(a)

1. (1) Work experience is a core activity defined as supervised, unpaid work in the public or private sector in exchange for assistance.
2. (2) It provides a participant with the opportunity to gain the general skills, knowledge, and work habits necessary to obtain a job.
3. (3) The purpose of the work experience is to improve the employability of those participants who cannot secure unsubsidized full-time employment.
4. (4) The maximum allowable period is three (3) months.

5. (5)

   1. (A) Decisions to extend a work experience activity will be made at the local office level.
   2. (B) Extensions must be documented in the case file.

(c)

1. (1) Two-parent families assigned to a work experience are treated exactly the same as described for single parents, except for changes in the minimum number of hours.
2. (2) The minimum number of hours may be less than thirty (30) hours per week if the individual is engaged in another work activity that is counted toward his or her participation requirement, e.g., part-time employment or substance abuse, mental health, or rehabilitation services that include work experience activities as a part of treatment.

(d) Employment/job skills to be taught include, but are not limited to:

1. (1) Learning how to follow instructions and take orders;
2. (2) The importance of getting to work on time;
3. (3) Learning how to dress for the job;
4. (4) Learning how to work with others;
5. (5) Learning to work dependably;
6. (6) Improving work habits; and
7. (7) Improving one’s self-image, etc.

(e) Work experience may also include:

1. (1) Vocational training in a specified area;
2. (2) Unpaid work study;
3. (3) Training-related practicums;
4. (4) Unpaid internships; and
5. (5) Work experience activities that are part of substance abuse, mental health, or rehabilitation services.

(f)

1. (1) Work experience may be developed by the local office, or the office may accept placements at sites developed by other agencies as long as they meet the TEA policy on site development and have TEA-1408, Work Activity Site Agreement, on file.
2. (2) Exceptions to this requirement include training-related practicums and internships.
3. (3) Work experience sites may be public or private nonprofit agencies.
4. (4) For information on work experience site development, refer to subsection (j) of this section.

(g)

1. (1) Participants engaged in this work activity may include:

   1. (A) Any person who has not been successful in obtaining employment; and
   2. (B) Those the Program Eligibility Specialist determines would benefit from work experience.
2. (2) The participant will be assigned to a work experience site that is expected to enhance his or her employability.

(h)

1. (1) Each person placed at a work experience site must complete a TEA-1406, Work Site Participant Agreement.
2. (2) For other agency worksites, the Program Eligibility Specialist should contact that agency for a progress report on the participant.

(i)

1. (1) The site supervisor must agree to provide supervision through general employment and job-specific instruction and supervision.
2. (2) Both the site supervisor and participant will sign the TEA-1407, Participant Time Card/Progress Report.
3. (3) The document will be submitted biweekly to the Program Eligibility Specialist.

4. (4) The time card/progress report will document the:

   1. (A) Participant’s actual hours, performance, and progress; and
   2. (B) Intensity of the supervision and instruction provided.
5. (5) Site supervisors are also requested to provide an overall evaluation of the participant’s performance in this report.
6. (6) The signed document will be retained in the participant’s case file.

(j) Work experience site development.

1. (1)

   1. (A) The purpose of work experience sites is to provide participants with meaningful job skills in an actual work environment.
   2. (B) This purpose should be stressed to potential site supervisors to ensure they are aware of the agency’s expectations relative to supervision of the TEA participant.
   3. (C) It is also expected that the site supervisor will derive no direct benefit as a result of the participant’s participation in work experience.

2. (2) Work experience sites may be developed with:

   1. (A) Public government entities (city, county, state, and federal agencies);
   2. (B) Private not-for-profit agencies;
   3. (C) Community and charitable organizations; or
   4. (D) Private for-profit employers.

3. (3)

   1. (A) The TEA-1416, Job Order, will be used to take the job opening information.
   2. (B) The TEA-1408, Work Activity Site Agreement, will be used in developing work sites.

4. (4) Prior to assignment of a participant to a work experience site, the site supervisor will be made aware of the following assurances that must be provided to regular employees:

   1. (A) No currently employed worker or position will be displaced/partially displaced, or have normal work shift hours, wages, or employment benefits reduced as a result of activities by Transitional Employment Assistance Program participants;
   2. (B) The placement of TEA participants will not impair existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements;
   3. (C)

(i) Supervisors will not fill any established, unfilled position or vacancy with a TEA participant when regular workers are laid off from the same or similar positions at the site.

1. (ii) Currently employed workers will not be terminated in order to fill vacancies with TEA participants; and

   1. (D) The placement of TEA participants will not infringe upon the promotional opportunities of any currently employed individual at the worksite.

2. (5)

   1. (A) Local office staff will be responsible for discussing these assurances with the site supervisor prior to finalizing the site agreement.
   2. (B) It will be the responsibility of the site supervisor to make employees aware of these assurances.
3. (6) The site supervisor must agree to provide to the participant the same benefits (breaks, lunches, days off, etc.) and the same working conditions provided to employees performing comparable tasks.
4. (7) The TEA-1406, Work Site Participant Agreement, must be signed by the participant before participating in work experience.

(k) Monitoring work experience site.

1. (1) The local office may monitor participation:

   1. (A) Via the TEA-1407, Participant Time Card/Progress Report; and
   2. (B) Through monitoring (on-site visit) worksites developed by the local office.
2. (2) The site supervisor will submit the TEA-1407 biweekly to report progress.

3. (3) For other agency sites, the Program Eligibility Specialist should contact that agency for a progress report on the participant.

   1. (l) Injuries at the work experience worksite.
4. (1) If a participant is injured at a work experience worksite, the agency provides medical insurance coverage.

5. (2) If an injury occurs, the following steps should be taken to access medical benefits:

   1. (A) The participant will notify the local office;

   2. (B) The local office will:

      1. (i) Notify the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Policy Unit via email as soon as they become aware of the injury; and
      2. (ii) Provide the name and address of the participant;
   3. (C) The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Policy Unit will send a claim form to the participant for completion;
   4. (D) The participant will be requested to return the claim form to the insurance company for processing; and
   5. (E) Upon receipt, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Policy Unit will submit the claim form to the insurance company for processing.