Section 470IAC6-5-3. Employment and training

   (a) The following are general provisions for employment and training:

(1) Persons will be placed in appropriate components as determined by the agency. Referral to the IMPACT program as a mandatory participant does not entitle that person to IMPACT services or placement in a component. Participation in any IMPACT component does not guarantee any individual placement in employment or a designated level of competency for employment.

(2) Individuals exempt from work registration may volunteer to participate in the IMPACT program.

(3) Mandatory work registrants who are exempt from participation in IMPACT may volunteer to participate in the IMPACT program subject to the following limitations:

(A) No volunteer will be guaranteed a placement in a component or special services.

(B) Voluntary participants will have the same component requirements as mandatory participants in IMPACT. Voluntary participants will not be disqualified from participation in the food stamp program if they fail to comply with IMPACT component requirements without good cause. However, a voluntary participant who fails to comply with the requirements of any component without good cause will not be given priority to participate in the future.

(4) Participants will be placed in IMPACT components until:

(A) employment/training goals are achieved;

(B) the activity is completed; or

(C) the individual:

(i) becomes exempt; or

(ii) leaves the food stamp program.

(5) The IMPACT program base of eligibles shall include all mandatory work registrants, less those who meet the IMPACT exemptions, adjusted downward by ten percent (10%) at the end of the federal fiscal year to account for short-term (less than thirty (30) days) food stamp program participants.

(6) Work registrants, unless otherwise exempt, will be required to participate in IMPACT.

(7) The division will implement the voluntary employment and training program per the annual state plan that is reviewed and approved by FNS.

(8) IMPACT participants will be reimbursed for the costs of supportive services determined to be necessary and directly related to participation in an IMPACT component up to a maximum level of reimbursement established by the state agency in the federally approved food stamp employment and training state plan developed on an annual basis.

(9) Provision of any IMPACT services shall be based on the availability of funding.

  (b) The referral process to IMPACT shall be as follows:

(1) Each voluntary or mandatory work registrant shall be evaluated to determine exemption from referral to IMPACT.

(2) Mandatory work registrants shall be exempt from IMPACT if they meet the following conditions:

(A) The monthly cost of participation exceeds the reimbursement limits for supportive services identified in subsection (a)(8).

(B) The registrant does not have available transportation necessary to attend an assigned component.

(3) If not exempt from IMPACT, registrants shall be notified, in writing, of referral to IMPACT and the appointment scheduled for them to attend orientation. This information will be provided to registrants only after the assistance unit is determined eligible for the food stamp program.

(4) At the time of entry into each component, the IMPACT case manager shall be responsible for informing the registrant, in writing, of the following:

(A) The requirements of the component.

(B) What will constitute noncompliance.

(C) The sanction for noncompliance.

  (c) The IMPACT program incorporates the employment and training program provisions identified in 7 CFR 273.7(e)(1), including the following:

(1) Employment services, may include the following:

(A) Job search.

(B) Job placement.

(C) Job development.

(D) On-the-job training.

(E) Community work experience.

(F) Other work programs.

(2) Training activities, may include the following:

(A) Job skills assessment.

(B) Adult basic education.

(C) High school completion.

(D) Vocational and other job skills training.

Training and education beyond high school is limited to twenty-four (24) months in duration.

  (d) After notice of a requirement, a mandatory IMPACT participant shall be considered to have good cause for failure to comply with an employment and training component if the reason provided by the participant for failure to comply is any of the following:

(1) Illness or illness of another household member requiring the participant's presence. A physician's statement may be required if illness is given as the reason for failure to comply.

(2) A household emergency.

(3) The unavailability of transportation.

(4) The lack of adequate child care for children who have reached six (6) years of age but are under twelve (12) years of age.

(Division of Family Resources; 470 IAC 6-5-3; filed Jul 16, 1987, 2:00 p.m.: 10 IR 2667; filed Jun 2, 1988, 8:35 a.m.: 11 IR 3553; filed Mar 31, 1992, 5:00 p.m.: 15 IR 1386; filed Feb 26, 1993, 5:00 p.m.: 16 IR 1819; filed Jun 19, 1996, 9:00 a.m.: 19 IR 3078; readopted filed Jul 12, 2001, 1:40 p.m.: 24 IR 4235; readopted filed Oct 24, 2007, 11:25 a.m.: 20071121-IR-470070448RFA; filed Mar 24, 2009, 11:38 a.m.: 20090422-IR-470080278FRA; filed Jul 5, 2011, 1:33 p.m.: 20110803-IR-470100243FRA; readopted filed Aug 23, 2013, 3:36 p.m.: 20130918-IR-470130306RFA)