ASSESSMENTS FOR SKILL TRAINING AND WORK READINESS 

Where and when possible, Division Of Workforce Development (DWD) staff will be encouraged to participate in an Info Session conducted by Division of Family Services (DFS) staff for Temporary Assistance applicants/recipients.  Participation will be coordinated locally and is optional.  In some locations, DWD is able to offer space for Info Sessions and other meetings with DFS.

Referrals may be made to DWD staff for career exploration and assessments in counties within Service Delivery Area 7 only.  Assessment services in all other areas of the state are covered under the assessment contract with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.  The cost per assessment shall not exceed $350 per Temporary Assistance recipient, including all costs associated with the assessment, such as personnel costs, cost of the assessment instruments and a report to the referring DFS case manager regarding the results of the assessment. 
 

JOB READINESS ASSISTANCE - WORKFORCE LINKAGE WORKSHOPS

Based on the Temporary Assistance populations in Missouri, the Workforce Linkage Workshops, currently administered by the Division of Workforce Development will be expanded to the 
following locations:
 

St. Louis Co.	St. Charles	Joplin
Columbia	Caruthersville	Jefferson City
Potosi	East Prairie	New Madrid

In locations where DWD does not have an existing office, DFS and DWD staff will coordinate locally for an appropriate location within the community.  The expanded Workforce Linkage Workshops shall begin no later than December 1, 1999.

DFS will refer Temporary Assistance applicants/recipients to a Workforce Linkage Workshop on an as needed basis.  Temporary Assistance applicants/recipients may participate in the locations listed above as well as in workshops located in:
 
 

Arnold	Cape Girardeau	Camdenton
Kennett	Park Hills	Poplar Bluff
Sikeston	Springfield	St. Joseph
St. Louis Central	West Plains	Washington

Individuals may participate in one or more of the workshops based on need.  Each workshop has a maximum capacity of 15-20 participants.  A listing of the times and locations for the Workforce Linkage Workshops in each area should be obtained from local DWD staff.

Temporary Assistance applicants/recipients will be given priority for participation in the workshops.  The expanded workshops are open to all Missouri residents in need of this service.  The workshops will provide hands-on experience with Missouri WORKS!, Missouri's computer job matching system and America's Job Bank. 

The Workforce Linkage Workshops include the following modules and topics:

Module One - Career Exploration

Establish short term and long term Career goals

• Determine skills and abilities including transferable skills
• Occupational information for Career Choice
• Labor Market information for Career Choice
• Available Educational and Training Resources
• Problem solving exercise
• Develop an Employability Plan to achieve the Career Choice jointly with the participant and DFS Self-Sufficiency Casemanager to be included with the Self-Sufficiency Plan.

• Identify and learn to use different mediums a Job Seeker can use in their Job Search
• Complete an interest inventory to determine what type of job an individual may want and what the job entails
• How to effectively network
• How to use Missouri WORKS!
• Identify what skills the Classified Ads are really asking for 
• Effective initial telephone contact with potential employers

• How to effectively complete an application (including the analysis of critical questions)
• How to deal with potential "problem area" questions on an application
• How to state strengths tailored to the employment being sought
• Different types of resumes and when each one should be used
• How to compose effective cover letters and thank you letters
• Produce a professional resume for the individual

• How to make a positive "First Impression" in an interview
• How to deal with fears associated with the job interview process
• The importance of appropriate attire
• The impact of body language
• Addressing tough questions
• The effect of positive conduct during the interview
• Video taped "mock" interviews to enable a Job Seeker to become prepared for actual interview situations

• What employers expect of employees
• Workplace ethics (including punctuality, attendance, workplace attire, appropriate behavior toward co-workers and supervisors)
• Problem solving methods to enable workers to resolve workplace issues and still retain employment
• Information on ways to use employment to achieve a higher skill level and/or create a stepping stone to a future goal
• How to balance work and family

