Title IV-E MSW Employment Payback Requirement

A student who is employed in a county public social services agency position or a California Department of Social Services (CDSS) position must return to that agency and render one calendar year of continuous and satisfactory full-time employment for each year of full-time or part-time graduate support in a position at a level appropriate to a new MSW in child welfare service.  Appointment to and continuation in all such positions shall be subject to all applicable County Civil Service rules and departmental policies.  The student must report to work at the assigned position within six (6) months of graduation from the University with a MSW Degree.

• If the County Department is unable to provide appropriate employment within the six (6) month period, the student must seek employment in a county public child welfare services (CWS) agency within 75 miles of his/her home.
• If no county public CWS position is available within a 75-miles radius, the student must seek employment within the State of California in a county public CWS agency.
• If there is no qualifying County CWS position available within the State of California, the student must then request permission to seek employment in a nonprofit agency service IV-E clients.
• Should no qualifying position in a county public CWS agency or in CDSS/CWD or within the State of California or in a nonprofit agency serving county IV-E child welfare clients be available within 12 months of graduation, the student may apply for a waiver of employment payback requirements.

A student who is not employed in a county public social services agency or a CDSS must apply for and accept employment in a county public CWS agency in CDSS/CWD in a position at least at a level appropriate to a new MSW in child welfare services within a radius of 75 miles from his/her home.  The student must render one year of continuous and satisfactory full-time employment for each year of graduate support.

• Should no such qualifying position be available within six (6) months from graduation ,the student must seek employment within the State of California in a county public CWS agency.
• If there is no qualifying county public CWS agency position available within the State of California, the student must then request permission to seek employment in a nonprofit agency serving IV-E clients.
• Should no qualifying position in a county public CWS agency or in CDSS/CWD or within the State of California or in a nonprofit agency serving county IV-E welfare clients be available within 12 months of graduation, the student may apply for a waiver of employment payback requirements.

Students who are American Indians with tribal rights may complete their work commitment in the following setting as alternatives to California CWS:

1. a reservation or rancheria providing CWS in California;
2. an Urban Indian agency in California serving IV-E eligible children and families, or
3. a reservation providing CWS in another state.

California Cooperative Personnel Services, Merit System, serves thirty small counties.  That agency will provide information on the counties to each student graduating; secure interest from graduate students as to which counties they would seriously consider working in; accept one application rather than multiple applications for job openings within the thirty counties; and notify the students of CWS openings as they occur.  The students would have to interview for each available position in the counties in which they wished to be considered for employment.

The student's job search must be monitored by the school.  A mandatory job search form, approved by the Award and Stipends Committee of the Governing Board, must be utilized by each student and forwarded to CalSWEC upon request.

Each school must contact its graduates at least once a year, and preferably every six months, even after the graduates secure a public CWS position, to ensure that the full work requirement is met.  When a particular student has fulfilled the work requirement, the school must update its Student Information System and forward the information to CalSWEC.

Tasks
The schools will assist the student with the job search by providing information as to current CWS openings.  Schools will help the student in the employment/application process, and report the students' employment progress to CalSWEC.  Demographics on graduates will also be reported to CalSWEC.