STATEMENT OF WORK FOR EMPLOYMENT FIRST COUNTIES:
Employment First (EF), Federal Program Fiscal Year 2013 – 2014
Each Employment First Unit (EFU) shall operate in accordance with Colorado Department of Human
Services Staff Manual Volume 4, Food Assistance, Section B-4215 - B-4216.1.
The following requirements must be met:
1. Accept for participation every individual determined by CBMS to be a mandatory work registrant.
These individuals will be identified and tracked on the EF Active Client List (ACL), available in Cognos.
The Food Assistance (FA) office is expected to complete an EF-102 or an alternate State-approved
referral form to notify the work registrant of their first orientation appointment with the EFU (a date
within 14 days of the referral date). If the eligibility worker does not refer individuals at application,
the EFU must use the Active Client List (ACL) to identify participants who have not been scheduled for
an Orientation and ensure that they are scheduled within 14 days of the ACL report run date. This will
prevent ABAWDS from receiving an ABAWD ticket without the opportunity to meet the work
requirement. If the EF-102 is mailed to the participant, the appointment date and time must be on the
letter and the statement “mailed to participant” written in the client signature area. The EFU and
eligibility unit will decide who is responsible for scheduling the individuals who were not scheduled
timely
2. Create a paper case and CBMS case file for each individual referred (any alternative process proposed
by the county must be approved by the State EFU before implementation). Create the CBMS case by
entering a Plan using ‘Today’s Date’ on the EF 102 as the start date of the Plan. Document the initial
appointment for each referral, as well as all subsequent appointments in CBMS, using the date, time and
comment fields in the Appointment Detail section of CBMS. The EF 102 contains releases with regard to
employment information so it is important to have the participant sign the form if it was not signed at
referral. This can be done at orientation or any subsequent appointment. A State-approved Release of
Information form can be used in place of the signed 102 if the county chooses.
3. Provide an orientation to each new participant in accordance with standards set by the State EFU office.
Group orientations must use a State-approved presentation. Smaller counties may use handout packets
or binders containing State-approved orientation materials. (A checklist is available from State EFU
that outlines required orientation elements.)
4. Complete an assessment using the Colorado Employment First Assessment form with each participant.
The screening portion of the assessment must be completed at orientation; a more complete
assessment may be delayed for fourteen days but must be completed within the first 30 days of
participation.
5. Assign all mandatory work registrants to participate in an allowable activity using state- approved
contracts.
6. The recommended first activity, commenced at orientation, is Workfare Initial Site/30 day Job Search.
This activity has four parts, each requiring a specific contract.
The EFU provides a Workfare Initial Site activity at orientation for each participant who is not
determined exempt from EF. The participant completes one hour of work (e.g., putting together
packets, making copies, working on a project for a non-profit, shredding) and must sign the Workfare
Initial Site contract - EF-213. Both the planned and actual start dates of the Initial Site must be
entered into CBMS. The planned and actual start dates are when Initial Site commences, and the actual
end date is when the participant completes the activity, which is not to exceed 30 days.
The participant must also complete county-defined activities totaling 12 hours within the 30 days,
including instruction on Job Seeking Competencies. Participants sign the Participant Activity Contract
(EF-205 A) spelling out what they will do to complete the 30 day job search activity. If eight hours of
workfare are required as part of the 12 hours, the participant must also complete a Participant
Agreement – EF 211.
At the end of the 30 days, the participant must be assigned to a permanent workfare site and a final
Participant Agreement (EF 211) is signed.
7. Begin skill building work with all participants on the three main job competencies: 1) job applications,
2) job interviewing, and 3) an individualized job search plan, within 30 days from orientation. Work on
the Competencies must continue and be documented in the case file until mastery of the Competency is
verified by a properly completed State Master Job Application or an approved alternative, the Interview
Analysis Sheet, and a copy of an acceptable State-approved Job Search Plan. Evaluation guidelines for
the Competency documents are available from the State EFU.
8. Ensure that every participant is offered one of the following activity options:
i) Workfare. Participants are required to work an agreed-upon number of hours monthly on an
assigned worksite, up to a maximum determined by dividing the entire household allotment by
the State minimum wage.
Work sites must include a variety of jobs to fit various interests, abilities and needs. Sites must
be developed that take into account the following barriers: non-English speaking, homeless,
sex-offenders and ex-offenders. Whenever possible, sites should be accessible by public
transportation and have the possibility of hire. Small counties must have a minimum of 5
workfare work sites available; medium counties 10; large counties 15, and Denver and El Paso
counties 20. A single agency with multiple sites, such as Goodwill or ARC, only counts as one
workfare work site for purposes of this requirement
All Workfare work site contracts need to be submitted for State EF review to insure all required
information is included in the contract - this can be done electronically or in hard copy. All
sponsor contracts must be legible, spell out abbreviations, list job titles and duties and have
complete contact information. By Colorado law, participants must be covered by workers’
compensation insurance on every work site. The county or the work site may provide coverage.
