is the Career Services Program?

The Career Services Program is for employed adults who are working at least 30 hours or more per week and

The program provides:

The Employment Security Department (ESD) administers the Career Services program. ESD will send out program enrollment information (system generated) to all parents who exit WorkFirst or receive DCA and are determined potentially program eligible at the time of exit or receipt of DCA. See Program enrollment letter . (Note: This letter is not being sent to Basic Food Assistance families)

4.5.2 What role does the WorkFirst Partnership play in the Career Services Program?

The WorkFirst Partnership informs each parent, from the time of application for WorkFirst assistance to exiting WorkFirst, of the services available through the Career Services Program. DSHS staff will inform all parents who appear eligible for Career Services Program about the Career Services Program and where to apply.

4.5.3 Who is eligible for the Career Services Program?

To qualify, the parent must enroll with the Employment Security Department:

The parent must also:

Each parent in a family may qualify for their own cash payments, cash bonuses and services as long as they meet the conditions above.

Note: If a parent applies for CS in the first or second month post TANF or DCA and has an active basic food assistance case, the parent can only register under the TANF or DCA part of the program.
4.5.4 What employment services are available through the Career Services Program?

The Career Services Program provides wage progression and job retention services, as well local resource information. Specific types of services and information may vary by WorkSource office but should include:

4.5.5 How do parents enroll in the Career Services Program?

Parents who want to enroll in the Career Services Program must report in person to their local ESD WorkSource office with personal identification and employment documentation and complete the Career Services Enrollment Application. Employment documentation must be:

WorkSource staff will use the parent's employment documentation and the eligibility list in the SKIES system to verify program eligibility. If eligibility cannot be verified in SKIES, staff should confirm with the parent:

If the parent is in an eligible month for program enrollment and not on the eligibility list, staff should call the ESD WorkFirst Administrative Unit to verify program eligibility.

WorkSource staff will use the Self Employment Worksheet and the formula in Chapter 8.2.3 – “What is the Self Employment Formula” to determine if a parent meets the 30 hours per week work requirement for enrollment in the program.

4.5.6 How is employment documentation processed?

WorkSource staff will process employment documentation as follows for all parents being enrolled in the Career Services Program:

  1. All parents enrolling into the program must complete a Career Services Enrollment Application. Parents must provide employment documentation verifying they are working the required 30 hours or more per week. Employment documentation must meet the requirements contained in paragraph 4.4.5 above.
  2. WorkSource staff will:
  3. The Enrollment Application and employment documentation will be retained locally by month of enrollment for each program quarter. Documentation will be retained on site for one quarter past the quarter in which it was obtained. Documentation will then be sent to archives for at least 30 months.
4.5.7 What cash payments and bonuses are available to Career Services enrollees?

Parents working 30 hours or more per week may receive up to $650 in basic needs payments and bonuses over the six-month period starting with the first month following the month in which they exited WorkFirst /SFA or received their initial DCA payment. For basic food assistance, parents can enroll anytime starting the month after meeting CSP eligibility but the parent can only enroll once during a fiscal year (July through June). Parents receiving basic food assistance are not eligible for Career Services (CS) if they have already received CS due to WorkFirst termination or DCA within the same program year.

Program Enrollment Period Frequency Payment Period Payment & Bonus Amount Payment Description
TANF/SFA or DCA
  • First two months after TANF/SFA ends, or
  • Two months after first DCA payment
 People can enroll the first two months after they:
  • Exit TANF/SFA or
  • Receive first DCA payment
 Month 1 or 2 $150.00 One-time enrollment bonus when you sign up for the program
Month 1-6 after TANF/SFA ends $50.00 Monthly payments begin once you enroll. If you enroll during Month 2, then you are not eligible for the Month 1 payment.
Month 4 and 6 $100 month 4
$100 month 6		 Bonus for completing the career services assessment and employment planning interview.
Basic Food Any time starting the month after becoming eligible for career services One time in a fiscal year (July through June) 1st Month $150.00 One-time enrollment bonus when you sign up for the program.
Month 1-6 $50.00 Monthly payments begin once you enroll.
Month 4 and 6 $100.00 month 4
$100.00 month 6		 Bonus for completing the career services assessment and employment planning interview.
4.5.8 How long can a parent receive Career Services benefits?

