Vermont § 1007 - Required participation

§ 1007. Required participation

• (a) Each participating adult in a family receiving Reach First services shall participate
  in necessary assessments and developing a family development plan, if applicable,
  unless good cause exists for such noncompliance as defined by the Commissioner by
  rule. The Commissioner may use the same rules applicable to good cause as established
  in the Reach Up program. (b)(1) If an adult does not comply with the following requirements without good cause, the
  Department shall initiate the conciliation process to determine the reason that the
  adult has not complied with the requirements and shall modify the requirements, if
  necessary, or provide the adult with a second opportunity to comply: (A) The single parent or caretaker in a family who has no barriers to obtaining and maintaining
  a job and a recent and stable work history, including receiving wages for his or her
  most recent job that, when annualized, equal or exceed 150 percent of the federal
  poverty level applicable to the family, shall report to the Department of Labor for
  an immediate job search within two working days of having filed an application. (B) The able-to-work adult in a two-parent family (when the other parent is able to work
  part time or unable to work) who has no barriers to obtaining and maintaining a job
  and a recent and stable work history, including receiving wages for his or her most
  recent job that, when annualized, equal or exceed 150 percent of the federal poverty
  level applicable to the family, shall report to the Department of Labor for an immediate
  job search within two working days of having filed an application. (C) The adult in a two-parent family (when both parents are able to work) who is not the
  primary caretaker of the children shall report to the Department of Labor for an immediate
  job search within two working days of having filed an application. (2) The Reach First payment may be withheld during the conciliation process and until
  the adult complies. (3) If the adult does not report without good cause to the Department of Labor after the
  second opportunity, the adult shall be denied Reach First and Reach Up. (c)(1) If an adult does not comply with the following requirements without good cause, the
  Department shall initiate the conciliation process to determine the reason that the
  adult has not complied with the requirements and shall modify the requirements, if
  necessary: (A) Each participating adult shall participate in the development of his or her family
  development plan. (B) Each participating adult who is not referred to the Department of Labor pursuant to
  this subsection shall report as directed by the Department for assessment and evaluation
  activities. (C) Each participating adult shall begin to comply with his or her family development
  plan requirements as soon as possible, and not later than 10 days following identification
  of initial requirements at the initial family development plan meeting. Each participating
  adult shall continue to comply with such family development plan requirements until
  such time as the family is ineligible or transferred to Reach Up or Reach Ahead. If
  a family is transferred to another program, the rules of that program apply. (2) If conciliation is unsuccessful, the Department may apply the Reach Up sanctions and
  transfer the family to the Reach Up program for further case management and other
  services. (Added 2007, No. 30, § 1, eff. May 17, 2007; amended 2021, No. 20, § 285.)