NUMB:
970135
VERS:
ORIGINAL
REF:
XXBY:
ALD. HINES, GORDON, PRATT, JOHNSON-ODOM, BUTLER AND RICHARDS
TITL:
Resolution urging the continuation of the fair hearing process into the full implementation of the W-2 program.
ANLS:
- Analysis -
This resolution urges the Governor, State Legislature and Department of Workforce Development to continue and maintain the fair hearing process, as it currently exists under AFDC, into the full implementation of the W-2 program.
BODY:
Whereas, Federal and Wisconsin welfare reforms are underway, affecting thousands of households and children in the City of Milwaukee; and
Whereas, Enabled by a federal waiver, the State of Wisconsin designed welfare reform initiatives to be phased-in prior to the full implementation of W-2 which is set for September, 1997; and
Whereas, The reform initiatives, Pay for Performance (PFP) and Self Sufficiency First (SSF) were initiated on March 1, 1996, along with a mandate for counties to reduce AFDC caseloads by 15-25%; and
Whereas, Under the current Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, when a person is dissatisfied with a county or tribal agency's action on his or her request for or amount of benefits, an agreement is often reached through an adjustment of explanation of the program's limits by the agency, and if no agreement is reached, the individual may request an administrative review by the Department of Health and Social Services through the fair hearing process; and
Whereas, Pay for Performance seeks to encourage people on welfare to become self-sufficient by pursuing employment as an alternative to welfare dependency, and persons who receive the new Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), which replaces AFDC, are assigned to activities by one of these state's JOBS contractors; and
Whereas, Under terms of Pay for Performance, every participant is required to meet mandatory monthly work hours in order to receive a grant while persons failing to meet these work requirements are subject to having their assistance grants reduced or discontinued; and
Whereas, In 1996, Milwaukee County accounted for over 60% of the state-wide sanctions; and
Whereas, Substantial erroneous sanctioning has occurred statewide, and for the vast majority of PFP participants who went through the fair hearing process rulings were made in their favor; and
Whereas, Erroneous sanctioning in an effort to reduce caseloads, is unacceptable when denial of basic needs such as food, housing and medical care will be the result; and
Whereas, With the current Fair Hearing process, under adequate and timely notice conditions, benefits to a family or individual continue or are reinstated until such time as the hearing decision is rendered; and
Whereas, Under W-2 there is no fair hearing process; and the current Fair Hearing process is being replaced by a local "fact finding process" under full W-2 implementation; and
Whereas, Currently, the Department of Workforce Development proposes to permanently bar persons who are sanctioned 3 times from any one of the W-2 job tiers, so that they will never again be eligible to receive W-2 assistance regardless of errors made by the W-2 agency or JOBS site; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Common Council urges the development of a process which will equitably and impartially reconcile errors that occur during the implementation of W-2; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Common Council also urges the State of Wisconsin and the Department of Workforce Development to continue and maintain the fair hearing process, as it currently exists under AFDC, into the full implementation of W-2; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Intergovernmental Relations Division of the Department of Administration is directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Governor, the State Legislature and the Department of Workforce Development to effect a change prior to September 1997 when the state is set to discontinue the fair hearing process.
DFTR:
LRB97194.1
TWM/AVE
4/22./97
CATT
DFTRss.
DFTR:
LRB97194.1
TWM/AVE
4/22./97
CATT
DFTR