§ A400-11. Welfare work program (Nashua Employment Opportunity Program).

A. 

Any recipient of general assistance determined able-bodied may be required to work through the Nashua Employment Opportunity Program (NEOP) for the City or other appropriate local human service agencies at any available bona fide jobs that are within his/her capacity as reimbursement for benefits received. (RSA 165:31)

B. 

Participants in the welfare work program are not considered employees of the City, and any work performed by welfare work program participants does not give rise to any employee/employer relationship between the recipient/welfare worker and the City. The Board of Aldermen, through adoption of these guideline, has voted to make provisions of Chapter 123, amending RSA 281-A:2, not to be applicable to NEOP participants.

C. 

Required NEOP workers hours are based on the amount of aid rendered and are calculated at the prevailing wage. All hours attributable to welfare work participation shall be used to reimburse the City for assistance given. No recipient shall work more hours than necessary to reimburse the City for aid rendered. No NEOP participant will be compensated in the form of a cash payment.

D. 

If, due to lack of available work or other verifiable good cause, a recipient does not work a sufficient number of hours to fully compensate the City for the amount of his/her aid, the full amount of aid for which he/she is eligible under these standards shall still be paid.

E. 

The City shall provide reasonable time during working hours for the recipient to secure work in the labor market.

F. 

Refusal to work does not include failure to appear for or to perform under the circumstances listed below. The recipient should, however attempt to schedule appointments so as not to conflict with the welfare work program and must notify his/her Welfare Official in advance of the appointment. The Welfare Official may require recipients to provide documentation of the attendance at a conflicting interview or appointment. The circumstances include when the recipient:

(1) 

Has a conflicting interview for a job possibility.

(2) 

Has a conflicting interview at a service or welfare agency.

(3) 

Has a medical appointment or illness.

(4) 

Must care for children under the age of five. A person responsible for a child over five but under 12 years of age shall be deemed to have verifiable good cause to refuse to work during the hours the child is not in school, if there is no responsible person available to provide care and no other care is available.

(5) 

Is unable to work due to mental or physical disability as determined by the Welfare Official or must remain at home because of illness or disability to another member of the household. A physician must verify any of these conditions in writing.

(6) 

Does not possess the materials or tools required to perform the task and the municipality fails to provide for them.

G. 

Working hours shall be established by the Welfare Officer and are subject to approval by the work program site supervisor. Failure of the recipient to adhere to the established working hours will prompt review of the recipient's eligibility for general assistance and/or possible suspension.