Program Eligibility WIOA Operations Certification

This seminar was produced and published by MaryAnn Lawrence of PowerNotes LLC PowerNotes LLC and JobShop, Inc. have formed a partnership to provide web-based training to workforce professionals This seminar is part of the WIOA Operations Certification owned by PowerNotes LLC. JobShop, Inc. manages the web-based registrations and delivery. The seminar is also available via webinar and classroom training. Contact MaryAnn at

Mary Ann Lawrence CEO for PowerNotes LLC Mary Ann has extensive experience in workforce development with more than 35 years at the local, state, and national levels of the system in leadership positions Seminar Leader

Learning Objectives 1.Definitions 2.General Documentation Principles 3.In-School Youth Eligibility Criteria 4.Out-of-School Youth Eligibility Criteria 5.Adult Eligibility Criteria 6.Dislocated Worker Eligibility Criteria

Definitions

Have English reading, writing, or computing skills at or below the 8 th grade level on a generally accepted standardized test or a comparable score on a criterion-referenced test; or, Are unable to compute or solve problems, read, write, or speak English at a level necessary to function on the job, in the individual’s family or in society. WIOA Sec 3(5) Definitions Basic Skills Deficient

An individual who is no longer attending any school and who has not received a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent. (A youth attending an alternative school is NOT a school dropout) WIOA Sec 3(54) Definitions Dropout

When used with respect to an eligible individual, means an eligible individual who has limited ability in reading, writing, speaking, or comprehending the English language, and: Whose native language is a language other than English; or, Who lives in a family or community environment where a language other than English is the dominant language. WIOA Sec 3(54) Definitions English Language Learner

Two or more persons related by blood, marriage, or decree of court, who are living in a single residence, and are included in one or more of the following categories: Husband, wife, and dependent children Parent or guardian and dependent children A husband and wife TEGL Definitions Family

Homeless Individual Definition: Section (6) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994; Section 725 (2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; Section 477 of the Social Security Act for eligible youth; or, Youth who are: runaways, in the foster care system or have aged out of the foster care system; or are in other out-of- home placements. WIOA Sec 3(46)(c)(5) & Sec 3(27)(d)(4) Definitions Homeless

Pursuant to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, individual under 18 years of age who absents himself or herself from home or place of residence without permission of the parents or legal guardian. TEGL Definitions Runaway

A child eligible for assistance under section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677), or in an out-of-home placement; (Section 477 of the Social Security Act covers individuals served under the John H. Chafee Foster Care Independence Program. Social Security Act Section 477 Definitions In Foster Care or Aged Out of Foster Care System

An individual with a disability as defined in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C ). WIOA Sec 3(25) Definitions Individual with a Disability

Receives, or in the past 6 months has received, or is a member of a family that is receiving or in the past 6 months has received assistance through the supplemental nutrition assistance program established under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, the program of block grants to States for temporary assistance for needy families program under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act, or the supplemental security income program established under title XVI of the Social Security Act, or State or local income- based public assistance. Definitions Low-Income Individual

Is in a family with a total family income that does not exceed the higher of: The poverty line; or 70% of the lower living standard income level. Definitions Low-Income Individual

Homeless individual as defined above Definitions Low-Income Individual

Receives or is eligible to receive a free or reduced price lunch under the Richard B Russell National School Lunch Act Definitions Low-Income Individual

Foster child on behalf of whom State or local government payments are made; or Definitions Low-Income Individual

Individual with a disability whose own income meets the income requirements above but who is a member of a family whose income does not meet this requirement. Definitions Low-Income Individual

Also, low-income in the youth programs means a youth living in a high-poverty area. WIOA Section 3 (36)(A) Definitions Low-Income Individual

A census tract; a set of contiguous census tracts; Indiana Reservation, tribal land, or Native Alaskan Village; or a county that has a poverty rate of at least 30% as set every 5 years using the American Community Survey 5-Year data. Definitions High Poverty Area

That income level (adjusted for regional, metropolitan, urban, and rural differences and family size) determined annually by the Secretary based on the most recent lower living family budget issued by the Secretary. WIOA Section 3 (36)(B) Definitions Lower Living Standard Income Level

The poverty line, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget, and revised annually in accordance with section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act applicable to a family of the size involved. WIOA Section 3 (49) Definitions Poverty Line

