County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA General Relief Program Guide GRPG Presumption of Employability Number Page 907003 1 of 3 Revision Date November 1 2019 A Background This section provides information regarding the presumption of employability in the GR Program Purpose This section has been reformatted to current format and updated Job Search requirements Effective October 1 2019 Job Search requirements have been revised to Supervised Job Search Policy B All GR Applicants Presume all GR applicants to be AbleBodied AB Only determine if Unemployable UE upon receipt of medical evidence indicating that the applicant is not employable or is otherwise aided under the Incapacitated or Interim Assistance programs C Definitions The table below shows some definitions of terms used in this section and their treatment in the Employable Program Term DefinitionTreatment AbleBodied AB Individuals who are physically and mentally able to accept employment Unless acceptable verification of a medical or mental disability is provided to confirm otherwise consider the following people AB People with alcohol or drug dependence People with limited Englishspeaking capability People with limited English literacy People with limited job skills or training These people may be eligible to receive extended aid if they have extenuating circumstances have a verified course of action to address andor correct the situation within a limited time and are approved for a hardship waiver from time limits by the GR Program Manager Unemployable UE An individual with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities Conditionally Employable Individuals who claim to be employable for light work only or who have verified medical limitations because of a temporary or permanent medical condition which precludes some type of work activity These customers are also identified as employable with restrictions This will also include individuals who are unable to be assigned to the work project because there is not a site available D Conditionally Employable Work Project Requirement Conditionally Employable customers may have the work project requirement reduced substituted or waived entirely by written approval of the FRC Manager under the following circumstances County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA General Relief Program Guide GRPG Presumption of Employability Number Page 907003 2 of 3 No suitable work project site can accommodate the customers medical restrictions without aggravating the customers medical condition Image written exemptions or modifications in the ET case and document in Case Comments FRC staff will report the need for sites to accommodate specific medical restrictions to the CalFresh ET SW via form 1155 HHSA If feedback from the CalFresh ET SW indicates that a work project site cannot be developed to accommodate the customers medical restrictions the FRC Manager may modify or substitute the work project requirement for the remainder of the certification period and additional 1155 HHSA forms will not be required There is not a work project site available for the customer E Conditionally Employable Supervised Job Search Requirement Conditionally Employable customers may also have the Supervised Job Search requirement modified with written approval of the FRC Manager under the following circumstances The medical limitation severely restricts access to potential employers There is a shortage of available employment opportunities within the community that can accommodate limitations Image written exemptions or modifications in the ET case and document in Case Comments F Administrative Unemployability Customers sometimes may declare themselves employable and able to work when it appears to the worker that they are unemployable In these situations follow the steps in Processing Guide 907003A G Both Spouses Employable If both spouses are employable both must cooperate with all Employable Program requirements If either of the spouses is noncooperative both spouses will be ineligible during the employable sanction period H Employable with Unemployable or Incapacitated Spouse If only one spouse is employable aid both spouses as an employable couple for budgeting and certification periods If the employable spouse is Then cooperative with all Employable Program requirements continue the couple for another monthly period of aid noncooperative discontinue only the noncooperative spouse and apply the sanction The UEIncapacitated spouse if otherwise eligible will continue to receive aid under the requirements of the UE or Incapacitated Program IP The UE or IP spouse must meet timely reporting requirements for both during the sanction period County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency HHSA General Relief Program Guide GRPG Presumption of Employability Number Page 907003 3 of 3 When the sanction period is over and the employable spouse requests to be added back to the case a new application is required I Treatment of Married Couple One TimeExpired One UnemployableIncapacitatedInterim Assistance For cases with married couples when one spouse becomes timeexpired as AB and the other spouse remains eligible to UE IP or Interim Assistance Program IAP continue the case for the rest of the 12month certification period as appropriate Take the actions in Processing Guide 907003B Procedure Follow the actions in the policies above and Processing Guide 907003A and 3B for GR Employable requirements Other Program Impacts None References Program Guide Letters 65 and 73 Sunset Date This policy will be reviewed for continuance by November 30 2022 Approval for Release Rick Wanne Director Eligibility Operations