Welcome
01 Wisconsin Works (W-2) Introduction
1.1 W-2 Overview and Basic Assumptions
1.1.1 W-2 Overview
1.1.2 W-2 Basic Assumptions
1.2 Roles Performed by W-2 Agency
1.2.1 Receptionist
1.2.2 Resource Specialist
1.2.3 Financial and Employment Planner
1.2.4 Coordinating with Partner Agencies
1.3 Reasonable Accommodations
1.3.1 Introduction
1.3.2 Reasonable Accommodations for Applicants
1.3.3 Reasonable Accommodations for Participation
1.4 W-2 Application Process
1.4.1 Where to Apply for W-2
1.4.2 Applying for W-2
1.4.3 Completing the W-2 Application
1.4.4 Determining Eligibility and Making a W-2 Placement
1.4.5 Application Processing Timeframe
1.4.6 Required W-2 Forms and Publications During the Application Process
1.5 W-2 Eligibility Reviews
01.5.1 W-2 Eligibility Reviews
02 Nonfinancial Eligibility
2.1 Introduction
2.2 General Nonfinancial Eligibility Criteria
2.2.1 List of Criteria
2.3 Custodial Parent
2.3.1 Determining Who is a Custodial Parent
2.4 U.S. Citizenship / Qualified Non-Citizens Immigration Status
2.4.1 Verifying U.S. Citizenship or Qualified Non-Citizen Status
2.4.2 Qualified Non-citizens
2.4.3 U.S. Citizenship For Foreign-Born Children
2.4.4 Reviewing Immigration Status
2.5 Child Support
2.5.1 Cooperation With Child Support
2.6 Other Public Assistance Programs/Resources
2.6.1 Accessing Other Public Assistance Programs/Resources
2.7 Social Security Numbers
2.7.1 Providing SSNs
2.8 Reporting Changes Including Temporary Absence
2.8.1 When To Report Changes
2.8.2 Temporary Absence Of A Child
2.8.3 Temporary Absence And Kinship Care
2.8.4 Temporary Absence And Incarceration
2.9 Search For Unsubsidized Employment
2.9.1 Introduction
2.9.2 Up-front Job Search as a Condition of Eligibility
2.9.3 Employment Search as an Ongoing Eligibility Requirement
2.10 W-2 Time Limits
2.10.1 Introduction
2.10.2 State 60-Month Lifetime Limit
2.10.3 24 Month Employment Position Time Limits
2.10.4 Time Limit Notifications to Participants
2.10.5 Subtracting Months of Eligibility
2.10.6 Time Limit Extensions
2.10.7 Re-Applying For W-2 after Reaching A Time Limit
2.10.8 CMC Time Limits and Extensions
03 Financial Eligibility
3.1 General Financial Eligibility
3.2 Income
3.2.1 115 Percent Gross Income Test
3.2.2 Prospective Income Eligibility
3.2.3 Estimating Income
3.2.4 Income Availability
3.2.5 Fluctuating Income
3.2.6 Prorating Income
3.2.7 Changing Estimated Income
3.2.8 Counting Income
3.2.9 Disregarding Income
3.3 Assets
3.3.1 2,500 Gross Asset Test
3.3.2 Asset Availability
3.3.3 Changing Estimated Assets
3.3.4 Counting Assets
04 Case Processing Requirements
4.1 W-2 Eligibility Verification Requirements
4.1.1 Introduction
4.1.2 Information Requiring Eligibility Verification
4.1.3 Requesting Verification from W-2 Participants
4.1.4 Frequency of Verification
4.1.5 Income and Eligibility Verification System (IEVS) and Data Exchange (DX)
4.2 Requesting and Protecting W-2 Participant Information
4.2.1 Requesting Information from Third Party Sources
4.2.2 Protecting W-2 Participant Information
4.2.3 Releasing Information to Law Enforcement
4.3 Documenting W-2 Participant Information
4.3.1 Record of Verification
4.3.2 Marking Vital Records, “Administrative Use Only”
4.3.3 Case Comments
4.4 Storing W-2 Participant Information
4.4.1 Electronic Case File (ECF)
4.4.2 Scanning Requirements
4.4.3 Record Retention Requirements
4.4.4 Access to ECF by an Authorized Representative of the Applicant/Participant
4.4.5 Scanning Consistency within an Agency
4.4.6 Storing Confidential Information
4.5 Fraud
4.5.1 Program Integrity
4.5.2 Front-End Verification
4.5.3 Fraud Investigation
4.6 Participant Relocation (previously titled Transferring a W-2 Case)
