CHAPTER 10
YOUTH AFFAIRS
[Prior to 3/12/97, see 345—Ch 12]
877—10.1(84A) Iowa conservation corps. The department of workforce development is responsible for administering the Iowa conservation corps (ICC). The purpose of the ICC is to provide meaningful and productive public service jobs for the young, the unemployed, and the handicapped.
	10.1(1) Components. The Iowa conservation corps consists of three program components: an in-school public service employment program for disadvantaged and handicapped youth; a summer employment program for youth from all social and economic classifications; and a program for unemployed young adults.
	10.1(2) Special projects. Up to $30,000 each fiscal year may be used to fund special projects which:
	a. 	Meet the purposes of the Iowa conservation corps;
	b. 	Are multistate, national or international in scope; and
	c. 	Provide significant educational or career development benefits to Iowa conservation corps enrollees.
To be funded, projects must be approved in writing by the director of the department of workforce development. ICC local matching requirements are waived for all special projects.
	10.1(3) All inquiries concerning the Iowa conservation corps should be directed in writing or orally to Department of Workforce Development, 150 Des Moines Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50309.
877—10.2(84A) Summer component.
	10.2(1)  Objectives. The objectives of the summer employment program are to accomplish needed conservation work on public lands, to provide gainful employment for 15- through 18-year-old youth from all social, economic, ethnic, and racial backgrounds, and to develop in participating youth an understanding and appreciation of Iowa’s natural environment and heritage.
	10.2(2)  Participating agencies. Nonprofit private and public agencies will be chosen to operate summer employment programs through a request for proposal process. For fiscal year 1999, regional advisory boards have the option of selecting participating agencies from the agencies that have been participating agencies of this component from previous fiscal years using sole source procurement procedures. Sole source procurement will ensure the timely implementation of the program during the summer of 1998.
	10.2(3)  Selection system. Each regional advisory board shall develop a regional request for proposal (RFP), including at a minimum the RFP selection criteria, work projects and environmental awareness activities to be conducted, health and safety plan, staff roles and responsibilities, and a detailed budget. The RFP will be widely distributed throughout the region to potential participating agencies.
	10.2(4)  Youth served. To be eligible for the summer employment program youth shall be at least 15 years of age as of June 1 of the year they wish to participate in the program and no older than 18 years of age as of August 31 of the year they wish to participate in the program and be able to participate in strenuous physical activity.
	10.2(5)  Project period. Projects will be funded for all or part of the three-month period beginning June 1 and ending August 31 of each year.
	10.2(6)  Local contribution. Fifty percent of the total project cost shall be provided from local sources. Up to a maximum of 25 percent of the total project costs may be in the form of in-kind services.
	10.2(7)  Program requirements.
	a. 	Recruiting for program enrollees shall be conducted in a manner that youth of all social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds have equal opportunity in applying for positions available.
	b. 	Youth shall be paid the prevailing minimum wage for 32 hours per week for six to eight weeks. Youth may be hired as youth leaders and may be paid an additional 25 cents per hour. An additional eight hours per week shall be nonpaid, environmental instruction.
	c. 	Sponsoring agencies shall abide by federal and state child labor laws.
	d. 	Youth and staff are required to wear a uniform consisting of a safety helmet, hard-toed shoes, blue jeans, and blue work shirts.
	e. 	Staff may be paid for a maximum of 40 hours per week for ten weeks.
	f. 	Sponsoring agencies will assume responsibility for any tort claims related to their project and shall maintain workers’ compensation and liability insurance covering their operations.
	g. 	All contracts for the operation of summer programs shall be on a reimbursement basis.
	h. 	All sponsoring agencies are required to conduct an audit performed by a certified public accountant within 90 days following the termination date of the contract.
If an agency conducts an agencywide audit in accordance with the federal OMB Circular A-133, the audit shall be due within 90 days of the end of the agency’s fiscal year. In the case of agencies utilizing the state auditor, the audit will be required 30 days after the state auditor issues the audit report.
