Workhouse Expectations

Workhouse and Work Release Expectations

READ THIS DOCUMENT CAREFULLY AND COMPLETELY PRIOR TO YOUR INTAKE.  

It is your responsibility to understand and abide by all Workhouse facility rules throughout your incarceration. You have been ordered by the Court to complete a jail sentence and may be allowed to serve your sentence at the Anoka County Workhouse/Work Release Facility if you are eligible. Work release or “Huber” status allows inmates to maintain a job outside of the facility during incarceration. Work release is a privilege subject to the following program eligibility criteria and requires facility staff approval.  

On your reporting day, you will complete an intake orientation process to familiarize you with facility expectations and review the inmate handbook that addresses rules and regulations in detail.

Contact the information line at 763-324-4860 if you have additional questions.

1. REPORTING TO THE WORKHOUSE: Report to the Workhouse facility on the date and time ordered by the court. Failure to report on time may result in internal sanctions including loss of work release privileges and/or good time credit. Please use the main front entrance when reporting for intake.
2. DRUG AND ALCOHOL FREE: Have no use of any mood-altering chemicals or alcohol during your Workhouse stay, including any time you are permitted outside of the facility. Prescription medications may be permitted but must be reviewed and approved by facility medical staff. Inmates may be tested for alcohol and drug use at any time. If you report to the Workhouse under the influence or test positive during your stay, your probation officer will be notified, and you will face sanctions including the loss of privileges or good time, or termination of work release status. 
3. FEES: All inmates are assessed a $30 intake fee upon admission.  Inmates who meet work release eligibility are charged an additional $23 per day for these privileges.  Work release/Huber inmates serving sentences longer than 7 days must pay a minimum of one week of Huber fees in advance, plus the initial intake fee upon admission. Inmates serving less than 7 days must pay all fees in full. Fee payments should be made in the form of a money order payable to ACC. Cash is not permitted in the facility and considered contraband. Work release inmates must remain current with fees or risk losing work release privileges.  
4. WEEKEND SENTENCES: All court orders for “Weekends” or “Weekend Program” will be served over three consecutive days, Friday – Sunday, unless otherwise specified by the Court. Multiple weekend sentences will be scheduled on consecutive weekends unless the Court orders a specific schedule. Weekend Program inmates are charged a $30 intake surcharge for each weekend served and are subject to $23 work release daily fees if working outside the facility during a weekend stay. Rescheduling of weekend sentences will be subject to a $30 re-scheduling fee.  
5. WORK RELEASE ELIGIBITY: Have and maintain verifiable and approved full-time employment or schooling. If you are not a student or are unemployed, you will be considered a Trustee at the Workhouse. Trustee inmates are not permitted to leave the facility for work but may participate on inmate work crews inside or outside of the facility. If you are a full-time student, you will need to provide an official schedule from your school. Fees may be waived for full-time students only.
6. EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION: Your sentencing judge must order that you may serve your sentence on “Work release or Huber, if eligible.”  The Workhouse will determine your eligibility. All employment will be verified and approved by staff before you will be allowed to leave for work. Employment that cannot be verified or does not appear legitimate will be denied.  
   • Prior to reporting to the Workhouse for intake, inform your employer that you will be serving a sentence and requesting work release privileges. Your employer will be contacted by Workhouse staff to verify your employment. Additionally, Workhouse staff will visit your job site to confirm you are working as reported on your work schedule.  
   • Inmates requesting consideration for work release privileges must provide the following documentation of employment at the time of intake to the facility:  
     1. A completed Work Release Eligibility Form; 
     2. Paycheck stubs from the previous two pay periods; and
     3. A letter from employer on company letterhead indicating you are currently employed, your position or duties, and work schedule.  
   • Failure to provide required proof of employment at intake will delay your work release approval for several business days. NO EXCEPTIONS.
   • You may not work more than 50 miles from the Anoka County Workhouse facility.  
   • You may work up to 6 days per week outside of the facility, however, not more than 50 hours per week excluding travel time to and from the job site. The court may grant extended work release/Huber privileges up to 60 hours per week. 
   • You must travel directly from the facility to your work location each day, participate in work, and immediately return to the Workhouse at the end of the work shift. Any other activities outside of the Workhouse must be pre-approved by staff.  
   • If your work locations vary or change during the day, you will be required to report any changes on a daily job location sheet or weekly employment planner. Additionally, you must call the Workhouse Job Check Line (763-324-4950) to report a new work location address and when you are leaving the final job site and returning to the Workhouse.
   • You must complete a weekly work schedule form and provide to Workhouse staff at the beginning of each week.  You must work the hours identified on your work schedule and report any changes to staff.  Provide a copy of your paycheck stub at the end of each pay period.
7. SELF-EMPLOYMENT: Self-employment is closely scrutinized. Work that does not appear legitimate or cannot be adequately verified will be denied. Verification of self-employment may take several days following intake and include a job site visit by Workhouse staff. Self-employment and any work that does not include withholding of federal and state income taxes must include the following documentation prior to approval. 
   Be sure to bring this documentation to intake: 
   A completed Work Release Eligibility Form; plus at least 3 of the following documents:
   • Copy of Federal 1040 tax return from the previous tax year
   • 1099 tax forms demonstrating business income from the previous tax year
   • Proof of professional liability insurance and/or worker’s compensation insurance (if applicable)
   • Copies of signed job contracts or work orders for each job
   • Copies of required professional licenses for business
   • Copies of current bank statements demonstrating business income
     
