Revision 05-5; Effective October 1, 2005

TANF and TANF-SP

A caretaker and second parent (not disqualified) residing in a full service Choices county must attend a workforce orientation if he is applying for

• TANF/TANF-SP, or
• extended TANF.

Inform the applicant that he must attend the orientation before you can certify the household.

List the requirement to provide proof of workforce orientation attendance on Form H1020, Request for Information or Action.

See A-2214, Failure or Refusal to Comply with the Workforce Orientation Requirement. When denying a TANF/TANF-SP application for failure to attend workforce orientation, continue to process the application for Medical Programs for Families and Children and for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), if applicable.

Some applicants may not be able to attend a regularly scheduled workforce orientation due to extraordinary circumstances. These applicants must complete an alternative workforce orientation via telephone or home visit by local workforce staff depending on available resources. Exception: Allow good cause for a caretaker/second parent who is unable to complete a regular or alternate workforce orientation because of being hospitalized or bedridden with a severe illness.

A—2211 Alternative Workforce Orientation

Revision 12-3; Effective July 1, 2012

TANF and TANF-SP

At the interview, inform applicants who cannot attend a regularly scheduled workforce orientation due to extraordinary circumstances that he must complete an alternative orientation. Inform the client that he must contact the workforce solutions office to request an alternative orientation. Extraordinary circumstances may include:

• no available transportation or a disruption in transportation arrangements;
• residing more than 30 miles from the nearest Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) orientation site;
• caring for a child under four months of age;
• a conflicting work or school schedule;
• illness or injury of the applicant or spouse;
• illness or injury of another household member that requires the applicant's care; or
• being a victim of family violence and attending the orientation session would place the applicant/family in danger.

Generally, the alternative workforce orientation will consist of either a telephone call or a visit by local workforce staff. The type of alternative orientation will depend on resources available to the LWDB.

A—2212 Workforce Orientation Referral

Revision 03-5; Effective July 1, 2003

A—2212.1 Form H2588, Workforce Orientation Referral

Revision 12-3; Effective July 1, 2012

TANF and TANF-SP

Use Form H2588, Workforce Orientation Referral, to refer an applicant in a full service Choices county to a regular or alternative workforce orientation. Provide the applicant with a completed Form H2588 for each caretaker and second parent.

Note: If you determine the applicant requires an alternative workforce orientation, complete Form H2588, Part B – Workforce Orientation (Alternative).

Inform individuals of the requirements to

• attend a workforce orientation, regular or alternative, and
• have Form H2588 signed and stamped by Choices staff.

Choices staff are required to return the verification to the local eligibility determination office by fax, phone, courier, interagency mail, or regular mail.

If the Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) determines they are not able to accommodate the applicant with an alternative orientation, the LWDB returns Form H2588 indicating they were not able to provide the orientation and that the applicant is considered to have met the requirement.

Note: The applicant may choose to return the stamped Form H2588 to HHSC instead of waiting for Choices staff to provide the verification to HHSC.

A—2212.2 Workforce Orientation Flyers

Revision 13-4; Effective October 1, 2013

TANF and TANF-SP

Choices staff provide offices with workforce orientation flyers. The flyers for the regular orientation informs applicants of the days, times, and locations of regular workforce orientation sessions. The LWDBs have flexibility in the development of the alternative workforce orientation flyer. If the flyer does not contain information regarding an alternative orientation, provide the applicant with the regular orientation flyer so they have the workforce solutions office's telephone number. Advisors must inform the individual that it is the individual who must contact the workforce solutions office to request an alternative workforce orientation. Provide a workforce orientation flyer, regular or alternative, with each Form H2588, Workforce Orientation Referral.

Advisors are not required to provide a TANF Workforce Orientation flyer with Form H2588 to TANF applicants who are interviewed by phone from a remote location, although this remains an acceptable option. At a minimum, advisors must provide the household with the workforce solutions office information based on the individual's residential address.

Staff can find the most accessible workforce solutions office for the household at www.twc.state.tx.us and clicking on "Find Locations."

Staff must list the requirement to provide proof of workforce orientation attendance on Form H1020, Request for Information or Action, Request for Information or Action, along with the contact information, address and phone number for the workforce solutions office. The applicant is responsible for making contact with the workforce solutions office and completing the workforce orientation.

