- What is the Missouri Work Assistance (MWA) program?
Missouri’s employment and training program supports TA participants aged 18 and older, as well as teen parents under 18, in beginning their journey toward self-sufficiency. Participants are generally required to engage in employment and training activities for a set number of hours each week, unless they qualify for an exemption, exclusion, or temporary waiver.
- An exemption temporarily removes the participation requirement- for example, when a participant is caring for a child under 12 weeks old.
- An exclusion applies when a participant provides documentation for a qualifying circumstance, such as a temporary disability.
- A temporary waiver is granted by the MWA provider when a participant is unable, or only partially able, to meet work requirements.
- What are the categories for MWA participants?
- Mandatory (DD) – participants who are determined to have no condition or barrier that would allow an exemption or exclusion are mandatory to participate in work requirements activities.
- Volunteers (WW) –
- An individual who is exempt may volunteer to participate with MWA, they would have the same requirements as mandatory participants but cannot be sanctioned.
- Parents of a child under 12 weeks are also referred to MWA for employment and training services.
- Transitional Employment Benefits (TB) – TEB payments to families are made when the family loses eligibility for TA benefits due to an increase in income of the parent(s), removal of an earnings disregard, or a housing composition change which causes ineligibility due to income guidelines for TA.
- Sanctioned (SS) – a participant whose TA grant has been reduced by 50% for failing to comply with MWA work activities without good cause.
- Sanctioned applicant (AA) – an individual who re-applies for TA after their case was closed due to full family sanction. The individual must meet all eligibility factors for TA and complete a work activity for a minimum average of thirty hours for at least one week prior to approval of the TA case.
- TEB applicant (AB) – a participant whose TA has closed and is waiting for an eligibility determination for TEB to be completed. If approved, their status will change to TB.
- How many hours must participants complete each week?
- Single parent household
- Child under age 6 – 20 hours
- Child(ren) age 6 and over – 30 hours
- Two-parent household
- Child(ren) under 6 and not receiving childcare subsidy – 35 hours
- All other two-parent households – 55 hours
- Single parent household
- What are the requirements for initial contact?
After all voluntary, mandatory, and sanctioned TA applicants are referred electronically to providers, they must:
- Mail a MWA case management call-in appointment letter within three business days from the referral date to the participant.
- Schedule an initial meeting for the participant between 5 but no later than 10 working days from the date the appointment letter is mailed.
- What supportive services are available for participants?
Supportive services are reimbursements or purchases made for or to the participant to help remove barriers to self-sufficiency. This includes the Transportation Reimbursement Expense (TRE) and Work-related Expenses (WRE). Some examples of qualifying purchases include automobile repair, childcare registration fees, college application fees, computer/laptop, legal costs, personal hygiene items, rent/utilities, uniforms, costs to operate own business, etc.