Education for Justice FACT SHEET G-9 Fall 2009

DIVERSIONARY WORK PROGRAM (DWP)

Almost all new applicants eligible for MFIP go into the Diversionary Work Program (DWP) for 4 months before they get regular MFIP.

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT DWP?

· You may get more benefits if you start a job while you are on DWP.

· Your months on DWP don’t count on your time limit for MFIP.

· You get a job counselor and Employment Plan faster than on MFIP.

· You get day care faster.

HOW DO I START?

Fill out the application. It covers food stamps, Medical Assistance (MA) and child care. The county must give you an intake meeting within 5 working days after it receives your application. You should be referred for child care once you get a job counselor. You should get a job counselor within 1 day after the county decides that you can get DWP. You should meet with your job counselor within 10 working days to make an Employment Plan (EP). You will not get cash benefits until your Employment Plan is approved. It’s a good idea to write everything down– keep track of it. Start a DWP/MFIP notebook. Keep all of the papers you get.

DOES EVERYONE HAVE TO DO DWP?

Some people don’t go into DWP. You go right into MFIP if you:

· are applying for a child only grant

· are 19 years old or less and want to finish high school or get your GED

· are a single parent and have a child under 12 months old. You can only use this once in your life.

· are age 60 or over

· had 4 months of DWP in the last 12 months

· had MFIP within the past 12 months

· have received 60 or more months of MFIP

· are a refugee or asylee who has been in the US for less than 12 months

You can also skip or switch out of DWP and get MFIP when you show that you:

· Cannot work because you have an illness or injury that will last more than 60 days

· Are needed at home to care for an ill or injured household member.

· Have a doctor’s letter that you are pregnant and can’t work

· Have applied for SSI or RSDI

You will need doctor’s letters or a copy of your SSI / RSDI application to show these things.

HOW MANY HOURS DO I HAVE TO SPEND WORKING OR ON JOB ACTIVITIES?

· 1 parent households must spend 130 hours a month

(if you have a child under 6 you must spend 87 hours a month)

· 2 parent households must spend at least 55 hours per week total

(add the 2 people’s hours together)

WHAT IS AN EMPLOYMENT PLAN (EP)?

It is a written plan that states the things you will do to:

· get ready for work,

· find a job,

· and keep it.

You have rights about what goes into your EP.

WHAT DO I PUT IN MY EP?

· Job search- applying for jobs

· Training

· GED or finishing High School

· Other things needed to get ready for work

- bus cards

- child care

- counseling

CAN I SKIP JOB ACTIVITIES?

· If you are less than 20 years old and don’t have a high school diploma or GED, you can finish school or get your GED instead of working. If you are older, you can put GED classes in your plan but you also have to do other work activities.

· You can get up to 12 months off after the birth of a child. These months can be split between parents and births, but cannot total more than 12 months in your lifetime.

DOES EVERYONE HAVE TO DO AN EMPLOYMENT PLAN?

All parents on DWP MUST do job activities and an EP. This is called universal participation. But you may have the right to a modified Employment Plan. A modified EP can have:

· Less work or work search hours

· Special things to do because you or your child are disabled, or a victim of family violence.

CAN I GET A MODIFIED EP?

Only some people can get a modified EP. For example, if you are a victim of family violence you have a right to a modified plan that includes a family violence waiver. You should meet with a family violence advocate and your job counselor to:

· Apply for a waiver, and

· Make an Employment Plan with a safety plan.

If you are disabled or live with someone with a disability who you need to take care of, you can get a modified Employment Plan and help from your workers to “accommodate” the disability. This means they help you make a modified Employment Plan and help you to get the services you need to be able to follow the plan.

WHEN YOUR EP IS DONE:

· You should get vendored benefits in 2 working days.

· You will also get food stamps, MA, and child care.

· If there is money left after your housing and utilities are vendor paid from your DWP grant, each person in the family can get up to $70.00 for personal needs.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE YOUR EP AS YOUR LIFE CHANGES.

Call your Job Counselor about:

· personal and family things that make it hard for you to get and keep a job

· trouble speaking or understanding English

· family violence issues

· involvement in social service programs

· involvement in the legal system

If your worker won’t change your Employment Plan, you can appeal.

REMEMBER:

If you start a job during the 4 month DWP, you will still get the same vendor payments.

The money you earn from a job any time during those 4 months doesn’t lower your grant.

WHAT IF I DON’T FOLLOW MY EP?

If you have a good reason for not following your Employment Plan, tell your job counselor right away. If you don’t follow your EP, and don’t talk to your worker about problems and changes, you will be disqualified. This means you will get NO cash benefits. You can make changes to your EP or show your worker you have “good cause” and avoid disqualification.

“Good cause” can be:

· Lack of child care or transportation

· No jobs available

· Illness

· Family violence

· An emergency

If your worker doesn’t agree, appeal.

HOW TO APPEAL

Write a letter right away saying:

What your worker did or did not do

Why you think the worker was wrong

· Keep a copy of the letter

· Give your job counselor AND financial worker copies of the letter

· Call legal aid right away

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE 4 MONTHS ARE UP?

When the 4 month DWP is done, you can ask to get regular MFIP benefits. It doesn’t matter if you have a job or not. On regular MFIP you can get:

· The money sent right to you as a cash grant

· Food stamps

· Medical assistance

· Child care

Minneapolis Legal Aid – CLE MN Legal Services Coalition 2324 University Avenue W. – Suite 101B St. Paul, MN 55114

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