Welfare Transition Program FAQ

Welfare Transition Program

• What employer incentives are available for hiring a Welfare Transition participant?

  To encourage local employers to hire Welfare Transition participants, the Welfare Transition program offers various incentives including the following:

  The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)

  The WOTC is offered to private for profit employers as an incentive to hire certain target groups including Welfare Transition participants. Employers can receive tax credits equal to 40 percent of qualified wages for a maximum allowable credit of $2,400 per employee if the individual works more than 400 hours. If the individual works more than 120 hours but less than 400 hours, a tax credit equal to 25 percent of qualified wages for a maximum allowable credit of $1,500 can be received. There is no limit to the number of employees for which the employer can take the credit.

  More information on WOTC.

  Subsidized Employment

  Subsidized private sector employment is employment in a private for-profit enterprise or a private not-for-profit enterprise which is directly supplemented by federal or state funds. A subsidy may be provided in one or more of the forms listed below:

  • Work supplementation. A work supplementation subsidy diverts a participant's temporary cash assistance under the program to the employer. The employer must pay the participant wages that equal or exceed the applicable federal minimum wage. Work supplementation may not exceed 6 months. At the end of the supplementation period, the employer is expected to retain the participant as a regular employee without receiving a subsidy. A work supplementation agreement may not be continued with any employer who exhibits a pattern of failing to provide participants with continued employment after the period of work supplementation ends.
  • On-the-job training. On-the-job training is full-time, paid employment in which the employer or an educational institution, in cooperation with the employer, provides training needed for the participant to perform the skills required for the position. The employer or the educational institution on behalf of the employer is paid a subsidy to offset the cost of the training provided to the participant. Upon satisfactory completion of the training, the employer is expected to retain the participant as a regular employee without receiving a subsidy.
  • Incentive payments. Regional Workforce Boards may have local incentive programs that provide payments to employers for hiring hard-to-place participants. Incentive payments may also include payments to encourage employers to provide health care insurance benefits to current or former program participants.

  Amount of incentive payments may vary depending on the length of time receiving cash assistance, lack of employment experience, lack of education, lack of job skills, and other appropriate factors.

  Incentive payments may be made for the initial placement and different milestones in the retention of a Welfare Transition participant, e.g., an initial payment is made to the employer upon the employment of a participant, and the majority of the incentive payment is made after the employer retains the participant as a full-time employee for at least 12 months.

  • Tax credits. An employer who employs a program participant may qualify for enterprise zone property tax credits under s. 220.182, the tax refund program for qualified target industry businesses under s. 288.106, or other federal or state tax benefits. The Regional Workforce Board shall provide information and assistance, as appropriate, to use such credits to accomplish program goals.
  • Training bonus. An employer who hires a participant in the Welfare Transition program and pays the participant a wage that precludes the participant's eligibility for temporary cash assistance may receive $250 for each full month of employment for a period that may not exceed 3 months. Employment is defined as 35 hours per week at a wage of at least minimum wage.

  For more information on the subsidized employment programs offered by the Regional Workforce Board (RWB) in your area go to the list of RWBs.

  Go to the bottom of page on left side and double click on the list of RWBs. Contact the RWB located in your area.

• What are the penalties for non-compliance with work activities?

  An individual receiving temporary cash assistance who fails to comply with assigned work activities and other program requirements shall have the following sanctions applied to the family assistance group:

  First Noncompliance

  Temporary cash assistance shall be terminated for the family for a minimum of 10 days. In order for the temporary cash assistance to be reinstated at the end of the 10 days minimum penalty period, the individual who is in non-compliance with assigned work activities must comply. If the participant complies prior to the end of the minimum penalty period, benefits will be prorated beginning the 11th day.

  Second Noncompliance

  Temporary cash assistance shall be terminated for the family for one month or until the individual who failed to comply does so, whichever is later. Upon meeting the work requirements, temporary cash assistance shall be reinstated to the date of compliance or the first day of the month following the penalty period, whichever is later.

  Note The client must serve the minimum penalty period.

  Third Noncompliance

  Temporary cash assistance shall be terminated for the family for a period of three months or until the individual who failed to comply does so, whichever is later. The non-compliant individual must comply with the required work activity upon completion of the three-month penalty period before temporary cash assistance can be reinstated. Upon meeting this requirement temporary cash assistance shall be reinstated to the date of compliance or the first day of the month following the penalty period, whichever is later.

