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You are here:Home →Reports & Publications →Other Reports →Job Access Planning - Challenges & Approaches →Appendix A Table of Contents → Illinois' Welfare Reform Program: Specific Initiatives and Programs
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Illinois' Welfare Reform Program: Specific Initiatives and Programs
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TANF initiatives and programs that have been implemented to address these principles and goals are discussed below.
- The Targeted Work Initiative (TWI) is available to families with no children under age 13. These families are limited to 24 months of cash assistance without employment. Some clients will be required to perform work activities before receiving their assistance payment. TWI clients who do not have a job after 12 months and clients who quit their jobs are entered in the Work First program. The client is assigned to employers who have contracted with the Department of Human Services. The employer will distribute assistance through a paycheck only after the client has performed the required work.
- A work stipend of $20 per month will be given to Work First clients to help them cover additional costs (transportation for example).
- Clients with children under age 13 who get a job receive Work Pays benefits. Their grant is reduced by $1 for every $3 earned. Receipt of the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit by working parents does not affect the grant. To promote child support income and employment, the TANF program will disregard $2 of every $3 of excess child support distributed by the child support agency to a family with earnings.
- Job-ready clients whose youngest child is age five through 12 must participate in the Get A Job initiative. This initiative requires an intensive job search for the first six months of assistance.
Clients must agree to cooperate in developing and signing a Responsibility and Services Plan that outlines a plan for self-sufficiency. Clients receiving TANF may own one car and have up to $3,000 in assets to encourage them to save money.
Illinois provides a Welfare to Work Tax Credit worth up to $8,500 for employers who hire long-term TANF recipients between January 1, 1998 and May 1, 1999.
Work Participation Requirements
At a minimum, the State of Illinois must demonstrate Maintenance of Effort (MOE) by following federal work participation requirements:
- A single parent must participate in a work activity for at least 20 hours per week in 1998. By 1999, single parents must increase their weekly work participation to 25 hours, and by 2000, they must work at least 30 hours per week.
- For two-parent families, both parents are required to work a combined total of 35 hours per week.
All recipients must attend an orientation and assessment with a Department of Human Services worker. During the assessment, the recipient must create a personalized plan (Responsibility and Services Plan). The plan will define steps the individual must follow to gain employment as quickly as possible. Failure to follow the plan could result in reduction or total elimination of cash assistance.
Individuals who cannot find a job or have not worked or finished high school, may be placed in one of the following programs:
- Adult basic education.
- English as a second language.
- GED classes.
- Vocational training.
- A work program.
- A degree program if the individual is working at least 20 hours per week or the program can be completed within one year.
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