PURPOSE

This policy establishes that WIA programs operated in the North Central Workforce Region, under the administration of the Capital Workforce Partners (CWP), will follow the established policy and protocols in CTDOL AP 00-07 change 1; AP 00-08; AP 00-16 Clarification1, Change 3, AP 00-21 Change 5, AP 07-06 to document and determine eligibility of applicants for WIA reportable services.

PROCEDURE

1.  The WIA Title I WIA Service Providers will follow CWP policy, WIA Registration and Customer Flow Policy, 01-05.  This policy and procedure may be modified to accommodate any changes in eligibility determination required by CTDOL.

2.  WIA Service Provider staff will utilize CTDOL Eligibility Administrative Policy Memo’s referenced above at http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/wia/memos/memos-eligibility.htm to document and determine eligibility for WIA Core and Intensive services and WIA Youth services.  General eligibility for registered or reportable Core services include:

• Social Security number documentation
• Citizenship or verification of eligibility to work in the United States documentation
• Selective Service documentation for males 18 - 25 years of age or older
• Age documentation

Eligibility for Adult and Dislocated Worker intensive services will additionally include the following documentation for priority of service NOTE:  United States Veterans who meet one or more of the listed priorities will always have priority over non-veterans for service:

• Unemployed or under-employed Adults (18 years +) who are residents of municipalities in the North Central Region and are low income, below the minimum level of self-sufficiency as determined by the Performance Evaluation committee, and as defined as having an income in the preceding 12 months that is at or below 150% of the Federal poverty guidelines; eligibility will be determined and documented in CTWBS by the WIA Title I Contractor
• TANF clients able to benefit from WIA services;
• North Central dislocated workers where training or intensive services  will ensure a minimal wage decline and result in earnings that meet the WIA wage standard.
• Dislocated workers identified under a federal or state discretionary grant.

For Dislocated Worker eligibility, the following procedure will be used:

1.  The Department of Labor staff will complete the revised WIA 5 form and will attach the required supporting documentation for any boxes that are checked off on the WIA 5. CTDOL Memorandums AP 00-16 Change 3 and AP 00-21 both include a list of the acceptable documents used for the certification of dislocated workers.  All supporting documents will be noted in the “Verification” section of the WIA 5.

2.  The following process and criteria will be used for the documentation of A3. “Is unlikely to return to previous industry or occupation”:

• Verify the length of time a customer has been in job search (generally 30 days or more)
• Use Connecticut’s Job Bank for a job search.
• Use the job title associated with the position from which the customer was dislocated.
• Set the Job Search on CT Job Bank within a 25-mile radius of the customer zip code.
• Set the education level to match the customer’s.
• Look for full time positions only, 30 hours or more

If the job search results in thirty jobs or fewer, A3 may be checked and a copy of the search criteria page with the resulting job match page should be included with the WIA 5.

If the job search results in more than thirty positions, staff will sample 5% of these positions to determine if the customer has the skills to apply for the positions.  If the customer is deemed skill deficient, A3 may be checked and a copy of the search criteria, the resulting job match page and/or a note explaining the skill deficiency should be included with WIA 5. 

Example; A job search in CT Works of the same occupational title, same education level, and within 25 miles of the customer’s residence results in 45 jobs.  The sample should review 2 or 3 jobs to determine if customer has the necessary skills to apply.

3.  WIA Title I staff will enter the eligibility documentation into CTWBS once all documents are forwarded from the Connecticut Department of Labor.

4.  Dislocated Worker Certifications are valid for six months from issuance.

For Youth the following eligibility guidelines will apply:

1.  Per the 1998 Workforce Investment Act Section 101 (13), youth served must be between the ages of 14 and 21, low income (@ 70% of LLSIL or 100% of Federal Poverty level as defined in the CTDOL AP 00-07) and have one or more of the following risk categories:

• a high school or GED graduate who is basic skills deficient or         underemployed,
• a school dropout
• is homeless, a runaway or a foster child
• pregnant or parenting
• linked with the juvenile justice system
• considered “at risk” and need of special assistance as defined by CWP

2.  Special Assistance Categories

Youth who come from low-income families and do not possess any one of the risk factors identified, may participate in programming if they need additional assistance due to one of the following:

• first generation high school graduate
• first generation college – bound youth
• youth whose family’s first language is not English
• has substantial barriers to employment as identified by school or medical personnel

NOTE:  United States Veterans who meet the eligibility requirents of the WIA Youth program will always have priority over non-veterans for service.

Documentation of low income and risk factor must be presented and documented to substantiate enrollment.  Such documentation may include any of those documents listed in AP-00-21, including,
but limited to, official school correspondence, documentation from a medical professional, or another referring case manager. 

3.  All eligible WIA participants, youth or adult, must be registered with documentation of eligibility, per the WIA Regulations, Section 664.215, prior to being served in reportable services.

4.  Customers who are certified eligible for WIA services will be provided through orientation or individual counseling, information on the full array of services that are available through the WIA programs funded by CWP, and by partner programs that are available through other, non-WIA funding.  Customers will be considered for reportable core individualized services, training programs and Individualized Training Account (ITA) scholarships based upon the criteria for priority of service defined in the CWP Registration and Customer Flow Policy 01-05.

5.  Customers who are not certified eligible for WIA services will be provided referrals to other non-reportable Core and non-WIA services and/or programs that meet their basic skills, employment or training needs.

CWP Policy/Procedure - Revision 3 Update                     

Topic:  WI A Eligibility Policy

Number: 02-05                                     Effective Date: 7/1/2005; Update 8/15/2007

Applies to: CWP Service Providers

Approved by: CWP Chief Operating Officer

Other Policy references: CTDOL AP 00-07 change 1; AP 00-08; AP 00-16 Clarification1,

Change 3, AP 00-21 Change 5, AP 07-06

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