	10.2(8)  Allowable costs. Allowable program costs include:
	a. 	Enrollee wages based on the minimum wage for an average of 32 hours per week. Youth leaders may be paid an additional 25 cents per hour. A minimum of 85 percent of the state funds awarded shall be allocated to enrollee wages and benefits.
	b. 	Enrollee fringe benefits including FICA, workers’ compensation insurance and liability insurance. Enrollees who successfully complete the program may be paid a bonus, not to exceed $100, to reimburse the cost of work boots, uniforms, and state camp fees.
	c. 	Staff pay calculated at an hourly rate comparable to other similar temporary summer employment opportunities in the local area.
	d. 	Staff fringe benefits including FICA, workers’ compensation insurance, IPERS, health and life insurance and other benefits as provided by the applicant agency.
	e. 	Travel and per diem for staff travel directly related to the operation of the ICC program; work-related travel, such as travel to and from work sites; and enrollee travel to state camp, for example.
	f. 	Equipment items which are necessary for the completion of work projects may be purchased. Items with a unit cost of more than $100 and used only on an occasional basis should be rented, rather than purchased.
	g. 	Supplies, including safety equipment (for example, hard hats, goggles, first-aid kits), small hand tools, work-related supplies, environmental educational materials and supplies, office supplies (for example, paper, envelopes, stamps, pencils).
	h. 	Other costs, including food and lodging costs for state camp, fiscal administration, audit, liability insurance, telephone and other costs deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the program.
	10.2(9)  Grant awards. Rescinded IAB 7/15/98, effective 7/1/98.
	10.2(10)  Program reporting. Sponsoring agencies shall submit monthly financial reports and a final performance report as required by the department and the regional advisory board.
877—10.3(84A) In-school public service employment program.
	10.3(1)  In-school component objectives. The objectives of the in-school program are to provide disadvantaged youth between the ages of 14 and 21 years with supervised work experience, educational services and other services designed to assist them in completing their secondary education and becoming self-sufficient adults.
	10.3(2)  Participating agencies. Nonprofit private and public agencies will be chosen to operate in-school programs through a request for proposal process. For fiscal year 1999, regional advisory boards have the option of selecting participating agencies from the agencies that have been participating agencies of this component from previous fiscal years or a member of the region’s coordinating service provider using sole source procurement procedures. Sole source procurement will ensure the timely implementation of the program during the fall of 1998.
	10.3(3)  Selection system. Each regional advisory board shall develop a regional request for proposal (RFP), including at a minimum the RFP selection criteria, participant work sites, career awareness activities to be conducted, staff roles and responsibilities, and a detailed budget. The RFP will be widely distributed throughout the region to potential participating agencies.
	10.3(4)  Youth served. To be eligible to participate in the in-school program a youth shall at the time of application be at least 14 years old, but no older than 21 years; either a current recipient of AFDC or disadvantaged; and enrolled in a full-time educational program leading to the completion of a secondary degree or its equivalent.
	a. 	“Current recipient of AFDC” means a recipient of the family investment program (FIP) and includes youth in the FIP foster care program.
	b. 	“Disadvantaged” means those youth who fall in one or more of the following categories:
	(1)	Youth who are from families whose gross income is equal to or less than the federal OMB poverty level guidelines. A complete income statement signed by the head of the household shall accompany the enrollee’s application for admission into the program.
	(2)	Youth who have been or potentially will be judged as delinquent by the appropriate law enforcement agency, by the juvenile court or by the probation department in the county in which the youth resides. A brief narrative description of the youth’s circumstances and relevant data should be attached to the application along with the recommendation of an official of one of the above-mentioned agencies.
	(3)	Youth who are mentally retarded, which for purposes of these rules means any individuals scoring 79 or below on an individually administered psychological examination by a qualified psychologist or any individual presently enrolled in a program for the mentally retarded. An identifying statement documenting the youth’s mental retardation should be attached to the application.
	(4)	Youth who have been determined as disadvantaged for some other cause such as family disruption, under foster care, learning disabilities, physical handicaps, potential school withdrawal, or behavioral disorders. A brief statement, which is signed by the referring agency, describes the rationale for utilizing this category, indicates the source of information on which the rationale is based and gives all other pertinent information, shall be attached to the enrollee’s application.
