Benefits to Employment Act

Benefits to Employment Act This bill modifies the required content of, and renames, individual responsibility plans under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Generally, these plans document employment goals and work activities for certain recipients of TANF assistance; states may reduce TANF assistance to recipients who fail without good cause to comply with their plans. Specifically, the bill requires the plans to contain more specific content, such as the number of hours a recipient must participate in work activities. It also changes the name from individual responsibility plans to individual opportunity plans. In addition, states must develop plans for all recipients who are required to engage in work as a condition of receiving TANF assistance. (Under current law, states have the option of developing the plans for certain recipients.) States must also meet with TANF recipients periodically to review and update their plans.