4.6.1 Relocation into or out of Milwaukee County or Between Balance of State W-2 Agencies
4.6.2 Transfers Between W-2 Agencies in Milwaukee County
4.6.3 Transferring Formal Assessments
05 Assessment
5.1 Introduction
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 Assessment at Application
5.1.2 Assessment as Part of On-Going Case Management
5.2 Informal Assessment
5.2.1 Informal Assessment
5.2.2 Informal Assessment Inventory
5.3 Educational Needs Assessment
5.3.1 Educational Needs Assessment
5.4 Barrier Screening Tool
5.4.1 Barrier Screening Tool
5.5 Formal Assessment
5.5.1 Formal Assessment
5.5.2 Qualified Assessing Agency
5.5.3 Necessary Elements
5.5.4 Obtaining a Complete Assessment
5.5.5 Inadequate or Conflicting Formal Assessment Information
5.5.6 Paying for Formal Assessment
5.5.7 Payment Reductions
5.5.8 When Formal Assessment is Declined
5.6 Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
5.6.1 Domestic Abuse and Sexual Assault Services Information and Referral
5.6.2 Work Place Safety for Domestic Abuse Victims
5.7 Sharing Information with SSA
5.7.1 Sharing Information with SSA
06 Employability Plan
6.1 Employability Plan Overview
6.1 Employability Plan Overview
6.1.1 Parts of the Employability Plan
6.1.2 How Formal Assessment Impacts the Employability Plan
6.2 Employability Plan Development and Review
6.2.1 Developing the Employability Plan
6.2.2 Employability Plan Review
6.2.3 Coordination with Other Programs
6.3 Special Policies For Assignment of Activities
6.3.1 Travel Time
6.3.2 W-2 Work Participation Documentation, Verification and Supervision
6.3.3 Making Up Missed Hours of Participation
6.4 Assignment of Activities in CARES
6.4.1 CARES Screen WPCS
07 Placements
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Unpaid Placements
7.2.1 Unpaid Placements
7.2.2 Individuals Working in Unsubsidized Employment (CMU)
7.2.3 Employed Individuals Previously Assigned to a Subsidized Employment Position (CMF)
7.2.4 Unemployed Individuals Capable of Obtaining Employment (CMJ)
7.2.5 Denying or Terminating an Unsubsidized Employment Case Management Placement
7.3 Trial Jobs (TJB)
7.3 Trial Jobs (TJB)
7.3.1 General Trial Jobs Participant Description Characteristics
7.3.2 Trial Job Participation Requirements and Case Management
7.3.3 Employer Wage Subsidy
7.3.4 Employer Contract
7.3.5 Intent to Retain
7.3.6 Trial Job Training
7.3.7 Trial Job Time Records
7.3.8 Trial Job Wages and Benefits
7.4 Paid Placements
7.4.1 Community Service Jobs (CSJ)
7.4.2 W-2 Transition (W-2 T)
7.4.3 SSI/SSDI Advocacy for W-2 T Placements
7.4.4 SSI/SSDI Transition Plan
7.4.5 Custodial Parent of an Infant (CMC)
7.4.6 At Risk Pregnancy (ARP)
7.5 Other Unpaid Placements
7.5.1 Noncustodial Parents (CMN)
7.5.2 Minor Parents (CMM)
7.5.3 Pregnant Women (CMP)
7.5.4 Case Management Denied (CMD)
7.6 W-2 Supportive Service Plan
7.6 W-2 Supportive Service Plan
7.6.1 W-2 Supportive Service Plan
7.6.2 Developing the W-2 Supportive Service Plan
08 Education & Training
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Educational Needs Assessments For W-2 Applicants
8.2.1 Educational Needs Assessments For W-2 Applicants
8.3 Education And Training Activities For W-2 Participants
8.3.1 Education And Training Activities For Unsubsidized Employment And Trial Jobs Placements
8.3.2 Education And Training Activities For Community Service Jobs And W-2 Transitions Placements
8.4 Workforce Investment Act
8.4.1 Workforce Investment Act
09 Work Training Provider/Employer Guidelines
9.1 W-2 Work Training Providers/Employers
9.2 W-2 Work Training Provider/Employer Guidelines
9.2.1 W-2 Work Training Provider/Employer Guidelines
9.3 Employee Displacement Grievance Procedure
9.3.1 Grievance Procedure
