730            WORK: PARTICIPATION IN WORK ACTIVITIES

The goal of ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program is to move Alaskans from welfare into jobs so they can support their families, and to maintain a safety net for those truly in need. In accordance with that goal, and to meet our legislative mandate, it is the job of the Division of move all TATemporary Assistance adult parents and caretaker relatives who are determined mandatory work activity participants into a job or other work activity prior to the receipt of the family's twenty-fifth of TATemporary Assistance benefits.

As a method for attaining this primary goal and to meet performance measures set by federal law, the Division adopted the "Work First" approach to its welfare-to-work program, particularly as operated in urban areas of Alaska. The Work First approach holds that any job is a good job and the best way to succeed in the labor market is to join it. Work first participants develop work habits and skills on the job rather than in a classroom.

As a requirement of ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program, mandatory participants must take part in work activities assigned to them. This requirement applies to ATAPAlaska Temporary Assistance Program applicants as well as recipients. Mandatory participants who fail to take part in assigned work activities incur a penalty that reduces their assistance payment. See the Penalties: General Provisions chapter for the policy that applies to such penalties.

Included in the remainder of this chapter are policies on countable work activities, exemptions from the requirement to participate in work activities, performance measures and participation targets, and hours of participation.