EAEDC Transitional Employment for Massachusetts Parents (TEMP)

(A) As a condition of EAEDC eligibility, an individual must participate in Transitional Employment for Massachusetts Parents (TEMP) if: (1) he or she is the caretaker, as specified in 106 CMR 703.700; (2) he or she is included in the assistance unit; and (3) his or her youngest dependent child in the household is 15 years of age or older, unless the individual meets the criteria of 106 CMR 703.720 or has good cause as specified in 106 CMR 701.380: Good Cause Criteria. (B) Activities. Activities may include, but are not limited to: (1) employment of 20 hours or more per week; (2) a volunteer community service placement in a public, quasi-public or nonprofit organization, excepting that such a placement cannot be in the office of an individual candidate’s campaign for public office; (3) a combination of participation in employment search or education or training requirements as specified in 106 CMR 703.700(G) and a volunteer community service placement; and/or (4) a combination of employment of fewer than 20 hours per week and a volunteer community service placement. A participant’s TEMP Community Service Program placement may be changed at the Department’s discretion. The TAO Director or designee must approve any change in a TEMP Community Service Program placement. (C) Participation Criteria. The following are the criteria for participants in TEMP: (1) the caretaker must be a member of the assistance unit; (2) the caretaker must participate in a volunteer community service placement for 30 hours per week except if he or she is: (a) meeting the employment search, education or training requirements as specified in 106 CMR 703.700(G)); or (b) employed fewer than 20 hours per week; if so, then the adult caretaker must participate in a voluntary community service placement for 16 hours per week; and (3) the caretaker can fulfill TEMP participation requirements by: (a) being employed for 20 hours or more per week; or (b) participating in a volunteer community service placement approved by the Department. For EAEDC eligibility purposes, a caretaker meeting the TEMP requirements shall be considered to have also met the applicable EAEDC requirements as specified in 106 CMR 703.700(G). (D) Participation Requirements. The TEMP participant must: (1) attend the actual scheduled hours per week as specified in 106 CMR 703.710; (2) be performing satisfactorily in TEMP, as defined by the provider; and (3) provide verification of participation at time periods determined by the Department on a form prescribed by the Department. (E) Failure to Meet Participation Requirements. (1) If the caretaker fails to participate in TEMP, he or she shall be ineligible for assistance until he or she begins participation (see 106 CMR 703.710(C)) for a period of two consecutive weeks or is determined exempt from participation in TEMP. (2) Assistance to the remaining member of the assistance unit shall be in the form of vendor payments, if possible.