Job search activities include locating, contacting, preparing for interviews and interviewing with potential employers and travel time associated with these activities.

Job search within an Employment Plan

Job search is not limited to 240 hours per calendar year and can be authorized at any time during the 12-month eligibility period (not just at redetermination and application) if included in an approved MFIP or DWP Employment Plan. Authorize care according to the approved Employment Plan.

Job search outside of an Employment Plan

For MFIP/DWP participants without an approved Employment Plan and BSF, TY, and TYE participants, authorize job search according to the following three requirements:

· Authorize job search ONLY at application or redetermination

· Authorize the number of hours requested by the participant NOT TO EXCEED 40 hours in a biweekly period

· Authorize a maximum of 240 hours per calendar year.

Job search at reapplication

If a parent reapplies for CCAP and requests job search outside of an Employment Plan within the same calendar year some job search hours were already used, the parent has less than 240 hours of job search available. The remaining available job search hours must be authorized at a lower amount to cover at least 12 weeks of child care. See Chapter 4.6.6.3 (Job Search at application and redetermination).

Job search and other activities

Do not authorize job search in combination with other activities. See Chapter 4.6.6.12 (Combination of Activities Examples).

Counting job search hours

Job search hours should be counted using only the hours of child care authorized for the job search activity (including travel time, if needed). For example, if the parent is authorized for six hours per day of child care for the job search activity and the provider charges a daily rate, count only six hours of job search toward the 240 hours allowed per year.

Counting job search hours during an adverse action period

If the amount of child care authorized is being reduced, a 15-day notice is required. During the notice period, count only the hours the parent is job searching toward the 240 hours allowed per year. For example, if 40 hours of care biweekly was previously authorized and care is being decreased to 20 hours biweekly, pay the 40 hours of care through the required notice period but only count the 20 hours used for job search toward the 240 hours allowed per year. Hours authorized for job search should only be reduced at the parent’s request.

Reconciling job search hours

Workers can reconcile job search hours used on the job search tracking window when the family used less child care than authorized and the provider bills for less hours than authorized.

Example:

If 20 hours per week was authorized and the provider billed 15 hours per week, the job search tracking window can be adjusted to 15 hours per week.

Verifying job search

Do not verify the actual numbers spent on job search or require families to submit job search logs.

Legal authority

Minnesota Statutes 119B.10, subd.1
Minnesota Rules 3400.0040, subp.15a