  Food Stamp Benefits

  For information about how non-compliance will affect Food Stamp benefits, contact the local Department of Children and Families office.

• What are the time limits and exceptions to the time limits for the Welfare Transition Program?

  Effective October 1, 1996, an applicant or current participant may not receive temporary cash assistance for episodes of not more than 24 cumulative months in any consecutive 60-month period beginning with the first month of participation. Additionally, a TCA participant may not receive more than a lifetime cumulative total of 48 months as an adult, unless otherwise provided by law (section 414.105, F.S.).

  Episodes of temporary cash assistance may not exceed 36 cumulative months in any consecutive 72-month period beginning with the first month of participation and may not exceed a lifetime cumulative total of 48 months of temporary cash assistance as an adult, for cases in which the participant:

  • Has received aid to families with dependent children or temporary cash assistance for any 36 months of the preceding 60 months
  • Is a custodial parent under the age of 24 who has not completed a high school education or its equivalent or who has had little or no work experience in the preceding year.

  Extensions to Time Limits

  Hardship extensions may be approved for those participants meeting diligent participation in activities in addition to one of the following:

  • Inability to obtain employment
  • Extraordinary barriers to employment, including conditions that may result in an exemption to work requirements
  • Significant barriers to employment, combined with a need for additional time
  • A need by teen parents to have 24 months of eligibility after receipt of a high school diploma or GED
  • A recommendation of extension of time limits for a minor child of a family who is receiving TCA and has reached the end of the established time limits

  Only 20% of the Regional Workforce Board caseload can be comprised of hardship extension cases.

  One month of extended TCA may be earned for a maximum of 12 months for the following activities:

  • A TCA participant who is not exempt from work activity requirements and who participates and fully complies with the requirements of a recommended mental health or substance abuse treatment program. This treatment credit may be awarded only upon the successful completion of the treatment program and only once during the 48-month time limit.
  • A TCA participant who is not exempt from work activity requirements and is fully complying with the work activities through subsidized or unsubsidized public or private sector employment.

  Six months prior to the end of the assigned time limit or more frequently during an extension of the time limit, the Regional Workforce Board Career Manager is required to interview and assess the employment prospects and barriers of each participant. The Career Manager shall assist the participant in identifying actions necessary to become employed prior to reaching the end of their temporary cash assistance time limit and, if appropriate, shall refer the participant for services that could facilitate employment.

  Earned months must be used before the six month time limit is calculated.

• What is the Relocation Program?

  The Relocation Assistance Program was developed to assist families who have significant barriers to finding and retaining employment to relocate to communities where there will be greater opportunity for attaining self-sufficiency.

  Relocation assistance is available for applicants requesting TCA who meet Up-front Diversion relocation eligibility criteria and for participants currently receiving temporary cash assistance (TCA) who meet the relocation eligibility criteria (section 445.021, F.S.).

  The Regional Workforce Board (RWB) staff will determine if a family qualifies for relocation assistance. Relocation assistance may be approved if the participant:

  • Is located in an area with limited employment opportunities
  • Is geographically isolated.
  • Has formidable transportation barriers
  • Is isolated from their extended family
  • Has experienced past incidences of domestic violence that interfere with the participant’s ability to maintain self-sufficiency

  The Relocation Assistance Program requires that the RWBs complete the following five steps, in cooperation with the Department of Children and Families (DCF).

  1. Determine that the family is receiving temporary cash assistance or that all requirements for diversion services would likely be met.
  2. Determine that there is sufficient information to ensure that the relocation will assist the individual in attaining self-sufficiency.
  3. Establish a written relocation plan that includes a relocation budget.
  4. Verify in writing that a community (in or out of the State of Florida) receiving a relocated family has the capacity to provide needed services and employment opportunities.

  Monitor the family’s relocation. Monitoring the family’s relocation includes, at minimum, sending a survey to the relocated family that will assess the success of the relocation and the adequacy of services being provided in the new area.

• What is Up-front Diversion?

  The Up-Front Diversion Program is available to eligible applicants as an alternative to receiving on-going Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) (section 445.017, F. S.). Up-front diversion services are provided by the Regional Workforce Board (RWB) Welfare Transition staff.

  Many applicants do not need ongoing TCA, but due to an unexpected circumstance or an emergency, may require some immediate assistance to secure or retain employment or child support. The immediate needs may include a shelter or utility payment, car repairs to continue employment, or other services to alleviate the emergency and allow the person to focus on obtaining or continuing employment. These immediate needs may be met through up-front diversion.

