(A) Except as provided in divisions (B) and (C) of this section, county departments of job and family services shall assign each minor head of household and adult participating in Ohio works first, other than a minor head of household participating in the LEAP program, to one or more work activities and developmental activities.

If a county department assigns a minor head of household or adult to the work activity established under division (H) of section 5107.60 of the Revised Code, the county department shall make reasonable efforts to assign the minor head of household or adult to at least one other work activity at the same time. If a county department assigns a minor head of household or adult to the work activity established under section 5107.58 of the Revised Code, the county department shall assign the minor head of household or adult to at least one other work activity at the same time.

A county department may not assign a minor head of household or adult to a work activity established under division (D) of section 5107.60 of the Revised Code for more than twelve months.

(B) If a county department determines that a minor head of household or adult has a temporary or permanent barrier to participation in a work activity, it may assign the minor head of household or adult to one or more alternative work activities instead of assigning the minor head of household or adult to one or more work activities or developmental activities. A county department may not assign more than twenty per cent of minor heads of household and adults participating in Ohio works first to an alternative work activity.

County departments shall establish standards for determining whether a minor head of household or adult has a temporary or permanent barrier to participating in a work activity. The following are examples of circumstances that a county department may consider when it develops its standards:

(1) A minor head of household or adult provides the county department documented evidence that one or more members of the assistance group have been the victim of domestic violence and are in imminent danger of suffering continued domestic violence;

(2) A minor head of household or adult is actively participating in alcohol and d rug addiction services certified by the department of mental health and addiction services under section 5119.36 of the Revised Code;

(3) An assistance group is homeless.

(C) A county department may exempt a minor head of household or adult who is unmarried and caring for a minor child under twelve months of age from the work requirements of sections 5107.40 to 5107.69 of the Revised Code for not more than twelve months. While exempt, the minor head of household or adult shall be disregarded in determining whether the county department is meeting the requirement of section 5107.44 of the Revised Code. The county department shall assign the exempt minor head of household or adult to at least one developmental activity for a number of hours a week the county department determines. The county department may assign the exempt minor head of household or adult to one or more work activities, in addition to developmental activities, for a number of hours the county department determines. Division (B) of section 5107.43 of the Revised Code does not apply to the exempt minor head of household or adult.

(D) A county department may reassign a minor head of household or adult when the county department determines reassignment will aid the assistance group in achieving self sufficiency and personal responsibility and shall make reassignments when circumstances requiring reassignment occur, including when a temporary barrier to participating in a work activity is eliminated.

A county department shall include assignments in the self-sufficiency contract entered into under section 5107.14 of the Revised Code and shall amend the contract when a reassignment is made to include the reassignment in the contract.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 319, §1, eff. 7/1/2017.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.

Effective Date: 07-01-2000; 2007 HB119 09-29-2007.