Section 149-5-70 - SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (SCSEP)The primary purposes of an SCSEP project are to provide useful part-time community service training assignments for persons with low incomes who are 55 years old or older and to provide useful community services while promoting transition to unsubsidized employment.
70.01 Requirements of Subgrantees. Bureau of Elder and Adult Services subcontracts with non-profit agencies, referred to as subgrantees, who hire, supervise and train SCSEP participants. The Bureau's subgrantees are to provide the following to eligible individuals:(A) An hourly wage no more than the higher of the Federal or State minimum wage. A subgrantee may choose to supplement the wages of a participant with other funds, but the supplement cannot be used as match;(B) skill acquisition or skill enhancement opportunities;(C) periodic physical examinations;(D) personal and employment related counseling;(E) assistance in transition to unsubsidized employment where feasible; and(F) workers' compensation coverage and Social Security withholding. Subgrantees will also conform to training site responsibilities described in the SCSEP Handbook provided by Bureau of Elder and Adult Services.
70.02 Responsibilities of the Bureau of Elder and Adult Services. Bureau of Elder and Adult Services will monitor the program and financial performance of the subgrantees, ensure that positions are equitably distributed throughout the State based on demographics and geography and provide training to SCSEP participants and their supervisors.70.03 Participant Eligibility. In order to participate in the Bureau of Elder and Adult Services SCSEP, an individual must: (A) be age 55 or older and must reside in Maine;(B) have annual family income of not more than 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Level;(C) must prove eligibility to work in the United States by completing the Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) Form I-9 provided by the subgrantee; and(D) be recertified once each year to participate in the SCSEP.70.04 Training Site Eligibility. An organization is eligible to be a training site or subgrantee if it is either a private nonprofit organization (other than a political party or any facility used or to be used as a place for sectarian religious instruction or worship) that is tax exempt as a private non-profit corporation, or a public agency operated by a unit of government.70.05 Records and ReportsThe subgrantees will make reports, in such form and containing such information as the Bureau may require, and comply with such requirements as the Bureau may impose to assure the correctness of these reports.
70.06 Right of Appeal(A) Participation in SCSEP may be denied, reduced or terminated when: (1) The participant does not meet the eligibility requirements in Section 70.03; or(2) The participant voluntarily withdraws; or(3) The participant engages in sexual or other illegal harassment of an employee, volunteer or consumer of a provider; or(4) The participant's participation puts others, including consumers and service providers, in danger; or(5) Funds are not available.(B) Denial, reduction or termination of participation in the program under Section 70 shall be done in accordance with Section 40 of this policy manual.10-149 C.M.R. ch. 5, § 70