	10.3(5)  Project period. Projects will be funded for all or part of the ten-month period beginning August 15 and ending June 15 of each program year.
	10.3(6)  Local contribution. Fifty percent of the total project costs shall be provided from local sources. Up to a maximum of 20 percent of the total project costs may be in the form of in-kind services.
	10.3(7)  Mandatory components. Each in-school project shall be composed of the following three components: work experience; support services; project administration.
	a. 	“Work experience” means work activities related to soil conservation, land management, energy savings, community improvement and work benefiting human service programs. Work sites are restricted to public and private nonprofit agencies. Youth shall work a maximum of 18 hours per week while school is in session and a maximum of 40 hours per week during school recesses. Youth may work no more than 540 total hours under the work experience component unless a waiver is granted by the department of workforce development. Waivers will be granted on an individual basis based on need and prior attendance.
	b. 	“Support services” means services designed to expand a youth’s understanding of employment and experience in the world of work or broaden a youth’s perception of the environment. At least one hour of supportive services will be provided to each youth for every 20 hours they work. This time may be paid or nonpaid at the project’s discretion.
	c. 	“Project administration” means activities related to project management, bookkeeping and payroll.
	10.3(8)  Audit. Within 90 days from the contract’s termination date, unless an extension of time is approved by the department of workforce development, every organization awarded a contract shall submit to the workforce development department two copies of an audit report performed by a certified public accountant or a public accountant, as defined by Iowa Code chapter 542C. The audit report shall, at a minimum, include:
	a. 	Short form auditor’s opinion on the financial statements;
	b. 	The auditor’s comments on:
	(1)	The compliance of subgrantee with the terms and conditions of the contract (including the statement of work) and policies and procedures prescribed by the subgrantee’s governing board regarding financial operations;
	(2)	The internal accounting controls;
	(3)	The reasonableness of the cost allocation methods if personnel and overhead costs are allocated to more than one project;
	c. 	A cumulative statement of the resources and expenses by individual project; contract for the full contract period with a balance sheet if there are receivables and payables at the end of the project period;
	d. 	Notes to the financial statements and comments on questioned costs and accounting systems weaknesses.
If the audit of the contract is included as a part of an annual agencywide audit conducted in accordance with the federal OMB Circular A-133, the audit will meet the requirements of the subrule. The audit report shall be due within 90 days of the end of the agency’s fiscal year, rather than 90 days within the end of the contract. In the case of agencies utilizing the state auditor, the audit will be required 30 days after the state auditor issues the audit report.
	10.3(9)  Allowable program costs. To be allowable, the costs shall be necessary and reasonable for the proper and efficient administration of the program, be allocable to the program under standard accounting procedures, and shall be properly documented.
	a. 	Work experience costs. Allowable cost categories for the work experience component are youth salaries, FICA, liability insurance and workers’ compensation. All contractors shall report the amount of grant funds expended for wages and fringe benefits for all minority youth employed.
	b. 	Reimbursement. No reimbursements shall be made for costs which relate to youth who have not been certified eligible by the project director, or for claims which are over three months old.
	c. 	Administrative costs. Administrative costs including those for support services may not exceed 20 percent of the total project budget, unless a higher amount, not to exceed 30 percent, is specifically allowed in writing by the regional advisory board based on adequate justification submitted by the contractor.
Allowable administrative costs are limited to: project management (job development, placement, supervision, recruitment, certification), bookkeeping, payroll activities, travel, consumable supplies, printing, audit, postage, telephone, and rent. Every effort should be made to share costs with other programs and agencies to minimize administrative expenses.
Travel reimbursements shall not exceed mileage, meals and lodging allowed for state employees.
	10.3(10)  Funds allocation. Regional advisory boards will determine funds available for this component on an annual basis.
	10.3(11)  Youth planning areas. Rescinded IAB 7/15/98, effective 7/1/98.