JOB SEARCH ASSISTANCE - REFERRALS TO EMPLOYMENT, JOB DEVELOPMENT

Division of Workforce Development will register all mandatory Temporary Assistance applicants/recipients for work upon receipt of an Applicant Registration form.  The local DWD office will provide a supply of the Applicant Registration form to the local DFS office.  Each DFS county office will be assigned a local DWD office for coordination and provision of services.  DFS will give the Applicant Registration form to Temporary Assistant applicants and to recipients at the next contact if the applicant/recipient is a mandatory participant.  DFS is to instruct the applicant/recipient to take the form, fill it out and return it to the local DWD office.  Give the address and phone number of the local DWD office.  Give all mandatory applicant/recipients the Applicant Registration Form unless  not appropriate, i.e. the client/recipient is a Level 3 with multiple barriers.

A DWD staff person will identify the appropriate Dictionary of Occupational Trades code and register the individual for a job match into the DWD system.  All mandatory Temporary Assistance individuals referred will be screened monthly against the DWD job bank for matches until a full time unsubsidized job is obtained.  A notice of job opportunity will be sent to the Temporary Assistance individual by DWD staff with a copy to DFS of the match.  DFS staff will notify the local DWD office when employment is obtained.  Temporary Assistance applicants/recipients may be referred to a local DWD office to access other federally funded job search services.

If a client fails to keep a scheduled appointment or fails to cooperate with the DWD staff, the DWD staff person will provide written notification within seven (7) calendar days to the referring DFS case manager of any potential non-compliance issue(s).  This will assist DFS staff in taking appropriate action.  DWD staff will provide a copy of the case notes screen or an IM-16 to transmit the data to DFS staff.  Written notification will be provided on the following non-compliance issues:

• Failure to report for a job interview that is arranged by DWD staff;
• Failure to make a bona fide application for employment without good cause;
• Failure to accept a bona fide offer of full time employment, defined as earnings greater than or equal to the Federal Minimum Wage (or 80% of the Federal Minimum Wage if the Federal wage is not applicable) and either working a minimum of 30 hours per week or receiving weekly earnings of at least the Federal Minimum Wage multiplied by 30 hours, without good cause; 

• includes, but is not limited to, client attitude, dress, appearance for an interview, late arrival for an interview, failure to report for an interview, or failure to cooperate with the interviewer's requests and questions.

• The wage does not meet or exceed the Federal Minimum Wage law.  If the Federal Minimum Wage law is not applicable, the wage can not be substantially less than the wage normally paid for similar work in that labor market.
• The daily and weekly hours of work exceed those customary to the occupation.
• The employment or offer of employment requires travel to and from the place of employment and the participant's home in excess of a total of two hours round trip time, inclusive of the time necessary to transport family members to a school or place providing child care, or when walking is the only available means of transportation, the round trip is more than four miles.
• The position is vacant due to a strike, lockout, or other bona fide labor dispute.
• The individual would be required to work for an employer contrary to the conditions of his existing membership in the union governing that occupation. 
• The employment or offer of employment is in violation of applicable federal, state and local health and safety standards.
• The individual is not physically able to engage in such employment.

CO-LOCATION

Co-location needs should be examined locally to determine appropriateness and need. If you need assistance in planning or need clarification regarding co-location, you may contact:

Division of Family Services
Attn: Income Maintenance
P.O. Box 88
Jefferson City, Missouri 65103-0088
(573)751-3124
 

OUTCOME MEASURES

The outcome measures for this contract agree with the goals set out by the Governor.  The following DWD outcomes will be measured:

• Number of unduplicated individuals actively receiving services through the contract
• Number of individuals who successfully enter and complete skill training as a result of an assessment
• Number of individuals who obtain full time unsubsidized employment
• Number of individuals who obtain employment upon completion of a WLW
• Number of individuals who increase earnings as a result of completion of a WLW
• Average wage at placement

Review this memorandum with all appropriate staff.

 

Begin providing registration forms when received from your local Division of Workforce Development office.

 

Make a plan of action how to make referrals to the Workforce Linkage Workshops with Division of Workforce Development staff assigned to your county.