  Up-front diversion shall involve a four-step process by the Regional Workforce Board Career Manager and includes:

  • Linking applicants with job opportunities as a first option.
  • Offering services, such as child care or transportation, as an alternative to welfare.
  • Screening applicants to respond to the emergency needs of the family.
  • Offering a one-time payment of up to $1,000 per family.

  After the Regional Workforce Board Career Manager determines the family is eligible for up-front diversion, the family is screened on a case-by-case basis for barriers to obtaining or retaining employment. The screening will identify barriers that, if corrected, would eliminate the need for the family to receive TCA on a regular basis. Providing assistance to remove barriers is not limited to cash, but may include vouchers, or other in-kind benefits.

  The family receiving up-front diversion must sign an agreement restricting the family from applying for TCA for three months, unless an emergency is demonstrated to the Regional Workforce Board. However, clients may still access other services during this three-month period.

• What is the Welfare Transition Program?

  The federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation (PRWORA) Act was passed in 1996. This Act eliminated the open-ended federal welfare entitlement program, Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), and replaced it with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The TANF regulations, (45 CFR 260) include a requirement that recipients of TANF funds work or participate in work activities in exchange for time-limited assistance.

  In Florida, the TANF work program is called the Welfare Transition program. Program requirements and services are described in Chapters 414 and 445, F. S. Florida has established a 48 month life-time limit for the receipt of cash assistance.

  The goal of Florida’s Welfare Transition (WT) program is to emphasize work, self-sufficiency, and personal responsibility. To accomplish this goal, the Florida legislature, using federal and state funding, has developed an array of support services and programs.

• Who is eligible for Florida’s Welfare Transition Program?

  In order to receive temporary cash assistance (TCA), participants must register for work and participate in assigned work activities. Eligibility for TCA requires that the family assistance group must include a minor child(ren) living in the home (child under 18 years of age or under 19 years of age if child is a full-time student in a secondary school or the equivalent and is not married or divorced). Additionally, a TCA participant must reside in Florida, be a U. S. resident or legal non-citizen, and have a gross family income equal to or less than 185 percent of the federal poverty level (section 414.095, F.S.).

  Pregnant Women

  For those pregnant women meeting eligibility criteria and with no other children in the home, Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) is available for the last month of pregnancy unless the woman is restricted from work activities by order of a physician in which case TCA shall be available during the last trimester of pregnancy.

  Teen Parents

  Temporary cash assistance, without shelter expense, may be available for a teen parent who is a minor child and has a child. Temporary cash assistance may not be paid directly to the teen parent but must be paid, on behalf of the teen parent and child, to an alternative payee who is designated by the Department of Children and Families.

  To receive temporary cash assistance the teen parent must do the following:

  • Attend school or an approved alternative training program unless the teen parent’s child is less than 12 weeks of age or the teen parent has completed high school.
  • Reside with a parent, legal guardian, or other adult caretaker relative. The income and resources of the parent shall be included in calculating the temporary cash assistance available to the teen parent since the parent is responsible for providing support and care for the child living in the home.
  • Attend parenting and family classes that provide a curriculum specified by the Department of Children and Families or the Department of Health, as available.

• How do I file a grievance/complaint?

  Any Welfare Transition applicant or participant who has been adversely affected by a decision or action by the local workforce system, including decisions by One-Stop partners and service providers, has the right to file a grievance/complaint with the Regional Workforce Board.

  If an applicant or participant has a grievance/complaint related to actions that affect their temporary cash assistance (TCA) or other Department of Children and Families program benefits, (s)he needs to contact the local DCF office to file the grievance/complaint in order to request a fair hearing.

  See Policy and Guidance for more information.

• What Welfare Transition services are available for someone who is complying with assigned work activities or alternate plan requirements?

  In order to receive temporary cash assistance (TCA), participants must register for work and participate in assigned work activities except for those who are exempt or required to comply with an alternate plan. (section 414.095, F.S.).

