441—93.10 (239B) Required documentation and verification.
	 93.10(1) Written notification to participants.
	  a.   	 Notice of meetings, assignments, and issues. PROMISE JOBS shall notify participants in writing of all scheduled meetings, of FIA activity and work-site assignments, and of any participation issues as described at rule 441—93.13(239B). PROMISE JOBS shall also notify the participant in writing when the participant is required to provide medical documentation, verification of hours of participation, employment verification, or any other verification.
	 (1) 	 PROMISE JOBS shall allow a participant five working days from the date notice is mailed to appear for scheduled meetings unless the participant agrees to an appointment that is scheduled to take place in less than five working days.
	 (2) 	 PROMISE JOBS shall allow a participant five working days from the date notice is mailed to appear for an FIA activity or work-site assignment or to provide medical documentation, verification of hours of participation, employment verification, or any other verification.
	 (3) 	 PROMISE JOBS shall allow additional time upon request from the participant when the participant is making every effort but is unable to fulfill requirements within the established time frame.
	  b.   	 Notice of decision. PROMISE JOBS shall send written notice to each participant in accordance with 441—Chapter 7 when services are approved, rejected, renewed, changed, canceled, or terminated for failure to cooperate or participate. PROMISE JOBS services are approved when the participant is assigned to begin participation in an activity as written in the FIA.
	 93.10(2) Verification of participation and progress. Hours of participation and a participant’s progress in FIA activities must be documented and verified. When the participant is responsible for providing the verification, PROMISE JOBS shall notify the participant in writing as required in subrule 93.10(1).
	  a.   	 FIA activities directly monitored by PROMISE JOBS. When the FIA activities are provided or directly monitored by PROMISE JOBS staff, such as job club or workplace essentials, the staff will document the participant's hours of attendance and progress in the case file.
	  b.   	 FIA activities not directly monitored by PROMISE JOBS. When FIA activities are provided by a service provider other than PROMISE JOBS, the provider shall verify the participant’s hours of attendance with Form 470-2617, PROMISE JOBS Time and Attendance Report, unless another method is required by this rule.
	 (1) 	 The provider is expected to specify the participant’s hours of attendance and to sign and date the Time and Attendance Report.
	 (2) 	 The participant is responsible for providing the signed and dated form to PROMISE JOBS within ten calendar days following the end of each month, unless the provider provides the form to PROMISE JOBS within this time frame.
	 (3) 	 Exception: If the participant is under age 20 and in high school or GED classes, the participant may verify the hours by completing and submitting the PROMISE JOBS Time and Attendance Report monthly. The training provider does not need to sign the form.
	  c.   	 Documentation of job search. The participant shall complete and provide documentation of any job search activities that cannot be verified by the PROMISE JOBS worker. The participant shall provide Form 470-3099, Job Search Record, within ten calendar days following the end of each month during which the participant has made a job search. The PROMISE JOBS worker shall consider the Job Search Record complete if the form includes:
	 (1) 	 Sufficient information to identify the employer that was contacted or the activity that was completed,
	 (2) 	 The date that the contact was made or the date the activity was completed,
	 (3) 	 The amount of time spent, and
	 (4) 	 The participant’s signature.
	  d.   	 Employment verification. Participants shall verify actual hours of employment at the time that employment begins, upon FIP approval if employed at the time of application, when changes in hours occur, and no less than once every six months thereafter. Participants may use employer statements or copies of pay stubs, Employer Statement of Earnings Form 470-2844, or may sign Form 470-0429, Consent to Obtain and Release Information, so that the employer may provide information directly to the PROMISE JOBS worker. Participants shall provide verification of actual hours of employment within five working days of the written request from PROMISE JOBS.
	  e.   	 Documentation of self-employment. At the time of the participant’s FIA review, a self-employed participant shall provide documentation of actual hours worked and gross income and business expenses from the last 30 days. Data from more than 30 days may be requested if the last month is not indicative of normal business. The participant shall provide documentation within five working days of the written request from PROMISE JOBS.
	  f.   	 Distance learning. When a participant is involved in a distance-learning program, PROMISE JOBS will accept the documentation issued by the distance-learning institution verifying that the student participated in the sessions.
	 (1) 	 Documentation may include the attendance records or log-in and log-out records available on line or in an electronic format. Documentation may also be obtained through an agreement with a support agency that monitors the student’s actual participation.
	 (2) 	 The participant is responsible for providing the documentation within ten calendar days following the end of each month unless the institution provides the documentation to PROMISE JOBS within this time frame.
	  g.   	 Failure to provide required documentation or verification. Participants who fail to provide documentation or verification as described in this subrule after written notification from PROMISE JOBS as described in subrule 93.10(1) shall be considered to have chosen the limited benefit plan. Procedures at rule 441—93.14(239B) shall apply.
	 93.10(3) Verification of problems or barriers. Participants may be required to provide written verification or supporting documentation of reported problems or barriers to participation, such as but not limited to lack of transportation, family emergency, or existence of a mental or physical disability or limitation or substance abuse.
	  a.   	 Medical documentation. A participant shall secure and provide written documentation signed by a qualified medical or mental health professional to verify a claimed illness or disability within five working days of a written request by PROMISE JOBS. This time limit may be extended due to individual circumstances, such as the need to obtain an updated evaluation. Acceptable verification includes Form 470-0447, Report on Incapacity, or other statement signed by a qualified medical or mental health professional to verify the existence of an illness, disability, or limitation.
	  b.   	 Other documentation. A participant shall secure and provide written documentation to verify a claimed problem or barrier to participation within five working days of a written request by PROMISE JOBS. Acceptable documentation may include a signed statement from a third party with knowledge of the problem or barrier.
	  c.   	 Failure to verify problem or barrier or to provide medical documentation. Failure to provide verification of a problem or barrier or to provide medical documentation as described at subrule 93.10(3) does not directly result in the imposition of a limited benefit plan. Examples of actions that do not directly result in a limited benefit plan include, but are not limited to, failure to provide Form 470-0447, Report on Incapacity, or other statement from a medical or mental health professional to verify the existence of an illness or disability, or a statement from a third party with knowledge about the problem or barrier.
	 (1) 	 Participants who claim an inability to participate on a full-time basis due to a claimed problem or barrier and who fail to provide verification or medical documentation upon written request may be required to renegotiate the FIA to include full-time participation in FIA activities. Failure to renegotiate the FIA may result in a limited benefit plan.
	 (2) 	 Participants who claim a problem or barrier caused their failure to participate for the full number of hours identified in their FIA and who fail to provide verification of the problem or barrier or medical documentation upon written request may not be excused for the failure to participate. If the failure is not excused, the failure will result in imposition of a limited benefit plan if the failure meets the criteria described at subrule 93.13(2).
[ARC 1146C, IAB 10/30/13, effective 1/1/14]