An adult or juvenile: Who is or has been subject to any stage of the criminal justice process, and for whom service under this Act may be beneficial; or Who requires assistance in overcoming artificial barriers to employment resulting from a record of arrest or conviction. WIOA Section 3 (38) Definitions Offender

Federal, State, or local government cash payments for which eligibility is determined by a needs or income test. WIOA Section 3 (50) Definitions Public Assistance

An individual who is without a job and who wants and is available for work. The determination of whether an individual is without a job shall be in accordance with the criteria used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor in defining individuals as unemployed. WIOA Section 3 (61) Definitions Unemployed Individual

General Documentation Principles

Documentation consists of records, certificates, documents, identification cards, and other items, which can be photocopied and included in the participants’ files. General Documentation Principles

Source documents include documents issued by a government entity Driver’s license Library Card Private Documents – Utility Bills, Paycheck Stubs, Termination Notices. General Documentation Principles

Written statements from government, education, judicial, human services or other appropriate sources may be used to document eligibility. General Documentation Principles

Staff may document eligibility through oral contact with the same resources that could provide written statements. Date of contact Person/agency contacted including name, address, phone number Information provided ensuring the potential participant’s name is noted Signature/initials of person making contact. General Documentation Principles

Photocopies or other hard documentation of the following must be maintained in file: Age Citizenship/authorization to Work Selective Service Registration (if applicable) Social Security Number Income Eligibility Documentation Case Notes General Documentation Principles

Included income: Monetary wages, salaries, commissions and tips, before any deductions Net receipts from non-farm self-employment (receipts from a person’s own unincorporated business, professional enterprise, or partnership after deductions for business expenses) Net receipts from farm self-employment (receipts from a farm which one operates as an owner, renter, or sharecropper, after deductions for farm operating expenses) General Documentation Principles

Included income: Regular payments from railroad retirement, strike benefits from union funds, worker’s compensation and training stipends Alimony (excludes one-time property settlements) Financial assistance from outside the household- regular payments received from non-household members or absent family members (excludes gifts or sporadic assistance. General Documentation Principles

Included income: Military family allotments (voluntary/automatic deduction from military member’s pay check which is sent home to family members) Pensions, whether private or government employee (including military retirement pay) Regular insurance or annuity payments College or university grants, fellowships, and assistantships, other than needs-based General Documentation Principles

Included income: Dividends, interest, net rental income, net royalties, periodic receipts from estates or trusts Net gambling or lottery winnings Terminal leave pay, severance pay or a cash out of accrued vacation leave Disaster Relief Employment Wages On-the-job training wages General Documentation Principles

Excluded income: Unemployment compensation Strike benefits received from union funds Old Age and Survivors insurance benefits received under Social Security Act Section 202 Social Security Disability Insurance Payments Cash Welfare payments (including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families – TANF, Supplemental Security Income – SSI, Refugee Cash Assistance – RCA, and General Assistance – GA) General Documentation Principles

Excluded income: Child support payments including foster care child payments Financial assistance under Title IV of the Higher Education Act, (Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grans, Federal Work Study, State grants for higher education, PLUS, Stafford and Perkins loans, like any other loan, are debt, not income) Needs-based scholarship assistance General Documentation Principles

Excluded income: Income earned while on activity military duty and certain other veterans’ benefits (compensation of service-connected disability, family compensation for service-connected death, vocational rehabilitation, and educational assistance) Allowances received while serving on active military duty (cost of living, overseas cost of living, clothing, dislocation, housing, travel, per diem, and subsistence) General Documentation Principles

Excluded income: Capital gains Any assets withdrawn from a financial institution, or proceeds from the sale of property, a house or a car Tax refunds, gifts, loans, lump-sum inheritances, one- time insurance payments, or compensation for injury Non-cash benefits such as employer paid fringe benefits, food or housing received in lieu of wages Medicare, Medicaid, Food Stamps, school meals and housing assistance. General Documentation Principles

Excluded income: Allowances, earnings and payments made to participants of Federally Assisted Needs-Based Employment and Training Programs, including WIOA (except on the job training wages) Job Corps payments Stipends received in the following programs: VISTA, Peace Corps, Foster Grandparents, Retired Senior Volunteer Program, AmeriCorps and NJ Youth Corps General Documentation Principles

