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Senior Community Service Employment Program

(SCSEP)

California Department of Aging

Coordinator Training

Project Participant Responsibilities

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SCSEP Project Responsibilities to Participants

Recruitment of Eligible Participants and Enrollment PrioritiesEnrollment and Participant OrientationCapturing Volunteer Information at EnrollmentParticipant Wage and Fringe Benefits (PWFB)Assessments and Individual Employment Plan (IEP) Community Service Assignment - Subsidized PlacementRecertification Participant Reassignment or RotationSupportive Services ExamplesParticipant FilesPayroll DocumentationSCSEP Participant Durational Limits & Transition PlansParticipant TerminationPost-Placement Follow-up First Six (6) Month Period (Retention)Post Placement Follow-up at 12 Month PeriodVolunteer Follow-up

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The Basics Recruitment of Eligible Participants

Age – 55 years or older

Income - 125 percent or less of Federal Poverty Guideline

Unemployed

Resident of California

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Enrollment PrioritiesDo not enroll job ready applicants!

Priority given to applicants 65 and older OR applicants with the following status:

Veterans/spouses

Disabled

Limited English proficiency

Low literacy skills

Rural residence

Low employment prospects

Failed to find employment through Workforce Investment Act programs

Homeless or at risk of homeless

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Enrollment

Enrollment begins when an eligible individual is assigned to a community service assignment

Once assigned, participants get paid wages for hours related to:

Orientation

Assessment and IEPs

Pre-Community Service Training

Community Service Assignment

Assistance with Unsubsidized Employment Search

Volunteer InformationDOL requires projects to collect participant volunteer information at enrollment

DOL tracks volunteer information in SPARQ

When a participant exits the program, projects are required to follow-up on the participant who did not volunteer before enrolling in SCSEP to find out if they are now volunteering

DOL provides this information to Congress, showing the value of SCSEP by tabulating how many participants exiting the program without gaining unsubsidized employment are still contributing to the community through volunteer services

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Participant Wages & Fringe Benefits (PWFB)

Hours of participation per yearOn average 18-22 hours per weekDepends of federal funding

Starting dateAssignment to a host agency/community service assignment

Rate of payNo less than the highest of Federal, state or local, or prevailing wage

Uniform treatmentParticipant staff must be treated the same as all other participants

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Fringe Benefits

Annual physical examSick leave not part of an accrued sick leave policyEmployer-honored federal holidaysFICAWorkers CompensationUnemployment Insurance – only if state law requires {California does not require unemployment insurance since participants are part of a federally funded training program [Unemployment Insurance Code §634.5(e)(1) & §634.5(e)(2)]}No accrued fringe benefits

Zero balance at the end of each program year

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Community Service Assignment - Subsidized Placement

Pre-placement activities – Developing the right (best) assignment

MUST be based on assessed strengths and barriersTraining/position descriptionSupervision and trainingIEP Goals

Rotation as a policy and practiceMonitoring and evaluationSpecialized training

IEP relationship; growth industriesOJE

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Participant OrientationContent for Orientation

Wages start with assignment to host agencyExpectation to achieve and retain unsubsidized employmentAssignment is temporarySCSEP goals and objectivesCommunity service assignmentsOther training opportunitiesAvailable support servicesFree physical examinationParticipant’s rights and responsibilitiesPermitted and prohibited activities

No lobbying at host agencyNo volunteering at host agency

SCSEP policies and proceduresGrievance procedure – CDA PM 11-06(P)Leave of absence policy – Developing State PolicyParticipant terminations – CDA PM 11-20(P)

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Required Services

Assessment

Individual Employment Plan

Community Service Assignment with wages

Referral to American Job Center for employment services

Job search assistance & counseling

Orientation

Supportive services (includes post employment)

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SCSEP Funds Can Support

Participant wages while in training plusReasonable costs for:

InstructorsClassroom rentalTraining supplies and materialsEquipmentTuitionOther costs of training

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Assessment

Should be signed by participant and program staff

Must be updated twice per 12 month period

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Individual Employment Plan (IEP)

Participant’s first IEP must have an employment goal

Participant’s goal is the end point; action steps describe how to reach the goal

May be modified at any time

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Recertification RequirementsIncome of each participant must be recertified at least once in a 12 month period