9.3.2 Penalties For Engaging in Prohibited Displacement Practices
9.3.3 Notification of Grievance Procedure to Regular Employees
10 Payments
10.1 Paid W-2 Employment Positions
10.2 Understanding W-2 Payment Issuance
10.2.1 W-2 Payment Issuance
10.2.2 Payments To New W-2 Participants
10.2.3 Payments To Ongoing W-2 Participants
10.2.4 Final Payments
10.2.5 Changing W-2 Placements
10.2.6 Issuing Auxiliary Payments
10.3 W-2 Overpayments
10.3.1 W-2 Overpayments
10.3.2 Deadline for Establishing Overpayment Claims
10.3.3 Recovery Of Overpayments For Open CSJ or W-2 T Cases
10.3.4 Recovery Of Overpayments For Closed Cases, Trial Jobs Or Unpaid Placements
10.3.5 Using Auxiliary Payments to Offset Overpayments
10.3.6 Recovery of AFDC Overpayments
10.4 Electronic Funds Transfer
10.4.1 Electronic Funds Transfer Option
10.5 W-2 Payment Statement
10.5.1 W-2 Payment Statement
10.6 W-2 Payment Designations
10.6.1 W-2 Payment DesignationsW-2 Payment Designation
10.6.2 Protective and Vendor Payments
11 Sanctions and Case Closures
11.1 Hourly Payment Reductions
11.1.1 Applying Hourly Payment Reductions
11.1.2 Entering Nonparticipation Hours in CARES
11.2 Good Cause
11.2.1 Good Cause Policy
11.2.2 Good Cause Reasons
11.2.3 Approving or Denying Good Cause
11.2.4 When to Verify Good Cause
11.3 20% Payment Reductions
11.3.1 Rectifying 20% Payment Reductions
11.4 Case Closures for Noncooperation
11.4.1 Noncooperation with W-2 Program Requirements
11.4.2 Prior To Closing a Case for Noncooperation
11.5 Incarceration
11.5.1 Incarceration
11.5.2 Good Cause For Incarcerated Participants
11.5.3 Huber Program
11.6 Intentional Program Violation
11.6.1 Intentional Program Violation (IPV)
11.6.2 Misrepresentation Of Identity Or Residence
11.7 Drug Felons
11.7.1 Drug Felons
11.7.2 Guidelines For W-2 Applicants Or Ongoing Participants
11.7.3 Regaining Full W-2 Payment
11.7.4 Applicability Of Drug Tests For W-2 And Foodshare
12 Dispute Resolution
12.1. Introduction
12.2 Fact Finding Review (First Level Review)
12.2.1 Request for Fact Finding Review
12.2.2 Timeframe For Requesting A Fact Finding Review
12.2.3 Fact Finding Reasons
12.2.4 Fact Finder
12.2.5 Fact Finding Review
12.2.6 Fact Finding Review Attendance
12.2.7 W-2 Agency Representative’s Responsibility At The Fact Finding Review
12.2.8 Testimony & Evidence
12.2.9 Fact Finding Decision
12.2.10 Fact Finding Remedies
12.2.11 Fact Finder File
12.2.12 Reporting Fact Finding Information in CARES
12.2.13 Summary of Fact Finding Timelines
12.3 Departmental Review (Second Level Review)
12.3.1 Requesting A Departmental Review
12.3.2 Proposed Departmental Review Decisions
12.3.3 Departmental Review Final Decision
12.3.4 Departmental Review Remedies
12.4 Overpayment Tax Intercept Administrative Hearings
12.4.1 Overpayment Tax Intercept Administrative Hearings
12.4.2 Role of the W-2 Agency In Tax Intercept Hearings
13 "Reserved"
13.0 Reserved
14 Two Parent Households
14.1 Introduction
14.2 W-2 Placements
14.2.1 W-2 Placements for Two-Parent Households at Application
14.2.2 Re-Determination of W-2 Placement for Two-Parent Households
14.3 Participation Requirements for Second Parent in a Two-Parent Household
14.3 Participation Requirements for Second Parent in a W-2 Two-Parent Household
14.3.1 Participant Requirements for Second Parent in a Household Receiving Wisconsin Shares
14.3.2 Participation Requirements for Second Parent in a Household Not Receiving Wisconsin Shares
14.4 Non-Participation in Two-Parent Households
14.4.1 Payment Reductions for Non-Participation in W-2 Two-Parent Households
14.5 W-2 Time Limits
14.5.1 W-2 Time Limits for W-2 Two-Parent Households
15 Child Support
15.1 Assignment and Distribution of Child Support Payments
