INTENT
To provide general direction and considerations for designated Authorized Officials assessing individuals for Workforce Development (WD) programs, services, eligibility determination, and service management decisions.

WD Services is an element under Career Employment and Information Services. WD Services helps individuals:

• Develop skills to address and or overcome identified barriers,
• Obtain and maintain employment,
• Develop skills needed for effective labour market attachment, and
• Connect with employers needing to fill jobs.
  
  

NOTE:

• Barriers are defined as challenges that prevent an individual from being employed, sustaining a current position in the workforce, or being promoted. Common barriers may include a lack of education or work skills, inappropriate work behaviors, or disabilities.
• Barriers may be self-disclosed, supported by medical records, or identified through assessment(s).
• Disabilities refers to a physical, mental, sensory, intellectual or learning impairment which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder labour market participation.
  
  

The objectives of WD Services are:

• To assess and develop plans for individuals with barriers to address needs for effective labour market attachment.
• To connect eligible individuals with prospective employers able to provide them with employment.
• To enable employers to fill job openings and skill shortages.
  
  

POLICY

To be eligible for WD Services an individual must be:

• At least 18 years of age*
• An Alberta resident
• Unemployed or marginally employed, including persons with disabilities
• A Canadian citizen, permanent resident or convention refugee and be legally entitled to work and train in Canada
• Assessed by a Seniors, Community and Social Services (SCSS) Authorized Official as having a barrier(s) impacting attachment to the labour market
• Willing to address identified barriers to support labour market attachment.
• Requiring assistance to address identified barriers to support labour market attachment
• Able to provide or access their own financial support while participating in WD Services i.e. WD Services do not provide financial benefits to participants.
  

*Exception: The delegated Minister’s Representative may approve youth specific employment services. Youth must:

• Be 16 years of age or older, and
• Meet all individual eligibility requirements for WD Services.
  

NOTE:
Regarding Employment Insurance (EI): Individuals with an Active EI claim are not eligible to participate in a Paid Work Exposure.

Eligibility and Expectations of Service Providers

• Determine whether the individual meets the eligibility requirements for WD Services.
• Ensure that access into the program is fair and transparent.
• Must be third-party provider separate and distinct from the employer.
• May not act as the Employer, and may not employ the individual.
• Deliver WD Services as outlined in their agreement with the Government of Alberta.
• Market WD participants to employers, as well as employers to the participants, in order to complete the goal of finding an individual employment or work exposure opportunity.
• Meet all requirements as identified in the Government of Alberta's legislation and policies.
• Provide individual support throughout the program.
• Collection and entry of required data in identified Government of Alberta systems.
  
  

NOTE:
Subsequent Service Provider assessments may determine that WD services are not appropriate for an individual. Service Providers are responsible for proper documentation of their findings/rationale and referring the individual to Alberta Supports for further assessment or service options.

Eligible Employers

• Prior to entering into a Work Exposure Agreement, the Service Provider will ensure that an employer meets the following eligibility requirements:
• The employer must be a legal entity either incorporated or registered within a province or territory in Canada and are providing services to Albertans.
• The employer is not a Federal, Provincial, Crown Corporation or Crown Agency Employer.
• The employer has been in business for at least six months or can demonstrate financial stability.
• The employer must be separate and distinct from the service provider.
• The employer has and will maintain adequate liability insurance for the duration of the Work Exposure Agreement.
• If the Workers’ Compensation Act (Alberta) applies, the employer is registered and in good standing with the Worker’s Compensation Board, and confirms that individuals hired through the Work Exposure Program will be workers of the employer for the purpose of receiving workers’ compensation benefits under the Workers’ Compensation Act.
• If the WCB Act does not apply, employers must have comparable coverage for individuals hired through the Work Exposure Program and must provide proof of this coverage.
• The employer is in compliance with the laws of Alberta pertaining to applicable employment legislation and regulations.
• The employer has not received any other funding for the intended training position(s).
• There is no displacement of workers, or workers on layoff/or awaiting notice of recall as a result of entering into the Work Exposure Agreement.
• There is a reasonable opportunity for on-going employment of the individual by the employer.
• Private and/or not-for-profit organizations.
• Employers are selected based on their ability to provide ongoing employment or a paid work exposure opportunity.
• An Agreement for Work Exposure must be in place prior to employers hiring an individual as a component of this program.
• Government of Alberta staff and/or Service Providers must use discretion when considering employers for seasonal work.
  
  

Program Components

WD Services responds to the need of the individual, and must include a mandatory component and may include one or more supplementary components and/or Additional Support Activities.