     Self-employed inmates approved for Work Release are also subject to the employment verification outlined in paragraph 6 and required to complete a weekly work scheduled with ongoing proof of income.
     
     Failure to provide the Work Release Eligibility form or required proof of employment at intake will delay your work release approval for several business days. NO EXCEPTIONS.
8. On the next business day following intake, you may be required to miss at least a half day of work to complete the following:
   1. Mantoux (TB) test:  Tuberculosis tests are required for all inmates housed in the Workhouse.  You may have to stay back in the morning to receive the TB shot and/or have the results read by the facility nurse.
   2. Jail Booking:  Some inmates must complete the jail booking process upon intake to the Workhouse.  All bookings occur at the Anoka County Jail and generally include fingerprinting and photographs.  You should inform your employer that you may be required to be booked upon entering the Workhouse and may be late to work on that day.  Do not call the Workhouse prior to your intake to ask if you’ll need to complete the booking process. 
9. TRANSPORTATION AND DRIVING PRIVILEGES: Transportation is your responsibility while on Work Release. Public transportation is available near the facility.  You should investigate transportation options prior to reporting to the facility. Work release inmates who plan to drive their own vehicle must maintain a valid driver’s license, current vehicle registration, and proof of insurance. Bring your valid driver’s license and proof of current auto insurance to your intake. Only approved Work Release/Huber status inmates who are gainfully employed can park a vehicle on facility grounds. Unregistered motor vehicles and vehicles not documented by Workhouse staff will be towed at the owner’s expense. You must park in the designated parking lot directly behind the facility. 
10. MEDICAL CARE: Medical care will be provided by the facility nurse and/or medical provider. Work release/Huber inmates working outside of the facility may arrange for their own medical and dental care with approval from the facility medical staff. Medical appointments must be verifiable. Work Release/Huber inmates will be responsible for any bills and related expenses for care provide outside of the facility. Provide your health insurance information on the Work Release Eligibility form. Medical Assistance (MA) or other government subsidized health plans suspend benefits during periods of incarceration. Trustee inmates are seen by the facility nurse and/or jail physician for medical needs.  
11. HOUSING UNITS:  You will be assigned to a dormitory style room with other inmates. These rooms are available for staff inspection at any time. It is your responsibility to keep your living area clean. You will be issued combination locks for two assigned lockers, one in a large locker room and the other in your sleeping quarters. Lockers and housing units may be searched at any time and without notice.
12. CLOTHING: The facility has limited storage for personal possessions so plan to pack light. Inmates are permitted to wear personal clothing when leaving the facility for any approved activity. All clothing must fit appropriately and may not contain negative images, language, or innuendo that may be offensive to other inmates or staff. You will be assigned a full-size locker in a common area locker room for your jacket, personal clothing, work boots, etc. You will also be assigned a second, smaller locker with limited storage located inside your assigned room to store your facility issued pants, shirt, sweatshirt, and shoes. You are responsible for your own undergarments and undershirts. Only bras without underwires are permitted in the facility. No personal clothing, excluding undergarments, may be worn in the facility. You are allowed four changes of undergarments in your inside locker and four complete sets of clothing in your outside locker. You may only wear facility-issued clothing and shoes inside the Workhouse. Changing areas inside of the common area locker room are provided for inmates to change for approved activities. No jewelry or piercings of any kind are allowed in the Workhouse, except for wedding rings or bands. The facility issues a towel, wash cloth, shower shoes, and necessary bedding. Personal hygiene items must be purchased from the commissary and are provided at no charge to indigent inmates. Inmates will be charged to replace any items not returned at the time of depart.  
