1.4.4 Determining Eligibility and Making a W-2 Placement

Within seven working days after the interview appointment the FEP Financial and Employment Planner must:

Determine W-2 eligibility; and

Assign the most appropriate W-2 placement for eligible applicants.

W-2 Wisconsin Works eligibility is determined using all financial and nonfinancial eligibility criteria. (See Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 ) When the applicant needs additional time to gather verification, the eligibility process may be extended up to 30 days from the date the agency receives the signed Application Registration form. (See 4.1.3 )

Two activities may be assigned by the RS Resource Specialist or the FEP as a condition of eligibility when appropriate:

Up-front job search activities (see 2.9.2 ); and

The requirement to apply for other appropriate public assistance programs. (see 2.6.1 )

To make the most appropriate placement decision, the FEP, with the applicant, must discuss and review the:

Informal assessment results (see 5.2 );

Educational Needs Assessment Educational needs assessments determine if the individual needs, or would benefit from, education or training activities, including a course of study for the granting of a declaration of equivalency of high school graduation. In making this determination, the FEP must consider the following: • The information gathered on the applicant/participant’s current educational levels; • The level of education and training necessary to obtain full-time employment in the local labor market; and • The applicant/participant’s personal employment goals. results (see 5.3 );

Career Assessment A broad spectrum of assessment tools that W-2 agencies, applicants, and participants use to obtain greater awareness about how an individual’s work styles, skills, and interests can be used to define a career path, assign meaningful activities, highlight strengths, identify training needs, and match the individual to employment opportunities s results (see 5.4 );

Progress made in up-front job search, if assigned (see 2.9.2 ); and

Any Vocational Evaluation/Assessment Assessments which are conducted to help individuals living with a disability establish realistic vocational goals and a plan to achieve them. The vocational evaluation process is designed to assess the unique strengths, resources, and experiences of an individual in order to match that person’s abilities and preferences to appropriate work placements, jobs, or training programs. The process is interactive; the intent is for staff to learn about the participant and the participant to learn about themselves or formal assessment results from the application process (see 5.1.1 ).

The FEP must make a placement determination within 12 working days after the date the agency receives the signed Application Registration form (five days to meet with the FEP and seven days for the FEP to make an eligibility determination and placement).

The placement determination time frame must not be extended to accommodate a longer job search, and the up-front job search requirement must not be used to delay an eligibility determination or placement. (See 2.9.2.2 )