Mandatory Component

Employment Development Activities (up to 16 Weeks)

• Work/life Service Management activities to facilitate the removal of barriers to employment
• Skills analysis and identification of work options
• Work search techniques which may include skill development such as: interviewing, resume writing, and self-marketing. (*NOTE: this is not an exhaustive list of possible work search techniques)
• Workshops to develop employment, occupational, and job skills
• Work Connection. Supporting individuals to connect to available employment opportunities
• Employment development activities cannot exceed 16 weeks in duration
• Employment development activities may be completed concurrently with Paid Work Exposure
  
  

Supplementary Components

There are two supplementary components:

1.  Work Exposure (up to 12 Weeks*)

• Individuals receive paid work exposure opportunities with employers for 12 weeks*.
• Paid work exposure is not intended to replace regular orientation, or basic training provided by the employer to new employees hired outside the WD program.
• An integral part of the paid work exposure is the development of a Work Plan.
• The Work Plan will:
• Address gap(s) between the individual’s skills and position requirements.
• Provide an opportunity to apply learned skills to address identified barriers to employment
• Be developed jointly by the service provider, individual and employer.
• Promote healthy workplace practices for obtaining and maintain employment
• The work exposure agreement will be negotiated between the service provider, individual and employer.
• The work exposure agreement length is determined on a case-by-case basis and directly related to the assessed abilities and needs of the individual and the complexity of the work exposure requirement.
• The work exposure may be full-time (a minimum of 30 hours per week) or part-time (less than 30 hours per week).
• Paid work exposure participants must receive at least minimum wage as defined in the Alberta Employment Standards Code.
• All work exposure participants will continue to adhere to the rules of other programs they are involved in, i.e. Income Support and report all income.
• Through the Disability Related Employment Supports (DRES) assessment, the Government of Alberta may assist employers with worksite modification, vehicle modification, on-the-job coaching, and supportive services for people with disabilities.
  
  

 *Exception: the delegated Minister’s Representative may approve the work exposure for up to a maximum of 26 weeks based on the likelihood the additional time will significantly improve the individual’s ability to attach to employment.

NOTE:

Work Exposure Contributions: SCSS and or SCSS Authorized Official will negotiate a maximum financial reimbursement amount to the employer based on the individual’s Work plan up to a maximum of 12 weeks.

2.  Work Maintenance and Support (up to 8 weeks*)

• Work maintenance and support component is up to 8 weeks*.
• When an individual attaches to the labour market, work maintenance/support may be negotiated between the service provider, employer and employee to determine the details of the maintenance/support and duration.
• Work maintenance may include addressing individual’s workplace behaviours and employment retention skills, establishing an employment mentor, or employer mediation.
  NOTE: this is not an exhaustive list of possible work maintenance and support activities.
• A monitoring plan is created and documented by the service provider
• A monitoring form will be completed on each visit. Monitoring will consist of the following:
  • On-site interviews, identification, and evaluation of supports with the WD participant
  • On-site interviews, identification, and evaluation of supports with the employer
  • Documentation of monitoring visits to be retained in the individual’s Service Provider file.
    
    

  * Exception: The delegated Minister’s Representative may approve work maintenance/support up to 26 weeks based on the likelihood the additional time will significantly improve the individual’s ability to attach to employment.

Additional Support Activities (optional)

There are two additional support activities:

1.  WD-Exposure Courses

Some individuals may require short-term certificate courses such as First Aid/CPR, H2S Alive, Confined Space, and others in order to enhance their chances of obtaining and retaining employment. The cost of these courses can be covered if it is determined they are required in order for the individual to obtain employment and it is included in their Individual Plan.

Short courses cannot be longer than two weeks in duration for full-time, and no longer than six weeks if part-time, within a period of 6 months. The maximum funding for short courses is up to $2,500 per calendar year (January 1 to December 31).

These courses are intended to make the individual more employable and are expected to assist in their direct employment. This optional support activity is not intended to replace or duplicate other training programs offered by SCSS.

2.  WD-Employment Supports

Individuals may require a one-time financial support for employment supports such as work boots, hard hats, or other items required for the job site. In these cases, individuals are eligible for $511.00 maximum per calendar year (January 1 to December 31) to assist them obtain and retain employment.

Duration of Services

Any combination of WD component services is not to exceed 52 weeks.

Program Exit

WD services conclude for a participant when:

• the participant has completed the agreed upon program components, or
• the participant successfully connects to the labour market in a full-time or part-time position, or
• the participant is not actively participating in the program, or
• Service Provider assessments determine that WD services are not appropriate for an individual requiring the individual to be reconnected to Alberta Supports for further assessment or service options.
• The service provider must complete the entry of required data in identified Government of Alberta systems e.g. Contact Information, Employment History.

Expected Outcomes

The expected outcomes of WD Services are full-time or part-time employment. Part-time employment is an acceptable outcome if it has been identified as the employment goal in an individual’s Individual Plan.

It is expected that:

• At least 50% of WD Services individuals who are accepted into and access these services are employed full-time 90 days (three months) after completing their WD Services.
• At least 50% of WD Services individuals who are accepted into and access these services are employed part-time 90 days (three months) after completing their WD Services.
• Accountability - Performance Measures are outlined in the Alberta Works On-line Policy Manual.

Monitoring of WD Services

The Government of Alberta is responsible for monitoring WD Services to ensure:

• Local practices are consistent with Government of Alberta legislation and policies
• Service Providers follow monitoring practices consistent with policies for Risk Management outlined in Accountability and Financial Management policies
• Any issues or concerns in provincial program policy and guidelines are addressed
• Program policy and guidelines are adjusted where required

Monitoring Individual Participation

While the Government of Alberta retains responsibility for monitoring the program, the service provider is responsible for:

• Monitoring the progress of the individuals according to their Individual Plans, and
• Adhering to Government of Alberta standard report policies and procedures as stated in their agreement with the Government of Alberta

Business Process

APPEALS/REVIEW OF DECISION

Review of Decision

RELATED POLICIES