No self-recertification

Allowable to recertify all project participants on same date

Allowable to recertify on an ongoing basis, but must be done within the 12 month period

Recertification requiresIncome (of all family members) must be documentedFamily size must be documentedIneligible participants: immediate written 30-day notice of terminationParticipant referral to other sources of assistanceCompleting the recertification portion of the Participant Form, including the waiver factors

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Participant Reassignment or Rotation

Rotation of Community Service Assignment must be based on the participant’s IEP:

Greater opportunity for use of participant’s skills and aptitudesProvides work experience or training that will enhance unsubsidized placement potential

Participants should be considered for rotation to new training assignment if they have completed their site training and are not being considered for hire

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Supportive Services

Purpose:

To assist participant in successfully participating in community service assignments and to help participant gain and keep a job

Can provide support services during

12-month post-placement period to help ensure retention

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Examples of Supportive Services

CounselingTransportation (special provision)Room and board, if necessary, during trainingPeriodic group meetingIncidentals, including but not limited to:

Work shoesBadgesUniformsSafety glassesEyeglassesHand tools

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SCSEP Participant Durational Limits

Durational limit (DL) for program participation:

Up to 48 monthsProjects must provide transition planning to participants exiting because of DL – CDA PM 10-19(P)Last IEPs should reflect transition planning activitiesParticipants reaching DL must receive a 30 day notification letter and copy of grievance policy.

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Post-Placement Follow-up First Six Month Period (Retention)

After job placementMust follow-up for up to six months after placement

Verify continued unsubsidized employment and wages (with employer)

Determine need for supportive services to keep positions

Follow-up a must if you want your project to get credit for unsubsidized employment in performance measures

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Post Placement Follow-up at 12 Month Period

12 month post-placementVerify continued unsubsidized employment and verify wages

Fosters contact between CDA-project and employer (could lead to other placements)

Follow-up a must if you want your project to get credit for unsubsidized employment in performance measures

Employer Customer Satisfaction Surveys

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Participant Terminations

Termination Policy – CDA PM 11-20(P) CDA’s Termination Policy approved by DOLExplains “For Cause” TerminationsExplains IEP related TerminationsExplains other reasons for terminationRequires a 30 day notification letter detailing the reason for terminationRequires a copy of the grievance procedure to be included in 30 day notification letterTerminations and grievance procedures must be explained at orientationParticipant file must document a written receipt confirming termination and grievance procedures were covered during orientation

Follow-up Volunteer InformationProjects must follow-up on participants who exit the program without gaining unsubsidized employment and who did not perform volunteer services previous to their enrollment in SCSEP.

DOL is tracking in SPARQ to find out if these participants are now engaging in volunteer activities.

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Eligibility Documentation and Participant File Content

Enrollment information (participant form; signed and dated)I-9 (signed and dated)Worksheet to determine income eligibility (signed and dated)Eligibility documentation (with project director and participant signature)Recertification information and documentationSigned waiver if offer of annual physical exam refusedSigned acknowledgement of orientationAssessment (with twice per year updates)IEP (with updated actions)Community service assignment(s) with position descriptionsAny personnel actions as appropriate (IEP warnings, grievances, etc.)Case notes with case worker signature or initials and dateExit data and documentation (including unsubsidized employment retention follow-ups and volunteer follow-ups)

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Payroll DocumentationTime cards

Signature and dates

No modifications (white-out)

Payroll documentationWorksheets corresponds with general ledger

No modifications (white-out)

In-kind documentation Host Agency Supervisor Training Hours

Calculated on Supervisor hourly pay

Supervisor pay must be from non-federal funds

Limited to actual supervisor training provided

Signed and dated

Other Management DutiesCoordination activities

MOU with local Workforce Investment Board(s)AAA program coordinationCoordination with other SCSEP grantees

Employer outreach activitiesCommunity visibility activitiesMeet CDA Performance GoalsExpenditure of SCSEP funds

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Successful Projects Do:Assessments and IEPsCultivate good community service assignmentsProvide additional training, when possibleCollaborate with American Job CentersTrack participant progressExit managementEmployer placementsTrack expenditures and performance Follow-up

Unsubsidized employmentVolunteer activities