Jobseekers urged on at seminar

By Staff
Jonathan Willis FCT Staff Writer
A group of participants in a Jobs program seminar at the Franklin County Department of Human Resources got encouragement this week from a speaker whose goal was to motivate them as they get back into the job market.
The Jobs program is required of all recipients of public assistance, otherwise known as temporary assistance for needy families (TANF).
To qualify for TANF there must be a child under the age of 19 years old in the home who is still in high school and demonstrates a financial need.
The Jobs program aims to move welfare recipients into the work force as quickly as possible and to provide the supportive services needed to keep them working.
Sweeping welfare reform took place when the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act was passed into law in 1996. The new regulations placed a 60-month lifetime limit on welfare benefits.
Because welfare was not designed as a permanent way of life and only as a way to help families through periods of crisis, the Jobs program works to help families make the transition as smooth as possible.
Jobs participants continue receiving TANF benefits for three months after they go back to work and are also
eligible to receive transportation reimbursements for up to six months.
With rising costs of day care, many people entering the job force struggle to pay the costs. The county currently has only 12 licensed daycare homes, which makes it difficult for many to find adequate care.
Anyone interested in becoming a licensed daycare provider can contact Deborah Glasgow at 331-5914 at the Franklin County DHR.