Work First 001 - Work First Preface & PHILOSOPHY

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WORK FIRST

The federal regulations resulting from the DRA placed increased emphasis on the work participation rates and established new penalties for failure to comply with the State’s approved Work Verification Plan. In an effort to improve participation rates, all work-eligible Work First participants must complete all aspects of their Mutual Responsibility Agreement (MRA) Core Requirements and MRA Plan of Action each month before receiving Work First Benefits (WFB), unless there is good cause (See Section 120). Therefore, it is even more imperative that county departments of social services partner with community agencies, employers and families to ensure that Work First families are moving steadily toward self-sufficiency.

All Work First staff must make appropriate accommodations for Work First participants who have a disability (See Section 117). In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against any individual with a disability that places substantial limitations on an individual’s major life activities such as caring for one’s self, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.