Career Services cash benefits are available during the six months following the parent's:

The parent no longer qualifies for Career Services payments if we learn the parent:

4.5.9 What other services are parents eligible for?

Parents who are enrolled in Career Services may also qualify for WorkFirst post-employment services that could include:

4.5.10 What happens if a parent is no longer working 30 hours per week?

If the Employment Security Department learns the parent is no longer working 30 hours per week, they will provide the parent a letter giving 10 days notice of program termination. Program staff will close the Career Services case at the end of the month in which the 10 day notice ends. The letter will tell the parent how to request an administrative hearing if they disagree with this decision. Career Services Termination letter.

If the parent wants an administrative hearing, they can mail their request to the Office of Administrative Hearings or staff can forward it for them. The Office of Administrative Hearings staff will arrange for ESD staff to attend the hearing if necessary and determine if benefits should be continued.

Employment Security staff will be available to help the parent find employment or increase their hours of employment. If a parent finds a new job or increases their hours to 30 hours or more per week before the end of the termination month, they will remain eligible.

4.5.11 What happens if a parent is approved for WorkFirst/SFA cash assistance while receiving Career Services?

Automation will alert ESD staff when a Career Services enrollee starts receiving WorkFirst /SFA cash assistance. The Employment Security Department will automatically send a letter to the parent and close the Career Services case at the end of the month in which WorkFirst cash assistance starts. The letter tells the parent how to file an administrative hearing if they disagree with this decision. Career Services 10 Day Notification of Termination Letter.

4.5.12 What is the Administrative Hearing Process?

Parents have the right to request an Administrative Hearing when:

  1. They are terminated from the program and do not believe they should have been.
  2. An overpayment occurs and they do not agree that they were overpaid.
  3. A parent's enrollment in the program is ended early for any reason other than loss of contact (check returned to ESD Administrative unit), the parent will be notified of their right to an Administrative Hearing. The notification will provide the parent the information they need to request an Administrative Hearing, including the 10 calendar day deadline.
  4. Parents who inform an ESD Career Services Staff in person that they are no longer working the required number of hours each week will be given a completed 10-day notice of program termination. Parents may complete the bottom portion of the notice and they can mail the Fair Hearing Request to the address provided on the form or request staff forward their request to the Administrative Hearings Office. Staff will enter in the “Career Services” note type in SKIES that a 10 day notice of termination was given.

Parents may call the ESD WorkFirst Administrative unit at 1-800-339-3981 if they have questions regarding their termination from the program.

Requests for Administrative Hearings will go directly to the Office of Administrative Hearings. The DSHS Administrative Hearings Coordinator will contact the ESD Administrative Unit for any needed information or if an expert witness is required.

4.5.13 How are overpayments processed?

Parents deemed overpaid because they received continued benefits will receive a “Client Overpayment Notice.” The ESD Administrative Unit will process the notice of overpayment.