Liability insurance is not the same and is not an acceptable substitute. Each work site contract
must include the name of the worker’s compensation provider and a written description of the
procedure to be followed if a participant is injured, including the name, address, and phone
number of the medical facility to which any workfare person must go if injured while working
at their assigned work site.
State EF keeps a copy of the county Workfare contracts and requires updated contracts every
two years. Counties are expected to enter information from their sponsor contracts into the
“Cloud” to create a statewide database of workfare sites and slots that is available to all
participating counties.
If enhanced funding is earned, in accordance with federal regulation 7CFR273.22 (g)(4), but the
required number of work site contracts are not on file with the State, the State will withhold the
enhanced funding check until it receives the required work site contracts.
ii) Non-Workfare – (activities must be described in the County Plan and approved by State
EFU). For all of the following activities, participation may be required for a minimum of
three hours per week for Non-ABAWDS, and 80 hours per month for ABAWDS up to a
maximum of 120 hours per month in non-work activity. Activities may be combined and
hours may include classes or individual appointments along with homework
assignments and job contacts. The Participant Activity Contract (EF-205 A) must clearly
indicate what the participant is expected to do. For example, it would state that the
client must attend 12 hours of class, complete five job contacts and complete three hours
of homework weekly.
a.
Working (only for those who are already working, but not working enough hours or
earning enough income to be exempt): Provide documentation of work or work in exchange
for remuneration equal to at least minimum wage (in-kind). “Working” to be an “activity”
must include job seeking skills instruction and job contacts – the assumption is that the goal
is to work full-time. ABAWDs must document 80 hours, which can include a minimum of 44
hours of work and a maximum of 36 hours of job search/job seeking skills/job contacts.
b. Any of the following employment & training activities, alone or in combination
 Education component (literacy, adult basic education, GED preparation, English-as-aSecond Language (ESL) classes, or Post-secondary Education)
 Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program
 Vocational Rehabilitation
 Vocational training
 Employability or Job Overview component (may be delivered either through classes or
individual appointments)
 Self-Employment Classes
 Self-Initiated Workfare/ Volunteer
 Work Experience
 Job Retention
9. Document in CBMS, referral to and commencement of all activities.
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A planned start date for an activity must be data entered in CBMS when the person is provided
written information (e.g. participant activity or Workfare contract) containing the date, time
and location of the activity to which they’ve been assigned. The planned start date should be the
date the participant is to begin the activity.
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The actual start date of an activity must be entered in CBMS once verification of
commencement is received. If the participant fails to begin the activity and the case is being
closed for noncompliance, the actual start date is entered to equal the activity end date so CBMS
will recognize the activity as closed. Specific proof of commencement for the various types of
components is spelled out below.
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Permanent Workfare – documented attendance at the assigned work site;
Employability or Job Overview – documented attendance at the first day of class, or
evidence that a job search or employability activity was begun;
For all education components such as Literacy, Adult Basic Education, General
Equivalency Degree classes (GED), English as a Second Language (ESL), postsecondary education, vocational training, any Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
program, or vocational rehabilitation, obtain written verification of enrollment from
the school or training program and attendance at the first orientation, appointment,
or class;
Working part-time – verification of the first day of work after referral from FA to EF.
Work experience and self-initiated Workfare - documented attendance on the first
day at the assigned work site.
10. Maintain complete case comments in CBMS. At a minimum, the case comment should briefly indicate
whether or not the participant attended the scheduled appointment, what happened at the
appointment, what the person did or did not do, what the person is expected to do by their next
appointment, the date of next appointment, and any supportive service referrals or transportation
assistance provided.
11. Have participants sign a Follow-up Appointment Letter (EF-111) at the end of each appointment that
lists their next appointment date and time. The participant leaves with the letter and a copy is kept in
the case file. If the Follow-Up Appointment Letter is mailed to the participant, the appointment date,
time and case manager signature must be on the letter and the statement “mailed to participant”
written in the client signature area.
12. Meet with participant once every 30 days, regardless of the activity assignment. Completed hours for a
month must be entered in CBMS by the 7th of the following month or by NOA for two-ticket ABAWDS.
13. Keep a participant reimbursement log to record each supportive service expenditure along with the
name of the participant, the CBMS case number, the last four numbers of the participant’s Social
Security Number, the type or purpose of the expenditure, amount, the date, and the participant’s
signature. A signature is required even if the participant is receiving reimbursement directly through
CBMS.
14. Retain a complete paper/State -approved digital case file of all correspondence/agreements with the
participant. The case file must contain:
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Colorado Employment First Enrollment form (EF-102) or a State-approved substitute
Colorado Employment First Assessment form
Activity contracts (EF-213, EF-205-A, EF-211)
Documented contact with the Food Assistance Office regarding action/information impacting
benefits (EF-123 or copy of an email).
