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Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Transitional Jobs and Transform Milwaukee Jobs Manual |
Orientation prepares individuals for employment in an SJ. Below are examples of orientation activities. Contractors may provide some or all of these activities.
Resume writing, completing employment applications, and interviewing;
Job readiness and soft skills;
Workplace skills (business etiquette, anger management, appropriate behavior);
Workplace expectations (punctuality, attendance, following directions);
Communication skills and teamwork; and
Balancing life and work.
Contractors must make reasonable accommodations requested by individuals in the Program to assist each individual to successfully complete the Orientation Phase.
Contractors may pay a stipend to individuals for participating in orientation activities. An individual may participate in the Orientation Phase for up to 240 hours, and the stipend may not exceed the minimum wage for every hour the individual participates in orientation activities. Hours in orientation do not count towards the maximum of 1,040 hours worked.
Often a participant will experience financial hardship when starting an unsubsidized job because they may not receive a paycheck until they have completed the first two to four weeks of work. The Job Transition Stipend for custodial children is meant for parents with placement of their children, provided only one parent is receiving a stipend. In cases where primary placement is not clear, agencies should use the KIDS system to determine which parent is the primary caretaker. Furthermore, the process explained in chapter 2.3.1 of the W-2 manual may be used to further decide which parent should be considered the primary custodial parent.
TJ Participants With No Custodial Children
Contractors may pay a Job Transition Stipend of up to $2,500.00 to any individual participating in unsubsidized employment to assist with expenses. A first payment of the Job Transition Stipend of $1,250.00 should be paid within 7 calendar days following the first full day of employment. A second payment of the Job Transition Stipend should be paid within 7calendar days following completion of 30 days of employment.
Participants With Custodial Children
Contractors may pay a Job Transition Stipend of up to $3,500.00 to any individual with custodial children under the age of 18 participating in unsubsidized employment to assist with expenses. A first payment of the Job Transition Stipend of $1,750.00 should be paid within 7 calendar days following the first full day of employment. A second payment of the Job Transition Stipend should be paid within 7 calendar days following completion of 30 days of employment. Custodial child is defined as, “With respect to a dependent child, a parent who resides with that child and, if there has been a determination of legal custody with respect to the dependent child, has legal custody of that child.”
Contractors that pay a stipend must create a written process establishing consistent procedures for issuing the stipend which must be available to the department upon request. The Contractor must create and use a stipend authorization form containing the following information:
1. A statement that a stipend has been authorized to be paid to the individual by the Contractor;
2. The individual’s name, complete mailing address, and PIN;
3. A description of what must be achieved to receive a stipend, e.g. complete 8 hours of orientation;
4. The amount of the stipend and other applicable payment terms determined by the Contractor; and
5. The individual and Contractor authorized signatures with dates.
The Contractor must accurately record the Job Transition Stipend amount(s) paid in Wisconsin Work Programs (WWP) by adding Supportive Services in the Employability Plan, choosing “Other” as the service type and recording the amount(s) in the Details text box.
History: Release 24-01; Release 23-01.