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RMS OVERVIEW

(Issued February 26, 2004)

• Random Moment Sampling (RMS) is a system used to document staff effort in support of federal, state, and local programs.
  
  
• The DWD/DHFS IM/W-2 RMS began operation on January 6, 2003.
  
  
• DHFS will continue to maintain a separate Social Service Random Moment Time Study (RMTS).
  
  
• E-mail polling is used to sample county IM/W-2 workers. Workers use their DWD/Wisconsin logon account to access the RMS website when they receive an RMS e-mail. Workers click on the link in the e-mail and are asked to enter their username and password. After successful entry of these two items, the RMS website comes up where the worker enters the program and activity they are working on at the sample moment.
  
  
• If you are working on a specific case, include the case number in the section provided on the website.
  
  
• If workers are using the social services program code, the “other” activity code, or the subcontract activity codes, comments indicating the program and activity should be entered.
  
  
• Counties are grouped with other counties to form an RMS sample group. A random moment sample set is generated for each sample group. Each sample will consist of at least 2300 sample observations, but varies depending on the number of staff in the group and the response rate. Currently there are three RMS groups.
  
  
• Each county submits an IM/W-2 RMS employee roster that identifies the employees contained in the RMS employee pool subject to sample observations. This employee roster is updated by the county on a quarterly basis.
  
  
• RMS results will be used for claiming federal reimbursement, it is therefore imperative that programs and activities are accurately reported by the workers being surveyed.
  
  
• The RMS process is not a device for evaluating worker performance.
  
  
• When you are sampled, be sure to indicate the program that you are working on at the time of the sample. For example, if a client is eligible for three programs (TANF, FS, MA) but at the time of the sample you were working with issues related to their W-2 employment, you should code your observation to W-2 (TANF). Conversely, if you were doing an update to a case that affected all three programs, you would record the observation to the multiple program code (TANF/MA/FS).