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Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Wisconsin Works (W-2) Manual |
7.4.2.1 General W-2 T Participant Circumstances
7.4.2.2 W-2 T Participation Requirements
7.4.2.3 Marginally Employed W-2 T Participants
7.4.2.4 W-2 T and Work Training
The W-2 Transition (W-2 T) employment position is for individuals who are not ready for unsubsidized employment and cannot successfully participate in one of the other W-2 employment positions for reasons such as an individual’s incapacitation or the need to remain in the home to care for another W-2 Group member who is incapacitated or disabled.
Participants placed in a W-2 T must have a formal assessment, as described below, scheduled and documented in within 30 calendar days of the W-2 T placement. (See 5.5.1)
The FEP must not assume that a participant with a disability is unable to participate in unsubsidized employment or other W-2 paid employment positions.
The FEP may place a participant in a W-2 T when the participant cannot perform a CSJ, as determined by the W-2 agency, for reasons which may include:
1. Participant Disability or Incapacitation
An independent assessment by a medical professional or other similar qualified source must verify that the participant is, or is expected to be, incapacitated for a period of at least 60 days. Examples of incapacitation that would warrant an assessment may include:
· Physical limitations;
· Mental health limitations;
· Cognitive limitations;
· Learning disabilities;
· Victim of domestic violence; and
· Substance use disorder.
See 5.5.4 for how and what information must be gathered through a formal assessment.
2. Caring for an Incapacitated W-2 Group Member
The participant is needed in the home to care for a member of the W-2 Group who is ill or incapacitated. The following steps must be taken to determine the need for a W-2 adult to remain in the home to care for a family member:
a. Verify, through third-party sources, the incapacity or disability of the affected family member and the appropriateness of day care or child care outside of the home using the Need to Care for Disabled Family Member form (10786) or an agency-developed form that, at a minimum, has the same elements. Acceptable third-party sources include:
· Medical professionals:
· Social Security Administration;
· Family Support program;
· Birth to Three Early Intervention program;
· Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs program;
· Exceptional Educational Needs program;
· Supportive adult programs under the 51.42 service board; and
· Independent Living Centers for a physical disability or mental health issues.
b. Determine whether day care or child care outside the home is available for the disabled/ or incapacitated family member so that the participant can engage in work training activities outside the home.
When a reasonable accommodation cannot be made or the care is not available, lack of adequate day care or child care is a good cause reason for not participating in W-2 requirements outside the home. Written documentation from one or more local day care or child care providers is sufficient verification that appropriate care is not available.
EXAMPLE 1: Briella, a single parent with two children, worked as a waitress until her rheumatoid arthritis became so severe that she had to quit her job. Briella applied for W-2 and was placed in a W-2 T position and referred for a vocational assessment.
The results of the assessment showed that with accommodations and rehabilitation, Briella will be able to perform a sedentary job.
Briella and her FEP revised her Employability Plan, emphasizing activities that will allow her to work towards a job in customer service. Her participation requirement is 27 hours per week in a physical rehabilitation program, which involves physical therapy and independent mobility, plus three hours of work training.
After completing three months of rehabilitation, Briella is moved to a CSJ, where she is able to participate a full 40 hours per week in a combination of work training and education activities. Five months after her CSJ placement, Briella secures employment taking calls at a credit union in the customer service department.
EXAMPLE 2: Anita applies for W-2. Her daughter Kathy, age 8, can no longer be exposed to other children in a school or day care setting due to an advanced autoimmune disease and an extremely fragile immune system. The FEP places Anita in a W-2 T employment position and opens the "CD-Caring for Disabled Child" participation status to care for her child with a disability. Anita tells her FEP that her mother stays with Kathy for two hours per week so she can attend grief mental health counseling sessions, which is added to her EP.
An in-depth formal assessment will determine:
· The appropriate level of W-2 participation;
· An individual’s ability to engage in specific work and training activities; and
· The need for supportive services, accommodations, auxiliary aids, or communication assistance. (See 5.5.1)
Attendance and cooperation with an in-depth assessment may satisfy participation requirements pending the results of the formal assessment. A W-2 payment reduction cannot be imposed on a participant for declining to complete a formal assessment. (See 5.5.7)
Based on the results of the assessment, the participant may be assigned up to 40 hours per week in activities, which may include:
· Work training;
· Other W-2 T activities; and
· Education and training.
