| TANF Work Activities |
| “Core” Activities
(from which at least 20 hours/week of participation must come) |
| Activity Category |
Federal Definitions Under New Rules |
| Unsubsidized employment |
Full- or part-time employment in the public or private sector that is not
subsidized by TANF or any other public program. |
| Subsidized private sector employment |
Employment in the private sector for which the employer receives a subsidy
from TANF or other public funds to offset some or all of the wages and costs
of employing a recipient. |
| Subsidized public sector employment |
Employment in the public sector for which the employer receives a subsidy from
TANF or other public funds to offset some or all of the wages and costs of
employing a recipient. |
| On-the-job training |
Training in the public or private sector that is given to a paid employee while
he or she is engaged in productive work and that provides knowledge and skills
essential to the full and adequate performance of the job. |
| Job search and job readiness assistance |
The act of seeking or obtaining employment, preparation to seek or obtain
employment, including life skills training, and short-term substance abuse
treatment, mental health treatment, or rehabilitation activities for those
who are otherwise employable. Such treatment or therapy must be determined
to be necessary and certified by a qualified medical or mental health
professional. Job search and job readiness assistance activities must be
supervised by the TANF agency or other responsible party on an ongoing basis
no less frequently than daily.
This activity is limited by statute to six weeks per year (no more than four
weeks may be consecutive to count toward the work participation rates). |
| Work experience |
A work activity, performed in return for welfare, that provides an individual
with an opportunity to acquire the general skills, training, knowledge, and
work habits necessary to obtain employment. The purpose of work experience is
to improve the employability of those who cannot find unsubsidized employment.
This activity must be supervised by an employer, work site sponsor, or other
responsible party on an ongoing basis no less frequently than daily. |
| Community service programs |
Structured programs in which TANF recipients perform work for the direct
benefit of the community under the auspices of public or nonprofit organizations.
Community service programs must be limited to projects that serve a useful
community purpose in fields such as health, social service, environmental
protection, education, urban and rural redevelopment, welfare, recreation,
public facilities, public safety, and child care. Community service programs
are designed to improve the employability of recipients not otherwise able to
obtain employment, and must be supervised on an ongoing basis no less
frequently than daily. A State agency shall take into account, to the extent
possible, the prior training, experience, and skills of a recipient in making
appropriate community service assignments. |
| Vocational educational training not to exceed 12 months |
Organized educational programs that are directly related to the preparation of
individuals for employment in current or emerging occupations requiring training
other than a baccalaureate or advanced degree. Vocational educational training
must be supervised on an ongoing basis no less frequently than daily and may
include work-focused general education and language instruction. |
| Child care for an individual participating in a community service program |
Providing child care to enable another TANF recipient to participate in a
community service program. This activity must be supervised on an ongoing basis
no less frequently than daily. |
| “Non-Core” Activities (cannot count without 20 hours/week from “core” activities) |
| Activity Category |
Federal Definitions Under New Rules |
| Job skills training directly related to employment |
Training or education for job skills required by an employer to provide an
individual with the ability to obtain employment or to advance or adapt to the
changing demands of the workplace. Job skills training directly related to
employment must be supervised on an ongoing basis no less frequently than
daily. |
| Education directly related to employment |
Education related to a specific occupation, job, or job offer. Education
directly related to employment must be supervised on an ongoing basis no less
frequently than daily. |
| Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in a GED program |
Regular attendance, in accordance with the requirements of the secondary
school or course of study, at a secondary school or in a course of study
leading to a certificate of general equivalence, in the case of a recipient
who has not completed secondary school or received such a certificate. This
activity must be supervised on an ongoing basis no less frequently than daily. |