Employment SR 00-16, 03/00 (FAM-A)

Employment is an activity in which there is the receipt of unsubsidized wages for services performed by an individual in the public or private sector or the individual is engaged in self-employment for profit, subject to the conditions below under Specific Requirements for Self-Employed Individuals.

General Activity Requirements

When an employed individual remains eligible for financial assistance,

• the NHEP team continues to work with the individual to provide continued NHEP activities, including case management and support services, with the goal of increasing the participants’ ability to become self-sufficient and be independent of financial assistance;

• NHEP services continue until the participant becomes independent from financial assistance or when the team determines that a participant has reached their maximum earnings potential and will not benefit from further case management or NHEP services; and

• for nonexempt employed individuals, the team member must maintain quarterly contact to assess the need for continued case management or other services.

Employed individuals who remain eligible for financial assistance may participate in other approved NHEP activities and related support services as specified on the EP.

All NHEP participants who obtain employment should be evaluated for Welfare to Work eligibility.

Specific Requirements for Self-Employed Individuals

Individuals engaged in self-employment activities are considered to be in the NHEP employment activity, and self-employment activity counts towards the work participation requirement, when both of the following conditions are met:

• a business plan has been developed which

- has been reviewed and recognized as a viable business plan by an agency specializing in self-employment information and guidance, and

- specifies the number of months anticipated that the individual must work in self-employment activities in order to generate an income that will make him or her ineligible for NHEP financial assistance; and

• if recommended by an agency specializing in self-employment information and guidance, the individual is participating in other services provided by such agency.

Time Limits

There are no time limits on the employment activity. However, the team member is responsible for reviewing with the participant the advantages and disadvantages of continued receipt of financial assistance while employed, considering the 60 month time limit.

Exception: Hours engaged in self-employment may count toward the work participation requirement for a period of time not to exceed 2 years as the sole NHEP activity, or 3 years when combined with other NHEP activities. After the 2 or 3 year period, if the self-employment enterprise does not generate sufficient income to close the NHEP financial assistance case, hours of self-employment are not longer countable towards meeting the participation requirement, and the individual must participate in other approved NHEP activities to meet participation requirements.

Support Services

Employed individuals who remain eligible for financial assistance may be reimbursed for:

• transportation costs to and from the child care provider and the employment site from the day of the month in which they obtain employment through the following month;

• fees and supplies from the day of the month in which they obtain employment through the following month; and

• child care.