What policies governed the Refugee Cash Assistance–Employment Services program? Who was eligible to receive RCA-ES financial assistance, for how long, and under what requirements?

Question

Nathan Bierwirth, BSW, worked as an employment counselor for Pathfinders Social Services, a nonprofit agency serving the Minneapolis metropolitan area. Pathfinders provided employment services for people leaving welfare, persons with disabilities, the homeless, and immigrants, refugees, and asylees. Part of Nathan’s caseload consisted of newly arrived refugees enrolled in Minnesota’s time-limited Refugee Cash Assistance–Employment Services (RCA-ES) program. Individualized Employment Plans (EPs) helped refugees transition from welfare to employment and self-sufficiency. EPs required a minimum of 35 hours per week of RCA-ES–approved activities, including employment services and formal education (limited to 20 hours per week). Nathan’s client, Ayana Tuma, a refugee from Ethiopia, had no educational or work experience and knew no English. This prevented her from effectively participating in employment service classes, so she enrolled in a full-time English as a Second Language (ESL) program. When Hennepin County audited Pathfinders, clients like Ayana, who exceeded the 20 hour instruction limit, could be sanctioned and even terminated from the program. As the audit approached, Nathan wondered if he should report Ayana’s ESL hours accurately or falsify her Employment Plan.

Answer 1

Refugee Cash Assistance–Employment Services (RCA-ES) was an eight?month, cash-assistance program that helped support and resettle adult refugees without dependents in the U.S. The federal government funded RCA-ES, but states administered the program. The eight-month period’s start date began upon arrival in the U.S., and not upon enrollment in the program. Because of this, refugees rarely received the full eight months of cash assistance. Participation in RCA-ES was guided by an Employment Plan (EP) designed by the employment counselor and the RCA client. EPs were written documents that detailed specific services provided to RCA-ES participants, the requirements for their participation in the program, and the consequences for noncompliance. EPs required a minimum of 35 hours per week of RCA-ES–approved activities. These activities included employment and nonemployment services. Employment services included job-seeking skills and strategies, resume writing, interview skills, job placement, job training, and job retention. Nonemployment services referred to services such as remedial and general education, English literacy education, housing and transportation needs, health or legal services, and basic family services. According to RCA-ES guidelines, nonemployment services could constitute only one-half of a client’s Employment Plan. For the other half, clients were required to participate in employment activities. EPs had to be completed within 30 days of a client’s enrollment in RCA-ES. If clients were noncompliant with their EP or if they exceeded the 20-hour limit on educational hours they became subject to sanctions. Sanctions ranged from a reduction in monthly stipend benefits to termination from the program.