WorkFirst HandBook
Employment Services
4.3 Employment Services – On the Job Training
The On-the-Job Training section includes:
- 4.3.1 What is employment services on-the-job training?
- 4.3.2 What are employment services–OJT standards?
- 4.3.3 How is employer participation and reimbursement determined?
- 4.3.4 How is monitoring progress conducted?
- 4.3.5 What are wage progression employment services OJT Standards?
- 4.3.6 What are employment services OJT Limitations?
- 4.3.7 What is release time training?
- 4.3.8 eJAS Codes
- 4.3.9 Employment services On-the-Job Training – Step-by-Step Guide
4.3.1 What is Employment Services – On-the-Job Training?
On-the-Job Training (OJT) offers a full-time subsidized employment activity for parents with an open TANF grant. OJTs provide skills training offered by an employer at an employer's place of business. It may be combined with classroom training. Full-time is defined as 32 – 40 hours a week.
The WorkFirst program authorizes the creation of two types of full-time OJTs:
- Learning new skills,
- Wage progression with new job duties.
Employers eligible to participate in OJTs are:
- Private companies or corporations
- Non-profit companies or corporations
- Public agencies without records for the parent
4.3.2 What are Employment Services - OJT Standards?
Use:
- a WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Master Agreement , WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Terms and Conditions , and a written contract to set up On-the-Job Training.
- Write the On-the-Job Training contract for occupations with a high potential for sustained demand or growth.
- Contract for wages of $9.00 an hour or more. (Offices may establish higher wage standards for their local area).
- Write all On-The-Job contracts for full time work.
- Write OJTs for up to twelve weeks depending on time needed to learn skills
- Reimburse an employer for up to and including 50% of the total gross wages.
- Reimburse for regular work hours only, no holiday or vacation hours.
- Reimburse pre-approved release hours for training at 100% of the initial starting wage.
- Build wage increases into the original OJT contract.
- List specific occupational skills the employer will teach.
- Meet wage progression standards (listed below- 4.3.5) for a wage progression OJT.
- Obtain an approved Exception to the Rule for any exception.
- Start training only after the Employment Security Department (ESD) employment counselor and the employer sign the contract
- Meet all the standards, limitations and general conditions as outlined in the WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Terms and Conditions .
- Do not write OJT contracts for occupations with other available funding sources, such as certified nurse aides.
The ESD WorkFirst Supervisor reviews the OJT contract to ensure it:
- Lists skills to be learned
- Gives the time required to learn the new skills
- Shows wages of $9.00 an hour or more
- Complies with OJT policy and items outlined in the WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Terms and Conditions .
The ESD WorkFirst Supervisor documents the review in eJAS. The supervisor also documents justification for the contract.
After approval of the contract, obtain ESD employment counselor and employer signatures.
As soon as all signatures have been obtained, send a copy of the OJT contract package to the ESD WorkFirst Administration. The package contains the WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Master Agreement , WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Terms and Conditions , and the OJT contract.
Recording and reporting On-the-Job Training actual hours of participation is done by the parent reporting earnings to their WFPS.
4.3.3 How is Employer Participation and Reimbursement Determined?
- Determine if WorkFirst may create a contract with an employer. Find out how many subsidized workers and how many unsubsidized workers the employer currently employs. An employer may not receive subsidies for than 25% or 1 in 4 of the employer's workforce. (In figuring consider all programs that may subsidize workers, such as WIA, Veteran programs or CTED's Community Jobs program.) To contract with a company above the 25% level requires an approved Exception to the Rule (ETR).
- Involve employers in the OJT development so they understand the purpose of the OJT and their training responsibilities.
- Consult with both the employer and parent about progress.
- Ensure the employer provides supervision for the parent to learn the contracted skills.
- Support all employer reimbursements with time and payroll records.
- Obtain timesheets signed by both the employer and the employee.
- Attach original time sheets and payroll records to the voucher.
- Modify contract to extend the training end date when needed. This may occur if the employee misses a day of training
- If the OJT employer fails to pay the employee wages or the employee's paycheck fails to clear the bank due to insufficient funds, do not use WorkFirst funds must not be used to compensate pay for the loss. Wage issues should be taken to Labor and Industries Wage Board.
4.3.4 How is monitoring progress conducted?
ESD monitors the employee's progress regularly. ESD visits the worksite to ensure all OJT training objectives are met and all parties remain satisfied with progress.
- For the first month of an OJT contract, ESD makes weekly on-site visits to the employer.
