Facts

• Federal regulations mandate two-parent families spend 30 hours per week in work-related activities specified by the state. The amount is dropped to 20 hours per week if the children are under the age of 6. Many cases are exempt from the work participation rate.
  
  

Function

• The purpose of the work participation rate is to ensure needy families are working toward being self-sufficient and not receiving assistance for an indefinite amount of time.
  
  

Types

• There are two types of work participation regulations. One type applies to families receiving temporary assistance. These regulations dictate the number of hours spent in work-related activities, as well as the general types of acceptable activities. The second type of work participation regulations apply to states giving out the money. States must ensure that families receiving aid are meeting their required work hours.
  
  

Warning

• States that do not ensure families are meeting work participation rates can be sanctioned by the federal government, and the amount of aid they receive to distribute can be reduced by up to 5 percent.
  
  

Considerations

• States are allowed to define what activities can be included toward the work participation rate. The federal list of acceptable activities includes: unsubsidized employment, subsidized employment, work experience, on-the-job training, job search, community service, vocational training, job skills training, ongoing education and participation in GED classes.