Select activities in the following order of preference as needed for the family’s circumstances:

1. A job in the competitive labor market.

2. Job search.

3. Subsidized employment or unpaid work experience.

4. A job combined with job readiness education or job skills training.

5. A job or unpaid work experience combined with activities related to pre-employment needs.

This hierarchy is a guide:

· It does not provide specific guidance about what to include in every participant’s Employment Plan.

· The assumption behind the hierarchy is that it will not be possible for every participant to work full-time at every point during their time on financial assistance.

Interim steps may be necessary to achieve a major activity or to transition from one level of activity to another.
The Employment Plan must also include those specific steps.

When considering the order of preference for activities and the participant’s circumstances, use the following criteria:

· All activities must put the participant on the most direct path to employment and any steps that support long-term economic stability.

· All activities in the plan should build upon prior steps.

· All activities must contribute to the participant's overall goal.

· Participants have the right to participate in education activities in their employment plans if they meet the admission criteria, even if those activities do not qualify as core activities.

Pre-employment activities are activities that help participants unable to work or search for work address barriers to employment. They include:

· Chemical dependency and mental health assessments.

· Chemical dependency and mental health treatment and services.

· Learning disability services.

· Child protection services.

· Other programs designed to enhance employability.

Activities related to safety are the priority in Family Violence Waiver Plans. See Chapter 08 (Family Violence Waiver).

· Those plans must ensure the safety of the caregiver and children. See 8.24 (Employment Plans & Family Violence Waiver).

· Use a modified order of preference that prioritizes safety.

For participants in Family Stabilization Services:

The order of preference is much more flexible. See 17 (Family Stabilization Services).

For teen parents without high school diplomas:

Education is the goal and the order of preference for activities does not apply. See 9.6 (Education Requirements).