Objective: 4.2

Title: Eligibility Determination Policy for WIA Youth Program

Date: Revised August 16, 2013

Workforce Alliance of South Central Kansas

Eligibility Determination Policy for WIA Youth Program

I. Background and Purpose: The integration of staff representing partners within a Workforce Center providing services from varying programs with different eligibility requirements creates a need to formulate customer service flow in a manner that expedites service and meets compliance requirements for the participating partner programs.

II. Policy: It is the policy of the Workforce Alliance to determine eligibility for WIA programs for all Youth customers who receive a service beyond eligibility determination. Any exceptions, including use of the five percent exception, must be approved by a committee consisting of at least two WA Senior Staff members.

Youth must meet all the below criteria:

  • Between the ages of 14 and 21
  • Compliant with Selective Service requirements
  • Eligible to work in the United States
  • One of the following Low Income options
  • Receives or is a member of a family that receives cash payments under a federal, state, or local income based public assistance program
  • Received an income, or is a member of a family that received a total family income, for the six month period prior to application (exclusive of unemployment compensation, child support payments, cash payments under a federal, state, or local income based public assistance program, and old-age and survivors insurance benefits received under section 202 of the Social Security Act) that, in relation to family size, does not exceed the higher of the poverty line, for an equivalent period, or 70 percent of the lower living standard income level, for an equivalent period
  • Be a member of a household that receives, or has been determined within the six-month period prior to application to be eligible to receive, food stamps
  • Qualifies as a homeless individual, as defined in subsections (a) and (c) of Section 103 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
  • Is a foster child on behalf of whom state or local government payments are made
  • Is an individual with a disability whose income meets the requirements to receive cash payments under a federal, state, or local income based public assistance program, or whose income for the six month period prior to application (exclusive of unemployment compensation, child support payments, cash payments under a federal, state, or local income based public assistance program, and old-age and survivors insurance benefits received under section 202 of the Social Security Act) does not exceed the higher of the poverty line, for an equivalent period, or 70 percent of the lower living standard income level, for an equivalent period, but who is a member of a family whose income does not meet such requirements
  • At least one of the following Barriers to employment
  • Basic skills deficient
  • Foster child
  • Homeless
  • Offender
  • Pregnant or Parenting
  • Runaway
  • School dropout
  • Requires additional assistance to complete an educational program or to secure and hold employment

III. Procedures: Staff will determine eligibility for the WIA Youth program or refer to a partner if appropriate. WIA eligibility requirements and acceptable documentation standards are found in the following attachments:

Attachment A: Youth Eligibility and Supporting Documentation Requirements

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The hearing impaired may contact the Workforce Center by calling the Kansas Relay Center at 1-800-766-3777