Section 112.70  Employment and Work Activity Requirements

Sections 112.70 through 112.83 describe the employment and work activity requirements for TANF clients and clients receiving family assistance from State funds only.  The purpose of TANF is to provide temporary assistance to needy individuals and families and assist them in attaining skills and training needed to become employed and help avoid long-term welfare dependence.  The TANF Program will focus on enhancing the long-term employability of TANF clients by assessing the individual capabilities of each participant, using the Family Assessment to create a Responsibility and Services Plan to match the participant to a suitable activity and employment goal.  The program will offer a wide variety of intensive activities aimed at assisting the participant to acquire the training and/or work skills needed to meet the demands of the current labor market as well as in the future and to become self-sufficient.  Work activities are appropriate activities to remove barriers to successful employment and to prepare TANF participants to achieve progress toward self-sufficiency.  The level of TANF employment or work activities in the State as a whole and in different counties of the State may vary depending upon available resources.  Program services may be provided directly by the Department or through contract.  References to the Department or staff of the Department shall include contractors when the Department has entered into contracts for program services. In addition to work activities described in Section 112.78, activities for TANF participants may also include:

a)         a program in accordance with a plan developed with a provider of domestic or sexual violence services;

b)         a program to treat alcohol or drug abuse in accordance with the Responsibility and Services Plan;

c)         a program to treat mental health disorders in accordance with the Responsibility and Services Plan;

d)         participation in AmeriCorps VISTA, Job Corps, some paid Workforce Investment Act programs, or work study for cash or financial credit for education expenses; and

e)         foster parenting consistent with the Responsibility and Services Plan.

(Source:  Amended at 34 Ill. Reg. 10085, effective July 1, 2010)