877—10.4(84A) Iowa corps. Rescinded IAB 7/15/98, effective 7/1/98.
877—10.5(84A) Young adult component.
	10.5(1)  Objectives. The objectives of the young adult program are to accomplish meaningful and productive work on public lands and to provide gainful employment for 18- through 24-year-old, unemployed persons. The corps shall provide opportunities in the areas of park maintenance and restoration, soil conservation, wildlife and land development, energy savings, community improvement projects, tourism, economic development, and work benefiting human service programs.
	10.5(2)  Participating agencies. Nonprofit private and public agencies will be chosen to operate programs through a request for proposal process. For fiscal year 1999, regional advisory boards have the option of selecting participating agencies from the agencies that have been participating agencies of this component from previous fiscal years using sole source procurement procedures. Sole source procurement will ensure the timely implementation of the program during the summer of 1998.
	10.5(3)  Selection system. Each regional advisory board shall develop a regional request for proposal (RFP), including at a minimum the RFP selection criteria, work projects and environmental awareness activities to be conducted, health and safety plan, staff roles and responsibilities, and a detailed budget. The RFP will be widely distributed throughout the region to potential participating agencies.
	10.5(4)  Youth served. To be eligible for the young adult program, persons shall be at least 18 years of age and no older than 24 years of age at time of application; be unemployed; possess a minimum level of work skills; and have not been convicted of a felony in the past two years.
	10.5(5)  Project period. Projects will be funded for all or part of the four-month period beginning May 15 and ending September 15 each year. Under extenuating circumstances, such as natural disasters or unusual weather conditions, the project period may begin earlier than May 15 or end after September 15 with the written permission of the department of workforce development.
	10.5(6)  Local contribution. Fifty percent of the total project cost shall be provided from local sources. Twenty-five percent shall be in the form of cash and 25 percent may be in the form of in-kind services directly to the operation of the project.
	10.5(7)  Program requirements.
	a. 	Recruiting for corps members shall be conducted in such a manner that persons who are eligible have equal opportunity to apply for positions available.
	b. 	Corps members shall be paid the prevailing minimum wage for 40 hours per week. Eligible persons employed as lead workers may be paid an additional 35 cents per hour.
	c. 	Corps members and staff are required to wear a uniform consisting of a safety helmet, hard-toed shoes, blue jeans and blue work shirt or a uniform consistent with the agency’s personnel policies.
	d. 	Participating agencies will assume responsibility for any tort claims related to their project and shall maintain workers’ compensation and liability insurance covering their operations; or, in the case of state agencies, provide assurances that alternative arrangements are made to cover such liabilities.
	e. 	Corps members are exempted from the provisions of Iowa Code chapters 19A, 96, and 97B. Corps members shall follow all personnel policies of the participating agency.
	f. 	All contracts for the operation of the young adult program shall be on a reimbursement basis.
	g. 	All participating agencies are required to conduct an audit performed by a certified public accountant within 90 days following the termination date of the contract. If an agency conducts an agencywide audit in accordance with the federal OMB Circular A-133, the audit shall be due within 90 days of the end of the agency’s fiscal year. In the case of agencies utilizing the state auditor, the audit will be required 30 days after the state auditor issues the audit report.
	h. 	Corps members may be allowed up to five hours per week of nonpaid release time to attend graduate equivalency diploma (GED) classes.
	i. 	Participating agencies shall prepare written work project plans for each project that is performed. Plans shall include projected and actual costs of labor and materials, special equipment needs, time line to perform project, and safety hazards.
	j. 	Participating agencies shall designate a project supervisor and ensure that corps members will receive appropriate supervision at all times.
	k. 	During the last three weeks of employment, corps members may be granted eight hours of paid time each week to search for permanent employment.
	l. 	Personnel files shall be maintained for each person enrolled in the program; the files shall include a standardized application form, state and federal withholding forms, federal immigration form (Form I-9), time sheets signed by the corps member and supervisor, evaluation reports, any disciplinary actions and termination form.
	m. 	The director of the department of workforce development or designee retains the right to monitor the project, including a review of personnel files, work project plans and financial report, for program compliance.