  1. Notice of overpayments will provide the parent the right to an Administrative Hearing.
  2. Repayments of overpayments should be sent to: the Office of Financial Recovery, P O Box 45862, Olympia , WA 98504-5862
  3. The Office of Financial Recovery will collect overpayments if not repaid.
4.5.14. Career Services Program – Step by Step
  1. Staff will:
    1. Market the program to all WorkFirst parents while they are enrolled in WorkFirst activities.
    2. Market the program to all parents who received a DCA payment and potentially meet program requirements.
    3. Market to all basic food assistance families who potentially meet the program requirements.
    4. Remind parents about enrolling in the program within two months of TANF exit or receiving their initial DCA payment.
    5. Remind parents to take employment documentation to ESD when they enroll in the program.
  2. DSHS will:
    1. Inform parents how to access Career Services throughout their enrollment in WorkFirst and at the time of TANF exit or when they are issued their initial DCA payment, of how to access services available through the Career Service program.
    2. Inform potentially eligible parents on basic food assistance, how to access services available through the Career Service program at application, mid-certification and re-certification.
    3. Ensure parents' employment information is recorded at time of exit if known.
    4. Enter the employment verification documentation in DMS.
  3. ESD staff will:
    1. Verify parent's identity.
    2. Have each parent complete an Enrollment Application.
    3. Use SKIES system and employment documentation to determine eligibility for parents reporting for enrollment in the Career Services Program.
    4. Ensure the employment documentation includes a start and end date for the pay period to verify the parent is working the 30 hours per week.
    5. Utilize the Employment Verification Form (Hyper Link) if payroll documentation does not provide the necessary information to verify that the parent is working the required 30 hours a week.
    6. If needed, use the Self Employment Work Sheet (Hyper Link) to determine hours per week worked.
    7. Give the parent a pending letter stating what is needed if the employment documentation is not sufficient to prove the 30 hours per week,
    8. Approve when the parent provides the needed proof
    9. Deny and send a denial letter if the parent does not return the requested proof.
    10. Call the WorkFirst Administrative Unit if clarification on eligibility is needed.
    11. Make a copy of employment documentation of parents enrolled in the program. Give originals back to the parent. Ensure that the mailing address is correct before enrolling parent in SKIES under the Career Services Program.
    12. Enroll program eligible parents in SKIES under the Career Services Program ensuring the mailing address is correct and the Enrollment Application is completed and signed by supervisor, administrator or designee (supervisor level).
    13. Inform enrolled parents about automatic monthly basic needs payments, 4 & 6 month bonus payments, and the importance of notifying ESD about any address change.
    14. Provide employment counseling, and support services as appropriate. Using the Career Services – Career Planning Guide for initial enrollment discuss job retention, career planning, and community resources. Provide the parent a copy of the Career Planning Guide. Document in the “Career Services” note type that the parent received the Career Planning Guide and make sure the 4 th and 6 th Bonus Months are identified on the Planner.
    15. Encourage parents to take advantage of WorkSource services and to come in to the WorkSource office as their schedule will allow.
    16. Provide employment counseling at the 4 th and 6 th month interviews using the appropriate 4th Month Interview Sheet. Verify mailing address in SKIES. Make a note in SKIES that the Interview Form was given to the parent, and then provide Core Service in SKIES to initiate the $100 Bonus payment.
    17. Inform parents when program eligibility ends for Career Services cash payments. Stress that employment services through the WorkSource office are continually available even after exiting the Career Services Program.
    18. Provide parents a 10 day notice of program termination if they report that they are no longer living in the state or they are no longer working at least 30 hours per a week.
    19. If they do not agree with the termination, instruct the parent on where to mail the notice of program termination or forward the 10 day notice of program termination to the Office of Administrative Hearings if requested by the parent.
    20. Document in the “Career Services” note type in SKIES that the 10 day notice of program termination was given.
    21. Provide services to help parents regain full time employment so program enrollment continues.
    22. Call the ESD WorkFirst Administrative Unit if automation problems occur or when a parent reports that they did not receive a payment. Warrants must have had 10 delivery days to reach the parent before calling the WorkFirst Administrative Unit for assistance.
    23. Anytime staff is notified of an address change, they will make address changes as necessary in SKIES and document in the Career Services notes in SKIES.
    24. Ensure the Enrollment Application and all documentation used to verify required employment is retained for 30 months as outlined in paragraph 4.5.6.
  4. The ESD WorkFirst Administrative Unit will:
    1. Assist with eligibility questions.
    2. Assist with payment resolution.
    3. Process returned warrants.
    4. Reinstate parents in the program.
    5. Initiate Overpayment documentation.
    6. Provide information needed for Administrative Hearings.
    7. Answer Career Services program questions.

Resources

For more information about the WorkFirst HandBook, contact Kim Shidell, WorkFirst Program Manager.