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Health and Human Services Agency, Community Services and Social Services Divisions, recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 041-2015, which authorizes the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Director, or designee, to execute Workforce Investment Act boilerplate agreements, including amendments thereto;
2) Approve the use of five Workforce Investment Act boilerplate agreements and associated documents on an "as requested" basis in order to allow eligible individuals who are participating in the Workforce Investment Act Program, the opportunity to gain training and/or paid work experience to improve their employability in the open job market. Said boilerplate agreements include:
a) On-the-Job Training Contract boilerplate;
b) Work Experience Worksite Agreement boilerplate (Outside Employer);
c) Work Experience Worksite Agreement boilerplate;
d) Individual Referral Training Contract boilerplate; and
e) Individual Training Account Contract boilerplate;
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 042-2015, which authorizes the HHSA Director, or designee, to execute CalWORKs Subsidized Employment Program boilerplate agreements, including amendments thereto; and
4) Approve the use of the three CalWORKs Subsidized Employment Program boilerplate agreements on an "as requested" basis in order to allow eligible HHSA clients who are participating in the CalWORKs program, the opportunity to gain paid work experience to improve their employability in the open job market. Said boilerplate agreements include:
a) CalWORKs Subsidized Employment Program boilerplate;
b) CalWORKs Subsidized Employment Program Amendment boilerplate; and
c) CalWORKs Subsidized Employment Program Invoice boilerplate.
FUNDING: Federal and State Funding.
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Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost
There is no Net County Cost associated with this Agenda item. Workforce Investment Act Funding is utilized for the Workforce Investment Act boilerplate agreements. For the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) boilerplate agreements, CalWORKs Subsidized Employment Program funds may be used to cover participant wage and non-wage costs plus operational costs, including costs related to managing the program and developing work sites.
Background
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Program provides services to individuals who require assistance in obtaining education and occupational skills. County of El Dorado's Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) serves the community through its Placerville and South Lake Tahoe offices. WIA services are available to adults, dislocated workers, disabled adults, veterans, and youth between the ages of 14 and 21 years old. Adults may be employed, unemployed, or underemployed and must be authorized to work in the United States. Dislocated workers are individuals who have been laid off and are unlikely to return to the field due to a downturn in the industry. Youth must meet the low-income eligibility requirement and have an obstacle to employment, which may include pregnancy, youth parenting, high school dropout, homeless, current foster youth, low math or reading skills, or a lack of sufficient work history.
WIA Program funding for each eligible participant is capped at $8,000. The length of each WIA Program contract varies and is dependent upon an assessment of the client's needs. Contract terms can be a minimum term of one (1) month and can extend up to two (2) years. The average contract term is one (1) year. For participants in the work experience programs, the WIA Program pays the participant's minimum wage. For On-the-Job Training participants, WIA Program pays up to 90% of the participant's wages, contingent upon the size of the participating business. At the conclusion of the On-the-Job Training contract, it is expected that the employer will hire the participant.
The Board of Supervisors initially approved the WIA boilerplates on April 22, 2014 (File 14-0440). County Counsel and Risk Management approved each of the five (5) WIA boilerplates on separate Contract Routing Sheets. Additionally, when HHSA presented the boilerplates to the Board of Supervisors, it did not include a Resolution to delegate authority to execute the approved boilerplates. With the swearing in of a new Board of Supervisors in 2015, HHSA elected to return to Board with the five (5) previously approved WIA boilerplates and a Resolution that delegates HHSA's Director with the authority to execute the boilerplates.
In addition to the WIA Program, HHSA's Employment Services Program also strives to assist individuals with obtaining employment. HHSA determines participant eligibility for cash assistance through the statewide CalWORKs program. The Welfare-to-Work Employment Services program is the employment and training aspect of the CalWORKs program, which provides individuals receiving cash assistance with a comprehensive array of services designed to enable individuals to achieve self-sufficiency through employment.
California Assembly Bill 74 (2013) Chapter 21, and Welfare and Institutions Code Section 11322 et seq. provide for a Subsidized Employment Program. The goal of the Subsidized Employment Program is to encourage early engagement of CalWORKs participants with the ultimate goal of individuals gaining valuable work experience. Employers are encouraged to offer permanent, unsubsidized employment at the conclusion of the CalWORKs Subsidized Employment Program agreement term.
Individuals may participate in the CalWORKs Subsidized Employment Program for six (6) months, but participation in the program can be extended up to a total of twelve (12) months. The employer shall be reimbursed by the County for no more than 50% of the employee's hourly wage. In turn, the employer pays 50% of the wages, pays all payroll taxes, and provides Workers' Compensation Insurance. The participant shall be considered a regular member of the employer's workforce during the term of the agreement.
Reason for Recommendation
HHSA administers the WIA Program and CalWORKs programs. Approval of the WIA Program Resolution/boilerplates agreements and the CalWORKs Resolution/boilerplate agreements will ensure HHSA will be able to continue to provide valuable employment services, while utilizing the most current standard agreement language, to some of the most vulnerable clients, and will assist them in achieving and retaining permanent employment.
Failure to approve the templates will impact HHSA's ability to effectively serve individuals who are participating in the WIA Program and CalWORKs Employment Services program. Consequently, WIA Program participants may be under employed or unemployed for a longer period of time and CalWORKs individuals may continue to receive cash assistance for a longer period of time. Additionally, AB 74 (2013) Chapter 21 authorizes the County of El Dorado to implement a CalWORKs Subsidized Employment Program as one part of the Early Engagement strategies to assist CalWORKs recipients with achieving self-sufficiency.
Clerk of the Board Follow Up Actions
1) Clerk of the Board to provide HHSA with a certified Minute Order approving the WIA Program boilerplate agreements.
2) Clerk of the Board to provide HHSA with a certified copy of the adopted WIA Program Resolution.
3) Clerk of the Board to provide HHSA with a certified Minute Order approving the CalWORKs boilerplate agreements.
4) Clerk of the Board to provide HHSA with a certified copy of the adopted CalWORKs Resolution.
Contact
Don Ashton, M.P.A., Director
Concurrences
County Counsel and Risk Management