	10.5(8)  Allowable costs. Allowable program costs include:
	a. 	Corps members’ wages based on the minimum wage for an average of 40 hours per week. One hundred percent of state funds awarded shall be allocated to corps members’ wages and fringe benefits.
	b. 	Corps members’ fringe benefits, including FICA, workers’ compensation insurance, and liability insurance. Enrollees who successfully complete the program may be paid a bonus, not to exceed $200, to reimburse the cost of work boots, work clothing, and other extraordinary work-related costs.
	c. 	Staff pay and fringe benefits, including FICA, workers’ compensation insurance, IPERS, health and life insurance, and other benefits as provided by the applicant agency.
	d. 	Travel and per diem for staff travel directly related to the operation of the program; work-related travel, such as travel to and from work sites.
	e. 	Equipment items may be purchased which are necessary for the completion of work projects. Items with a unit cost of more than $100 and used only on an occasional basis should be rented, rather than purchased.
	f. 	Supplies, including safety equipment (hard hats, goggles, first-aid kits, for example), small hand tools, work-related supplies, and office supplies (for example, paper, envelopes, stamps, pencils).
	g. 	Educational costs, including the cost of enrollment in a GED program.
	h. 	Other costs, including fiscal administration, audit, liability insurance, telephone, and other costs deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the program.
	10.5(9)  Grant awards. Rescinded IAB 7/15/98, effective 7/1/98.
	10.5(10)  Program reporting. Participating agencies shall submit monthly financial reports and a final performance report as required by the department and the regional advisory board.
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 84A.4.
[Filed 7/15/75]
[Filed emergency 12/1/75—published 12/15/75, effective 12/1/75]
[Filed 2/6/76, Notice 12/15/75—published 2/23/76, effective 3/29/76]
[Filed emergency 9/3/76—published 9/22/76, effective 9/3/76]
[Filed emergency 6/16/77—published 7/13/77, effective 6/16/77]
[Filed emergency 8/30/77—published 9/21/77, effective 8/30/77]
[Filed emergency 7/7/78—published 7/26/77, effective 7/7/78]
[Filed emergency 5/12/82—published 6/9/82, effective 5/12/82]
[Filed 9/13/82, Notice 8/4/82—published 9/29/82, effective 11/4/82]
[Filed emergency 1/31/83—published 2/16/83, effective 1/31/83]
[Filed 4/5/84, Notice 2/29/84—published 4/25/84, effective 6/1/84]
[Filed 5/15/86, Notice 3/26/86—published 6/4/86, effective 7/9/86]
[Filed emergency 6/13/86—published 7/2/86, effective 7/1/86]1
[Filed emergency 12/19/86—published 1/14/87, effective 12/19/86]
[Filed 1/14/87, Notice 11/19/86—published 1/28/87, effective 3/4/87]
[Filed 3/30/88, Notice 1/13/88—published 4/20/88, effective 5/25/88]
[Filed 9/30/88, Notice 7/27/88—published 10/19/88, effective 11/23/88]
[Filed 8/18/89, Notice 7/12/89—published 9/6/89, effective 10/11/89]
[Filed 10/27/89, Notice 8/9/89—published 11/15/89, effective 12/20/89]
[Filed emergency 8/17/90—published 9/5/90, effective 8/17/90]
[Filed 11/20/90, Notice 9/5/90—published 12/12/90, effective 1/16/91]
[Filed 9/23/94, Notice 7/6/94—published 10/12/94, effective 11/16/94]
[Filed 2/17/95, Notice 1/4/95—published 3/15/95, effective 4/19/95]
[Filed emergency 6/28/96—published 7/17/96, effective 7/1/96]
[Filed 2/21/97, Notice 1/1/97—published 3/12/97, effective 4/16/97]
[Filed emergency 6/26/98—published 7/15/98, effective 7/1/98]
[Filed 8/19/98, Notice 7/15/98—published 9/9/98, effective 10/14/98]
1	Rules regarding “Green Thumb Program” were previously 290—Ch 70.