Section 335-A. Assessments and employability plans for certain recipients in households without dependent children

1. To the extent resources are
  available, the social  services  official  shall,  within  a  reasonable
  period  of  time not to exceed one year following application and not to
  the exclusion of the assessment requirements of  section  three  hundred
  thirty-five  of this title, conduct an assessment of employability based
  on the  educational  level,  including  literacy  and  English  language
  proficiency;  basic  skills  proficiency; supportive services needs; and
  the skills, prior work experience, training and vocational interests  of
  each  participant.    This  assessment  shall include a review of family
  circumstances.
    2. (a) Based on the assessment required by  subdivision  one  of  this
  section,   the  social  services  official,  in  consultation  with  the
  participant, shall develop an employability plan in writing which  shall
  set  forth  the  services  that  will be provided by the social services
  official and the activities in which the  participant  will  take  part,
  including supportive services and shall set forth an employment goal for
  the  participant. A local social services district may assign recipients
  in  households  without  dependent  children  to   any   activity.   The
  employability  plan  also  shall  take  into  account  the participant's
  supportive services needs, available program resources, local employment
  opportunities, and where the social services official is considering  an
  educational  activity assignment for such participant, the participant's
  liability for  student  loans,  grants  and  scholarship  awards.    The
  employability  plan shall be explained to the participant. Any change to
  the participant's employability plan required  by  the  social  services
  official shall be discussed with the participant and shall be documented
  in writing.
    (b)  Where  an  assessment  indicates  that  a  participant who is not
  subject to the education requirements of this title has not  attained  a
  basic  literacy  level, the social services official shall encourage and
  may require the participant to enter a program to achieve basic literacy
  or high school equivalency or to  enter  such  educational  programs  in
  combination   with   other   training  activities  consistent  with  the
  employability plan.
    3. A local social services  official  shall,  pursuant  to  department
  regulations  developed  in consultation with the department of education
  and the department of social services or  its  successor  agencies,  use
  designated   trained   staff   or   contract  with  providers  having  a
  demonstrated effectiveness  in  performing  assessments  and  developing
  employability  plans  to  perform  assessments and develop employability
  plans.
    4. Each applicant for or recipient of public assistance  as  described
  herein  must  participate  in  an  assessment  as required by the social
  services district in accordance with the  conditions  of  this  section.
  Applicants  who  fail  or refuse to participate with the requirements of
  this section shall be ineligible for public assistance.  Recipients  who
  fail  or  refuse  to  participate  with the requirements of this section
  shall be subject to the sanctions set forth  in  section  three  hundred
  forty-two of this title.
    5.  A social services district shall assign participants to activities
  pursuant  to  their  employability  plans  to the extent that supportive
  services including transportation are available.
    6. Nothing in this section shall be  construed  to  prevent  a  social
  services   official  from  providing  an  assessment  more  detailed  or
  comprehensive that the requirements set forth in this section.