CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2901

Chapter 89, Laws of 1998

55th Legislature

1998 Regular Session

WORKFIRST PROGRAM--JOB SEARCH COMPONENT

EFFECTIVE DATE: 6/11/98

Passed by the House February 13, 1998 Yeas 98 Nays 0

CLYDE BALLARD

Speaker of the

House of Representatives

Passed by the Senate March 3, 1998

Yeas 45 Nays 0

CERTIFICATE

I, Timothy A. Martin, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2901 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.

BRAD OWEN

President of the Senate

TIMOTHY A. MARTIN

Chief Clerk

Approved March 20, 1998

FILED

March 20, 1998 - 5:13 p.m.

GARY LOCKE

Governor of the State of Washington

Secretary of State

State of Washington

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ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2901

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Passed Legislature - 1998 Regular Session

State of Washington 55th Legislature 1998 Regular Session

By House Committee on Children & Family Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Cooke, Tokuda, Ballasiotes, Carrell, O'Brien, McDonald, B. Thomas and Boldt)

Read first time 01/29/98. Referred to Committee on .

AN ACT Relating to creating a job search component within the WorkFirst program; and adding a new section to chapter 74.08A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 74.08A RCW to read as follows:

The WorkFirst program operated by the department to meet the federal work requirements specified in P.L. 104-193 shall contain a job search component. The component shall consist of instruction on how to secure a job and assisted job search activities to locate and retain employment. Nonexempt recipients of temporary assistance for needy families shall participate in an initial job search for no more than twelve consecutive weeks. The recipient's ability to obtain employment will be reviewed within the first four weeks of job search and periodically thereafter and, if it is clear at any time that further participation in a job search will not be productive, the department shall assess the recipient pursuant to RCW 74.08A.260. The department shall refer recipients unable to find employment through the initial job search period to work activities that will develop their skills or knowledge to make them more employable, including additional job search and job readiness assistance.