Follow-up Appointment letters (EF-111)
Attendance or time sheets (EF-233) (or copy of pay stubs if ABAWD working part-time)
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Documentation of completed competencies
Verification of exemption information
15. Use only forms reviewed and approved by the State EFU. Such forms will be marked and dated to
signify State approval. This information must appear on all copies of the form so during a review it is
clear they were approved for use.
16. Maintain an Employment First participant file system with closed participant case files accessible to
EFU staff for at least six months. All EF files must be accessible within 24 hours for a period of 3 years
in accordance with federal requirements.
17. Complete all data entry within 7 calendar days of any action.
18. Respond to every missed appointment even if the participant is rescheduled. Enter non-compliance on
the Individual Compliance screen within 7 calendar days of the missed appointment. The Stateapproved “Good Cause” policy must be followed. The noncompliance may be cancelled if good cause for
the missed appointment is provided within 10 days of the missed appointment AND before the sanction
starts. Check the “EF Sanction that didn’t post” report daily to identify cases where the sanction was
not created as required. Contact the FA worker immediately to run EDBC and authorize to get the
sanction posted.
19. Send a manual Notice of Adverse Action “NOAA” to the affected participant any time sanctions do not
post. Use the original dates of the sanction period so that the participant is aware of the sanction and is
properly noticed even if the case is run late. This also applies to pending cases and closed cases when
the case is closed on one sanction but has another waiting to post when the case re-opens. Example: An
ABAWD case is closed on a current level sanction but the ABAWD Third Ticket sanction is waiting to post
when the case re-opens. The NOAA letter informs the participant that a sanction may be posted to the FA
case the next time the person applies.
20. Referencing the State Comply Policy Parameter Guide, design and implement a consistent and fair
comply policy for those individuals who have been cited for non-compliance and/or sanctioned and
wish to reinstate their FA. A written comply policy is required as part of the County Plan and approval
process.
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It is suggested for counties with caseloads that average more than 400 per month, that the
comply policy include attending EF orientation (if appropriate), completing a 4-6 hour
Comply/Competency Class and 8 hours of Workfare. A comply PowerPoint is required that
thoroughly explains sanctions, including the levels, good cause, how sanctions are complied,
and the fact that once the six-month sanction level is reached, every subsequent sanction will be
six months.
21. Coordinate services with local eligibility staff. Develop and maintain a communication system to
facilitate problem solving on specific cases or general organizational issues. Report to the eligibility
worker any information received from participants that would affect an individual’s FA household
income or size.
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At a minimum, such a system may include the use of the EF-123 Notice of Change, or email, and
a defined process for resolving problems with shared cases, such as sanctions that don’t post,
exemptions that are not entered completely, and complies that require FA action including
rescind, run EDBC, and authorize.
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If TANF referrals are accepted for Workfare, the TANF case manager must provide to Employment
First, in order to create an automated and paper case: a referral form, a copy of the participant
contract and all time sheets. Employment First is responsible for entering the required data into
CBMS including, a Workfare activity, attendance hours under a Workfare activity, case notes related
to Workfare participation and employment if necessary.
22. Read correspondence from State EFU staff regarding CBMS updates, changes in procedures, or
notifications of upcoming training and meetings. Implement required policy and procedure changes
within 30 days from the date of State notification, unless otherwise requested by State EFU. Contact
your State EFU representative if your county is unable to implement changes as requested so that the
county may negotiate when the change will be completed.
23. Prepare and submit the Employment First County Plan and Budget as required by the State and in
accordance with all instructions and guidance provided.
24. Negotiate non-financial/financial agreements as necessary for services for Employment First
participants which may include:
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Public or nonprofit work sites for Workfare
English as a Second Language (ESL) and Graduate Equivalent Degree (GED) instruction
Community based supportive services (food and clothing banks or shelters)
Referrals to vocational training
Job listings
Job Seeking Skills classes
Job Clubs
Assessments
25. Provide the State EFU with copies of any local financial agreements under which another agency
contracts to act as the service delivery agent for Employment First services. This Statement of Work
must be incorporated specifically as part of the scope of work under the contract.
26. Ensure that employees funded by Employment First attend and participate in all scheduled meetings,
training sessions, and conferences designated for Employment First staff and/or supervisors.
27. Advise the State EFU within 14 calendar days of any changes in your county’s EF service delivery.
Such changes include new staff, a reduction in staff, a reduction in the amount of staff time allotted to
EF, changes in location, classroom space, phone numbers, email addresses and/or physical addresses.
Provide back-up staff so that program services are not suspended for longer than 14 consecutive days.
28. Participate in county “evidentiary” hearings involving the county staff and the EFU when participants
appeal sanctions or other EFU actions.
29. Clearly mark all supplies and equipment purchased for Employment First as EFU property; these
supplies and equipment must remain with EFU until replaced or surplused out. Maintain on file an
inventory list of Employment First purchased supplies and equipment.