  Program participants can meet TANF work requirements by participating in the following activities:

  • Unsubsidized employment
  • Subsidized private-sector employment
  • Subsidized public sector employment (including on-the-job training and work
  • supplementation)
  • Community Service Work experience
  • Work Experience
  • Job search and job readiness assistance
  • Vocational Education Training (can also participate in English proficiency if needed)
  • Job skills related to employment
  • Education related to employment
  • Satisfactory attendance toward GED
  • GED Preparation and literacy education (may include English proficiency classes if needed to obtain GED)
  • Providing child care services to individuals participating in a community service program.

  The following Welfare Transition support services are available (as resources and funding permit) for current TANF recipients meeting work activity requirements:

  • Subsidized child care
  • Transportation services
  • Education and training assistance
  • Other support services that include paying for books, tools, clothing, fees, and costs necessary to comply with work activity or employment requirements or may include personal and family counseling and therapy if resources permit.

  Transitional Services (as resources and funding permit)

  Former participants of the Welfare Transition Program who are working or actively seeking employment may receive the following transitional services:

  • Medical benefits for up to 12 months. The gross family income must not exceed 185% of the federal poverty level and the family must include a dependent child. Contact the local Department of Children and Families office for additional information about Medicaid.
  • Education and training assistance (TEd) for up to 2 years
  • Transportation services for up to 2 years
  • Child care services (Transitional child care or TEd child care) for up to 2 years. The gross family income must not exceed 200% of the federal poverty level.

  Other support services include paying for books, tools, clothing, fees and costs necessary to maintain employment including personal and family counseling and therapy.

• Who is exempt from Temporary Cash Assistance Time Limits and the Welfare Transition Program Work Requirements?

  Exemptions from temporary cash assistance time limits are determined by the Department of Children and Families (Section 414.105, F. S.).

  The following groups of individuals are exempt from both the time limits and the work requirements and would therefore, not be referred to the Regional Workforce Board designee.

  • Caretaker Relatives. These would include grandparents, aunts, etc. who are responsible for their relatives such as grandchildren, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, etc. The caretaker relative’s needs are not included in the temporary cash assistance (TCA) grant as they are only receiving assistance for the children. Parents cannot choose to receive assistance for their children only. Their needs must be included if they wish to receive TCA.
  • A child under the age of 16
  • Children ages 16 – 17 who are attending school fulltime
  • Recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability (SSDI)
  • The personal caretaker of a disabled family member when the need for care has been documented and there is no one else available to care for the individual.

  The following groups of individuals are exempt from the work requirements only. Their time limits for the receipt of TCA continue to apply.

  •  One parent in a family with a child under the age of three months is considered exempt from participation in the work requirements. They would not be referred to the Regional Workforce Board designee until the child turned three months old, unless the parent volunteered to participate in the Welfare Transition program.
  • Applicants of SSI or SSDI are referred to the RWB designee until a final determination is made on their pending application. The individual would be required to participate only to the extent possible based on medical documentation.

  Victims of domestic violence are referred to the RWB designee. The individual shall comply with a plan that specifies alternative requirements that prepare the individual for self-sufficiency while providing for the safety of the individual and their children.

• What is the Cash Assistance Severance Benefit Program?

  A Cash Assistance Severance Benefit payment is available to temporary cash assistance (TCA) recipients who meet specific criteria and choose to receive a one-time lump-sum payment of $1,000 in lieu of on-going TCA. The cash assistance severance benefit program is an alternative to receiving TCA (section 445.026). The RWB Career Manager is responsible for determining potential eligibility for a cash assistance severance benefit and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) is responsible for verifying and issuing the cash severance payment.             

  A TCA participant may choose to receive a lump-sum payment in lieu of on-going cash assistance provided the individual meets the following criteria:

  • Is employed and receiving earnings
  • Has received cash assistance for at least six consecutive months in the state of Florida since 10/1/96
  • Expects to remain employed for at least six months
  • Chooses to receive a one-time lump-sum payment instead of ongoing TCA
  • Provides employment and earnings information to the RWB designee, so that the family’s eligibility for severance benefits can be evaluated
  • Signs an agreement not to apply for or accept cash assistance for six months after the receipt of the one-time payment unless an emergency is demonstrated

  The RWB Career Manager is responsible for communicating the following to the participant:

  • That the severance payment only counts against their time limits in the month the payment is received
  • There are no penalties if they choose not to receive severance benefits
  • Benefits for Medicaid and food stamps will continue as long as the family continues to meet the Medicaid and food stamp eligibility requirements and they continue to apply for such benefits
  • Transitional benefits will be available to participants choosing the lump-sum payment and leaving TCA