15.1.1 Assignment of Child Support Payments
15.1.2 Distribution of Child Support Payments
15.1.3 Informing Applicants about Assignment of Child Support Payments
15.2 Referral to the CSA
15.2.1 Referral to the CSA
15.2.2 Fees for the CSA’s Services
15.3 Child Support Cooperation
15.3.1 Cooperation with the CSA
15.3.2 Noncooperation with the CSA
15.4 W-2 Agency's Follow-up on Noncooperation
15.4.1 W-2 Agency’s Follow-up After the CSA’s Determination of Noncooperation
15.4.2 W-2 Group with Multiple Child Support Cases
15.4.3 Three Instances of Non-cooperation
15.4.4 W-2 Agency’s Access to the Child Support Automated System
15.5 Exemption to Noncooperation
15.5.1 Exemption to Noncooperation for Pregnant Women or Custodial Parents with Newborns
15.6 Good Cause Claim for Noncooperation with the CSA
15.6.0 Good Cause Claim for Noncooperation with the CSA
15.6.1 Good Cause Notice
15.6.2 Good Cause Reasons
15.6.3 Filing a Good Cause Claim
15.6.4 Types of Corroborating Evidence
15.7 Good Cause Claim Investigation and Determination
15.7.0 Good Cause Claim Investigation and Determination
15.7.1 Good Cause Determination Timeline
15.7.2 Determination that Good Cause Does Exist
15.7.3 Determination that Good Cause Does Not Exist
15.7.4 Reviewing Good Cause Determinations
15.8 Fact Finding Reviews
15.8.1 Fact Finding Reviews by CSAs For Noncooperation Determinations
15.8.2 Fact Finding Reviews by W-2 Agencies For Good Cause Determinations
16 Learnfare
16.1 Introduction
16.1.1 Program Goal and Requirements
16.2 School Enrollment
16.2.1 Children Subject to School Enrollment
16.2.2 Learnfare School Definition
16.2.3 Enrollment Verification
16.3 Learnfare Case Management
16.3.1 Groups Mandatory for Case management
16.3.2 Enrollment in Learnfare Case Management
16.3.3 Case Management Requirements
16.3.4 Learnfare Case Management Plan
16.3.5 Good Cause for Failing to Cooperate with Learnfare Case Management
16.4 Learnfare Financial Penalty
16.4.1 Determining a Financial Penalty
17 Job Access Loans
17.1 Introduction
17.2 Eligibility Determination
17.2.1 Eligibility Criteria
17.2.2 Eligibility Determination Process
17.2.3 JAL Budget as Part of the Application Process
17.3 Uses of JAL Funds
17.3.1 Approved Uses of JAL Funds
17.3.2 Prohibited Uses of JAL Funds
17.4 Loan Requirements
17.4.1 Loan Amounts
17.4.2 Loan Issuance
17.4.3 Financial Counseling
17.5 Repaying the Loan
17.5.1 Repayment Agreement
17.5.2 Repayment by Cash
17.5.3 Repayment through In-Kind Community Service
17.5.4 Collections
17.5.5 Overdue Payments
18 Refugee Cash & Medical Assistance
18.1 Introduction
18.1 Introduction
18.2 Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA)
18.2.1 RCA Overview
18.2.2 RCA Application Process
18.2.3 RCA Assistance Groups
18.2.4 RCA Non-Financial Eligibility
18.2.5 RCA RCA Financial Eligibility
18.2.6 RCA Case Processing Requirements
18.2.7 RCA Fair Hearing Process
18.3 Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA)
18.3.1 RMA Overview
18.3.2 RMA Application Process
18.3.3 RMA Assistance Groups
18.3.4 RMA Non-Financial Eligibility
18.3.5 RMA Financial Eligibility
18.3.6 RMA Case Processing Requirements
18.3.7 RMA Fair Hearing Process
19 Other W-2 Resources
19.1 Emergency Payments
19.2 Transportation Assistance
19.2.1 Transportation Services
19.2.2 Eligibility for Transportation Services
19.2.3 Transportation Assistance Ticking the 60-Month Clock
19.3 Caretaker Supplement
19.4 Kinship Care
19.5 Burial Reimbursement
Appendix
Activity Codes
Civil Rights Obligation
Forms and Publications
Non-Citizen Eligibility Documentation
Job Centers
Refugee Assistance Program (RAP) Tools
TANF Work Participation Requirements
W-2/DVR Technical Assistance Guide
Benefit Issuance Guide