The number of available orientations depends on the number of applicants local eligibility determination offices refer to Choices staff. Texas Works and Choices staff coordinates to determine the average number of referrals. Regular workforce orientations occur at least twice a week. Rural areas of full service Choices counties may hold orientations on an individual basis.

Note: If a workforce orientation, regular or alternative, is unavailable to an applicant in a full service Choices county within the 10-day pending period, do not require the applicant to attend the workforce orientation prior to certification.

A—2213 Workforce Orientation Session

Revision 03-5; Effective July 1, 2003

TANF and TANF-SP

The workforce orientation, regular and alternative, introduces applicants to the local labor market and the resources available to assist the applicant with finding a job. Workforce orientation emphasizes the impact of time-limited benefits, importance of work, and personal responsibility.

Workforce orientation staff informs applicants of related support services, such as childcare and limited transportation benefits.

A—2213.1 Related Support Services

Revision 03-5; Effective July 1, 2003

TANF and TANF-SP

Choices staff in a full service Choices county offer applicants the opportunity to take advantage of immediate job search or education/training resources. If the applicant attends the regular or alternative orientation and obtains a job before TANF certification, Choices staff offers an applicant childcare for up to 12 months and limited transportation benefits.

Once certified, the individual may receive childcare and limited transportation benefits if he gets a job within the first three months after TANF certification and if the household is not eligible for transitional benefits. If the individual gets a job after receiving TANF benefits for more than three months, the household is potentially eligible for transitional benefits.

A—2213.2 Employment Planning Session (EPS)

Revision 03-5; Effective July 1, 2003

TANF and TANF-SP

At the end of the workforce orientation, regular or alternative, Choices staff in full service Choices counties give or mail an EPS appointment to all applicants.

Some applicants are not required to attend the EPS. Choices staff let the applicant know if he must attend the EPS. Mark the "Potential Choices Status" box on Form H2588, Workforce Orientation Referral, to help local Choices staff determine who is potentially exempt or non-exempt from the Choices program and the EPS.

Local Choices staff advise applicants who are potentially

• non-exempt from Choices about sanctions for not attending the EPS.
• exempt from Choices that they do not have to attend the EPS but may volunteer to attend.

In most instances, Choices staff hold the EPS after the advisor certifies the TANF case; however, Choices staff may hold the EPS before TANF certification.

If the individual ...	then Choices staff ...
attends the EPS after certification,	set the appointment date as the date the individual attends the EPS.
fails to keep the EPS appointment after certification,	send a sanction request for a non-exempt TANF recipient. This counts as a Choices noncompliance.
attends the EPS before certification,	set the appointment date as the certification date.
fails to keep the EPS appointment before certification,	do not initiate a sanction. Instead, send another EPS appointment notice after case certification.

A recipient exempt from participating in Choices is not required to attend the EPS. By attending, the individual is voluntarily participating in the Choices program and is subject to time limits.

Related Policy

State Time Limits, A-2500

A—2214 Failure or Refusal to Comply with the Workforce Orientation Requirement

Revision 13-1; Effective January 1, 2013

TANF and TANF-SP

Deny an application or EDG if a required adult member in a full service Choices county fails to attend the regular workforce orientation or complete an alternative orientation.

A—2215 Addition of a New Household Member or Disqualified Member

Revision 13-1; Effective January 1, 2013

TANF and TANF-SP

When adding a new member or a household member previously disqualified for another reason, require that member to attend a workforce orientation.

Revision 08-3; Effective July 1, 2008

TANF and TANF-SP

Verify workforce orientation attendance with:

• information provided by Choices staff; or
• a procedure established through a local region and Workforce Development Board Memorandum of Understanding.

Related Policy

Questionable Information, C-920
Providing Verification, C-930

Revision 12-3; Effective July 1, 2012

TANF and TANF-SP

Document the good cause reason when a caretaker/second parent is unable to complete a regular or alternate workforce orientation. See A-2210, Requirements.

Document verification obtained by phone or through an agreed procedure between the local region and Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) staff.

Example: The LWDB provides rural offices with a workforce orientation video. Document the workforce orientation requirement was met with the viewing of the workforce orientation video.

Related Policy

Documentation, C-940
The Texas Works Documentation Guide