The following two tables provide a non-exhaustive list of examples of work training and other activities for W-2 T participants and the corresponding activity codes and statuses the FEP may assign.
See 8.2.2 for information on education and training activities that may be assigned to W-2 T participants.
W-2 T Work Training Activity Examples |
Assignable activities may include |
Community rehabilitation program that provides directly or facilitates the provision of vocational rehabilitation to individuals with disabilities to help them maximize opportunities for employment. Services may include vocational assessment, job readiness training, job placement, and on-the-job support targeted at individuals with disabilities. |
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Volunteer activity. |
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Activities similar to a CSJ but with more supervision. (See 7.4.1) |
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Other W-2 T Activity Examples |
Assignable Activities may include |
| AODA detoxification, assessment, and treatment. |
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Activities that provide support for children with special needs. |
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Activities related to obtaining shelter or retaining safety in a domestic abuse situation, or other activities needed to stabilize a family. |
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Caring for a family member with an incapacity of such severity that without home care, the incapacitated member’s health and well-being would be significantly affected, as determined by the W-2 agency. |
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Court-ordered activities. |
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Counseling or physical rehabilitation activities. |
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Mental health activities, as prescribed by an appropriate health care professional. |
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*See 6.4.1 for more information on participation statuses.
A W-2 applicant or participant who is marginally employed, for example, working only a few hours per week or inconsistently, in an unsubsidized job may also be placed in a W-2 T placement when the participant has long-term, severe barriers to:
1. Increasing the hours in their existing unsubsidized job; or
2. Obtaining additional unsubsidized employment.
In these instances, the FEP must schedule flexible activities around the unsubsidized employment and assign W-2 T activities specifically designed to assist the individual in overcoming these severe barriers while maintaining flexibility and sensitivity.
EXAMPLE: Sue’s son Jason, age 8, has a diagnosed brain disorder. Jason is able to attend school but is often sent home due to behavioral issues. Appropriate child care is often not available during these periods. Sue is marginally employed working approximately 10 hours per week at her local pharmacy, which provides a flexible work schedule. This situation is not likely to change for some time. Sue’s FEP places her in a W-2 T position since she will not be able to move to full-time employment in a short period of time. The FEP includes her 10 hours of marginal unsubsidized employment on her EP and assigns an additional two hours per week in a life skills motivational course. The FEP also opens the "CF-Caring for Other Family Member" participation status to care for her disabled child.
The W-2 agency is responsible for the development and management of work training sites that prepare W-2 T participants for unsubsidized employment. The agency must act as a liaison between providers and W-2 T participants when necessary and must ensure all work training sites:
· Accommodate participants with barriers to employment;
· Offer part-time and flexible schedules to meet the individual needs of W-2 T participants;
· Provide comprehensive supervision of participants (see the TANF Work Participation Requirements appendix for more information on requirements for supervising W-2 activities); and
· Provide supportive services, accommodations, auxiliary aids, or communication assistance when needed.
The W-2 agency must provide worker’s compensation coverage for participants when not provided by the W-2 work training provider.
All W-2 T work training providers must:
· Complete the Wisconsin Works (W-2) Work Training Site Agreement form (10792); and
· Comply with all provider assurances outlined in the agreement.
W-2 T participants are required to provide verification for hours of participation in all assigned activities, including education and training. See the TANF Work Participation Requirements appendix for verification and documentation guidelines.
The W-2 agency must issue a monthly payment of $608 to the W-2 T participant if all participation requirements are met. The monthly payment of $608 must not be prorated or otherwise reduced if the hours assigned are less than 40 hours per week. Payments will be reduced by $5.00 for each hour that the participant fails without good cause to participate. (See 11.3.1)
History: Release 25-04; Release 22-05; Release 21-08; Release 21-07; Release 19-05; Release 13-03.