- After the first month, monthly on-site visits must occur.
- Visits may be more often if the employer and the ESD employment counselor agree.
- After each visit record as an “Employment” type note in eJAS:
- Progress towards meeting the OJT goals
- Any concerns along with solutions raised by the employer or employee
- Reason for ending an OJT early
4.3.5 What are wage progression Employment Services OJT Standards?
Use a wage progression employment services OJT when a parent has the opportunity to increase his or her earning potential. When the contract is created, the parent must still receive WorkFirst cash assistance.
A wage progression employment services OJT must meet the following conditions:
- A wage progression OJT allows an employed parent to exit WorkFirst cash assistance with a better job.
- A wage progression OJT successfully places an employee in a full-time job with increased wages and benefits
- A wage progression OJT places the parent with a different employer or in a new job with their current employer.
- A wage progression OJT provides training to obtain key job skills essential to attaining the wage progression.
4.3.6 What are Employment Services OJT Limitations?
Refer to WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Contract Terms and Conditions for a detailed list of employer expectations and limitations.
4.3.7 What is release time training?
Release time training is classroom or skills training provided by someone other than the employer. A community college or professional organization may provide this training. Employers receive 100% reimbursement for wages during the hours a parent is in this release time training. Support service funds may cover the cost of the release time training and for any books or related supplies needed.
4.3.8 eJAS Codes
- OT (On-the-Job Training)
4.3.9 Employment Services On the Job Training – Step-by-step guide
- The ESD Employment Counselor:
- Interviews an eligible parent who may benefit from On-the-Job Training.
- Determines justification for training.
- Discusses possibility of an OJT for an eligible parent with an employer.
- Talks with the employer approving authority about work site standards, limitations and general conditions.
- Figures percentage of subsidized employees for the employer. It cannot exceed 25%. Use all programs with OJT when figuring the percentage.
- Obtains an approved Exception to the Rule from WorkFirst Administration for any exception.
- Negotiates expectations, length, content and employer reimbursement regarding the proposed OJT with the employer and employee.
- Determines whether the prospective OJT employer is an established vendor in the automated system, and, if not;
- Completes a Vendor Registration Request Form (accessible online through the Inside ESD Website eforms).
- Determines whether a Master Agreement Number is in JAS.
- If no Master Agreement Number exists, follow this procedure:
- The WorkSource Specialist has the employer sign a WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Master Agreements and WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Terms and Conditions , and
- Creates the Master Agreement Number in JAS. (Consult the Internal Controls chapter on On-The-Job Contracts found in CATS for the procedure).
- All signed WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Master Agreements and a copy of each WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Terms and Conditions must be maintained in a local file. The WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Master Agreement and the WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Terms and Conditions are agreements between the local office and a specific employer to conduct OJTs and abide by the guidelines governing them.
- Sends a copy of each contract packet containing signed WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Master Agreement , WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Terms and Conditions and contract to WorkFirst Administration.
- Closes the JS component.
- Enters the OT component code and employment information in eJAS. The OT component may be entered for a future date.
- Creates the contract in JAS. (Consult the Internal Controls chapter on On-The-Job Contracts.)
- Prints copies of the OJT contract.
- Prints all vouchers for the contract period.
- Prints all WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Evaluation Forms for the contract period.
- Obtains employer signature on the contract.
- Delivers copies of vouchers and evaluation forms to the employer along with the individual's contract.
- Records the service in SKIES as well as the employment information.
- Notifies the WorkFirst Program Specialist that an OJT has been constructed.
- Informs the parent to report earnings to their WFPS.
- Monitors the individual's performance.
- For the first month of an OJT contract, ESD makes weekly on-site visits to the employer.
- After the first month, monthly on-site visits must occur.
- You may visit more often if the employer and the ESD agree.
- After each visit records an “Employment” type note in eJAS:
- Progress towards meeting OJT goals
- Any concerns along with solutions raised by either the employer or employee.
- Reason for ending an OJT early
- Provides support services when necessary.
- Maintains the signed original WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Master Agreements and a copy of each WorkFirst On-The-Job Training Terms and Conditions and contract in the local office for seven (7) years.
- For details on creating and modifying OJT contracts and creating and modifying OJT vouchers, refer to the ESD Internal Controls Manual.
- The WorkFirst Program Specialist:
- Enters the earnings in ACES.
Resources
Related WorkFirst Handbook Sections
- 4.1 Employment Services Overview
- 4.2 Employment Services – Job Preparation/Job Search
- 4.4 Employment Service - Work Experience