Excluded income: National Flood Insurance Payments Black Lung payments received under the Benefits Reform act of When a federal statue specifically states that income or payments received under such statute shall be excluded in determining eligibility for the level of benefits received under any other federal statute, such income or payments are excluded when determining eligibility for WIOA programs. General Documentation Principles

In-School Youth Eligibility Criteria

Attending any school as defined by your State law; and, Not younger than 14 or older than 21 (unless individuals with disabilities are attending school under your State law); and, Low-income or lives in a high poverty area; and, One or more of the barriers identified in WIOA. Program Eligibility In-School Youth

Barriers Included: Basic Skills Deficient English Language Learner Offender Pregnant or Parenting Youth with Disability Homeless Individual Youth who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program or to secure and hold employment Program Eligibility In-School Youth

Low-Income Definition Additional Criteria Receives or is eligible to receive a free or reduced lunch price under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act; and, An individual with a disability whose own income meets the income requirement of the poverty line or 70% of the lower living standard income level, but is a member of a family whose income does not meet the requirement. Program Eligibility In-School Youth

Out-of-School Youth Eligibility Criteria

Not attending any school as defined by your State law; and, Not younger than age 16 or older than age 24; and One or more barriers identified in WIOA Program Eligibility Out-of-School Youth

Barriers Included: School dropout Youth who is within the age of compulsory attendance, but has not attended school for at least the most recent complete school year calendar quarter; or, Recipient of a secondary school diploma or its equivalent who is a low- income individual and is basic skills deficient or an English language learner. Subject to the juvenile or adult justice system; Homeless individual. Pregnant or parenting Youth with a disability Low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment as defined by your local workforce board. Program Eligibility Out-of-School Youth

A 16 or 17 year old not attending school may be served as an out-of-school youth if the following conditions are met: Though the Individual Service Strategy, a local board makes school attendance a priority by providing services that direct a youth back to school (firsts goal of the ISS must be to have youth return to school.); and, Services/program elements must be provided outside of the regular local school day until a youth has received their high school diploma or its recognized equivalent. Program Eligibility Out-of-School Youth

Adult Eligibility Criteria

18 years or older Individual is requesting individualized services from workforce system Authorized to work in the United States Selective service registration if required Program Eligibility Adult

An individual must be 18 years of age or older to receive career services in the adult program. Priority for individualized career services and training services funded with title I adult funds must be given to low-income adults and public assistance recipients and individuals who are basic skills deficient, in accordance with WIOA sec. 134(c)(3)(E) and proposed § Program Eligibility Adult

Family income at or below 100% of poverty line or 70% lower living standard (priority) or 200% of poverty line (beyond priority). Program Eligibility Adult

Meets one of the following criteria: Customer receives or is a member of a family that receives (currently or in the past 6 months) one of the following: TANF, or SNAP, or SSI, or Other Public Assistance, or Foster Child, or Homeless, or Receives or is eligible to receive free or reduced-price lunch; or Deficient in Basic Skills Program Eligibility Adult

Dislocated Worker Eligibility Criteria

There is no age limit The is no income test Customer is requesting individualized services from the workforce system Selective Service Registration if required Authorized to work in the United States, AND… Program Eligibility Dislocated Worker

Terminated or laid off, eligible for or exhausted Unemployment Insurance and unlikely to return to industry or occupation; or, Lost job from permanent closure or substantial layoff of a plant, facility or enterprise; or, Was self-employed and now unemployed because of economic conditions or natural disaster; or, Program Eligibility Dislocated Worker

Displaced Homemaker; or, Spouse of a member of Armed Forces who lost employment due to permanent change in duty station or is unemployed, underemployed and has difficulty finding or upgrading employment. Program Eligibility Dislocated Worker

Developed by… Cell: Mary Ann Lawrence, PowerNotes LLC

WIOA Operations Certification Each seminar in the Advanced Business Services Certification fits together to make a meaningful series to build the skills and knowledge of workforce professionals across all types of partner agencies.

WIOA Operations Certification WIOA Fundamentals Career Pathways Case Management Customer Flow Assessment Career Services Training Services Co-Enrollments Youth Participation Program Eligibility