Overview
Contractors who hold agreements meeting certain criteria are required to establish hiring goals that help TANF beneficiaries gain employment with the contractor, grantee, or their subcontractors.
CPP staff works with contractors to meet their hiring goals by connecting them to DHS' employment and training programs. CPP staff is also available to provide technical assistance as needed.
- For contractors with agreements in place before October 2019, CPP requirements are included in the contract terms and agreements.
- Beginning October 2019, DHS’ requests for applications (RFA) and requests for proposals (RFP) for an agreement totaling $5 million or more require applicants to respond to CPP implementation prompts, including their hiring goal and implementation plan for meeting that goal.
Participating in CPP
For contractors who submitted a response to an RFA or RFP for $5 million or more beginning in October 2019, the hiring target and implementation plan are identified in the applicant's response.
The hiring target is established by a formula: 10 percent of the average of the annual number of the applicant's new hires in Pennsylvania over the prior three years. For example: 30 hires in 2023, 35 hires in 2024 and 40 hires in 2025. The average number of hires over those three years is 35. With a goal of 10%, the hiring target should be to hire 3 CPP eligible individuals each year of the contract.
Contractors create a business folder in the Commonwealth Workforce Development System (CWDS) in order to document participation and receive credit for hiring TANF recipients. The business folder is contract specific and must be updated regularly for accurate contact information. Instructions can be found here: Creating a CWDS login and creating a business folder
Contractors are expected to follow the implementation plans outlined in their application response (for contractors selected through RFAs or RFPs published in October 2019 or after). This plan may be referenced if there are challenges in reaching the hiring goals. CPP staff is available to assist with connections to employment and training providers and for technical assistance.
As of June 9, 2023, quarterly reporting has ended. Employers now enter all hires via PA CareerLink. Submitting hires through PA CareerLink will also report all hires to the New Hire Report. All hires made by the employer must be entered into PA CareerLink to be recorded. Data entry of hires can be done as often as needed but must be done at least quarterly. DHS staff will review CPP eligible hires made by contractors no less than quarterly and provide updates to the contracting DHS office. (October, January, April and July). If no hires were made during the previous quarter, DHS may reach out to confirm that there were no hires during the quarter.
Hiring TANF participants may qualify employers to receive the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and incentives through the Federal Bonding program. To learn more about these programs, please visit the PA Department of Labor & Industry's website resources.
CPP staff are available for technical assistance and to provide information for connecting contractors to potential job candidates. Contractors should keep in touch with their DHS contract monitor and the CPP staff, especially if you have questions or concerns.
The information submitted via PA CareerLink will be audited for accuracy and the findings will be used to determine if the contractor is meeting its hiring requirements as noted in the contract.
Benefits of CPP Participation
In addition to supporting communities and families with employment opportunities, the program has additional benefits for employers:
- Access to Pennsylvania job seekers to fill employer workforce needs
- Connections to the DHS employment and training network for assistance with training, hiring, and workforce retention services
- Qualifying for federal hiring incentives such as the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and Federal Bonding
Frequently Asked Questions
Current DHS contractors who have the CPP requirement in the terms and conditions of their agreement with DHS are required to participate in the program for the duration of their agreement. Beginning in October 2019, entities who enter into an agreement with DHS through an RFA or RFP for $5 million or more are required to participate. Hiring plans will be submitted during the RFA or RFP process.
An eligible CPP job candidate is an individual who currently receives Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) in Pennsylvania at the time of hire. Hired individuals do not need to perform work specific to the contract services.
Yes, all contractors with a CPP requirement in their agreement must still establish a business folder in CWDS and submit all hires made to demonstrate their awareness of the requirement and preparation to participate if hiring plans change in the future. Subcontractor hiring also counts towards the target. Any contractor submitting a hiring target of zero will be reviewed by CPP staff and the DHS office that maintains contract oversight. Exceptions and hiring targets goals will be reviewed on a case by case basis. It is important to note, that individuals hired do not need to perform work specific to the contract services.
CPP staff are available to assist contractors who are interested in voluntary participation in the program. Organizations will need to establish a business folder, Keystone ID, and password in CWDS to begin the process. Instructions for these steps can be found on the CPP website. Once these steps have been completed, a PA778 form will be sent to your organization for completion and enrollment. Email the completed document to: RA-BETPCPP@pa.gov
Any contract awarded by DHS that has a CPP requirement listed in the Terms and Conditions of the agreement or negotiated during the RFA/RFP, must establish a hiring target. Since the hiring target is based off of 10% of the average Pennsylvania hires over the last three years, the goal should be reviewed to reflect how the newly awarded contract may increase hiring capacity. Goals can be revised and split across contracts if the same workforce area is shared. CPP staff are available to work with contractors to discuss goals. Maintaining a business folder and reporting all hires is contract specific and must be maintained throughout the life of the contract.
Contractors will report their number of Pennsylvania hires annually for the past three years and calculate the average number of hires per year; the target goal should be 10% of that average The hiring target is the number of Pennsylvania TANF hires an organization committed to hiring during the life of the contract. Any contracts renewed or extended beyond the original terms may require an amended hiring target for any subsequent years of the contract. For current contractors whose CPP requirement was established in the terms and conditions of their agreements (prior to October 2019), the hiring goal (currently referred to as the hiring target) should reflect how many positions may be filled by eligible CPP job candidates over the life of the contract. Beginning in October 2019, for contractors whose CPP requirement is established through the RFA or RFP process for $5 million or more, the hiring target is established by a formula. If the contractor has no plans to hire anyone during the life of the contract, the hiring target can include a plan for anticipated hires by any subcontractors, parent companies, or affiliates. If a contractor does not have an established presence in Pennsylvania but has subcontractors, the hiring target can be submitted by creating a hiring plan that will be fulfilled by that entity.
The contracting program office and the Bureau of Employment Programs will review all hiring targets during the RFA or RFP process. Exceptions to the hiring target can be requested and will be considered at the DHS' discretion.
A good faith effort means that a contractor is actively working toward meeting their hiring targets by following their implementation plan and submitting hires in PA CareerLink. Contractors who are not able to meet their CPP hiring targets or need assistance in doing so must be able to demonstrate contact with CPP staff and their local workforce development boards to find qualified job candidates who meet the CPP eligibility criteria. Contractors also can post open job positions on the PA CareerLink website to match with CPP eligible candidates. Pennsylvania’s Employment and Training (E&T) Providers can support CPP hiring efforts by pre-screening job candidates, hosting job fairs, and upskilling job candidates to support workforce needs.
No. If you provide the required data in PA CareerLink, the system will confirm TANF status. The information needed to enter hires in PA CareerLink includes: name, address, date of birth, Social Security Number (SSN), rate of pay, job title, SOP code, county of employment, and date of hire. If the individual is known to our system, their demographic information will automatically fill.
There are several employment and training providers that can help connect employers with CPP-eligible hires. DHS has employment and training contractors statewide that work with TANF clients who are seeking employment. The EARN network is comprised of 22 Workforce Investment Boards serving all Pennsylvania counties and Work Ready programs are operated by 11 Community Action Agencies, serving 15 Pennsylvania counties, who work with individuals looking for employment opportunities. In addition, our 14 KEYS providers work with students enrolled in community college who are looking for employment after graduation. These programs can pre-screen job candidates and host employer recruiting events. The CPP staff can help with providing contact information and connections to these programs.