Early Job Search (EJS) is a specialized voluntary activity offered exclusively to participants whose GR cases are in a pending status.  EJS is a supervised job search activity lasting up to 6 weeks.  However, if the participant’s case is approved at any time during the EJS activity, the participant is referred to the next appropriate activity, JSPC or Fastrak.  GR employables are informed of the EJS activity, and given the opportunity to volunteer, during GROW Orientation.

 KEY POINTS

• Only participants with pending GR applications may participate in EJS.
• EJS participants report to the GROW Job Developer, who reports their participation status to the Case Manager.
• Participants will be given information regarding any upcoming recruitment activities, such as job fairs, job leads, and any other information that will assist them in their search for employment.
• All EJS participants are given a Job Search Assignment form and log to track their job searches.
• EJS participants are required to attend weekly follow-up appointments with a Job Developer during which they bring their completed job search log to verify their job search activity for the week.
• EJS participants receive tokens for transportation to the GROW sites and/or to job sites where they are seeking employment.
• Participants who enroll in EJS but fail to participate are dropped from the activity and will not be assigned to another GROW activity until their GR case is approved, at which time they will be assigned to JSPC or Fastrak, as appropriate.  Failure to participate is determined when the participant:
  • Fails one appointment with the GROW Job Developer and/or
  • Has insufficient verification of job searches.
• Job Developers will notify Case Managers of a participant’s failure to keep his/her weekly appointment and/or when the participant does not have sufficient verification of job searches.
• A successful completion is one in which the participant finds full-time employment. 
• Participants who find employment of 20+ hours during EJS are no longer required to participate in GROW. However, if the case is approved, they may request  Post-Employment Services.

CASE MANAGER DUTIES

• Assign all participants that volunteer for EJS to the Job Developer.  
• For all participants interested in EJS, enters EJS participation into the GROW system.
• Issue bus tokens to the participant for transportation, as needed.
• Drop participant from the activity when notified that the participant is no longer meeting the participation requirements.
• If the GR application is approved prior to the participant successfully finding employment, the Case Manager assigns the participant to JSPC or Fastrak.
• For individuals who obtain employment during EJS:

• Create a Working Component (WRK) with the job information, and 
• Notify EW with the ABP 296, Notification of Change. 
• If the employment is: 

• Less than 20 hours per week, participation in GROW continues; or 
• 20 hours or more per week, update EJS activity as completed and offer Post-Employment Services for individuals whose cases are approved for GR. 
   
• On approved cases, Issue work-related expenses except transportation if it’s needed until the participant’s first paycheck. 

JOB DEVELOPER DUTIES

• Shares information regarding any upcoming recruitment activities, such as job fairs, job leads, and/or any other information that will assist the participant in their search for employment.
   
• Prints and hands the participant the Job Search Assignment form with the participant’s next EJS appointment and a job search log.
   
• Notifies the Case Manager if the participant fails to keep his/her weekly appointment and/or when the participant does not have sufficient verification of job searches.

RESULTS

Upon assignment to EJS, the outcomes should include:

• Motivated participants where encouraged to actively engage in job searching activities under the guidance of the Job Developer. 
• Once the GR application was approved, the participant was referred to JSPC or Fastrak. 
  
• The component assignment screen was completed on the GROW system.