Section 17-1427-4 - Respite companion service program eligibility, status, benefits(a) In order to qualify as a respite companion, a person shall meet the following requirements: (1) Be fifty-five years of age or older. No person shall be determined ineligible solely for reasons of advanced age, and no upper-age limit shall be used;(2) Be physically and mentally capable of performing part-time employment duties;(3) Be determined as income eligible for the program by: (A) Having an individual income that does not exceed one hundred twenty-five per cent of the poverty level determined in accordance with criteria established and updated by the United States Office of Management and Budget; or(B) Receiving cash welfare payments; and(4) No additional conditions or requirements for enrollment eligibility shall be imposed.(b) Respite companions shall be employees of the department and shall: (1) Receive wages, temporary disability insurance, unemployment insurance, and worker's compensation, as determined by state personnel procedures and in accordance with federal regulations for the senior community service employment program (SCSEP); and(2) Receive the following benefits: (A) Provision of bus fare or mileage reimbursement in accordance with Hawaii government employees association bargaining unit ten negotiated rates. The transportation costs shall be paid by the client family. If it is determined the client family cannot meet the costs, the costs shall be paid from the respite companion service program budget, subject to the availability of funds;(B) A pre-entry physical examination and an annual physical examination paid with respite companion service program funds, up to a maximum cost determined by the respite companion service program;(C) Paid pre-service training;(D) Monthly paid in-service training;(E) Information and referral to other community resources and services, as needed; and(F) Counseling and guidance relative to job or non-job-related problems.(c) The respite companion shall be encouraged to seek opportunities to gain unsubsidized employment. The respite companion: (1) May contract privately to engage in additional work for any client family as long as the work does not negatively affect service as a respite companion;(2) May contract privately to engage in additional work for the respite station as long as the work does not negatively affect services as a respite companion; and(3) Shall actively seek any unsubsidized employment and shall be assisted with training and skills development to enhance employability, by the respite companion service program staff as appropriate, subject to availability of funds.[Eff JUN 29 1992] (Auth: HRS § 346-56) (Imp: 29 C.F.R. §§89 - 19, 89.22, 89.24, 89.26, 89.27, 89.28, 89.32, 89.33 )