    • The Workhouse is not responsible for lost or stolen items.  Do not bring valuables to the facility.  
13. CANTEEN - COMMISSARY: Inmates may purchase snacks, soda, hygiene items, and other personal products through the facility commissary vendor Turnkey Corrections. Vending machines and commissary ordering kiosks are available in each housing unit. To purchase commissary products, inmates must deposit funds into a commissary account. Commissary account deposits are accepted by money order, payable to ACC, or by debit or credit card online through Inmate Canteen at https://team3.inmatecanteen.com. Visitors may deposit funds on an inmate’s commissary account by debit or credit card during visiting hours. Certain commissary items or larger purchases are delivered to the Workhouse and distributed to inmates twice weekly.    
14. LAUNDRY:  The Workhouse provides laundry facilities at no cost for clothing worn inside of the facility. Huber/Work Release inmates will be granted a weekly pass to go to a local laundromat to wash their work clothing. 
15. MEDICATIONS: Prescription medications are allowed provided that the original date of issue is within the past 90 days, the meds are in the original bottle with pharmacy label and dosage instructions, and not combined with any other medication (prescribed or OTC) in the same container. Medications are dispensed during two daily medication pass times - morning, and at bedtime.  
16. CONTRABAND:  The following items are not permitted in the facility: Glass containers or mirrors, weapons, knives, tools, keys, money, chains, electronic devices, musical instruments, paints, crafts, offensive/suggestive clothing, cell phones, smart watches, outside clothing and shoes, electric razors including hair cutters and beard trimmers, tobacco, cigarettes, e-cigs, matches, nicotine patches, lighters, aerosol cans, any item that contains alcohol, cameras of any type, non-prescribed medications, pillows, blankets, or bedding not issued by the facility, and any form of pornographic, sexually explicit or suggestive material. Make-up is allowed provided it is not in a glass container. Contact lens cleaner is allowed if in an unopened bottle. Personal hygiene items must be purchased from the commissary. Cell phones may be stored in the outside locker but not permitted inside of the building.
17. ZERO-TOLERANCE FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OR HARASSMENT:  Anoka County is committed to the safety of all inmates and staff in our facilities. We enforce a zero-tolerancepolicy toward any forms of sexual abuse or harassment between inmates or staff and inmates. We comply federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards for prevention, reporting, investigation and response to any reports of inappropriate sexual conduct in the Workhouse.  If you have knowledge of any inappropriate conduct in the Workhouse, experience any form of sexual abuse or harassment, or have concerns for any inmate’s welfare, please report the information through one of the following methods. Reports will be thoroughly investigated and may be made anonymously.  
    1. Report directly to any Workhouse staff member or supervisor
    2. Contact our PREA reporting hotline at 763-324-4886
    3. Report through one of the inmate kiosks located in each housing unit
    4. E-mail us at ACW.PREA@anokacountymn.gov  
       
       Individuals who commit acts of sexual misconduct or harassment within the Workhouse will face discipline including criminal prosecution. Any false reports are also subject to discipline.