Bill > H4484

This bill aims to promote employment by making several changes to the laws governing transitional aid to families with dependent children (TAFDC) in Massachusetts. The key provisions are: 1. Expanding the definition of eligible "work-related requirements" for TAFDC to include a wider range of education and training programs, such as 4-year college, associate's degree, and vocational/occupational skills training. 2. Requiring the Department of Transitional Assistance to conduct a screening of TAFDC applicants and recipients to identify barriers to employment, such as learning disabilities or housing/family conflicts, and provide accommodations or good cause exemptions from work requirements accordingly. 3. Allowing TAFDC recipients to request extensions of their benefits for up to 6 months, with the department considering factors such as availability of appropriate job opportunities, access to education/training, and significant personal or family barriers to full-time employment. 4. Allowing the department to extend the duration of education or training activities that TAFDC recipients are engaged in, as long as the department determines they are making substantial progress. The overall goal of the bill is to provide TAFDC recipients with more flexibility and support to overcome barriers to employment through education, training, and accommodations, rather than simply imposing work requirements.

Budget and Finance

Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities (J)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H4484