Issuance Number: 2020-11

Date: April 9, 2020

To: Workforce Partnership WIOA Subrecipients

From: Andrew Picard, Chief Program Officer

Subject: Temporary Guidance on WIOA Eligibility through Workforce eFile

Purpose:

This operations issuance is to notify Workforce Partnership (SDWP) subrecipients of temporary guidance on conducting WIOA eligibility through the Workforce eFile system.

Background:

Program services are impacted by COVID-19 and the Stay Home Order issued by the State of California on March 19th. SDWP and its subrecipients remain operational under the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers (Essential) within the COMMUNITY-BASED GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS part of the order. This guidance will reflect the local commitment of continuing to enroll eligible individuals while respecting the stay home order. For updated CalJOBS guidance, please continue to review the “COVID-19 CalJOBS Updates” under references below.

Participant Case File Documentation

Participant case files will be managed electronically through Workforce eFile and CalJOBS.

To conduct eligibility, subrecipients must complete eligibility forms and upload required documents through the Workforce eFile system. The Workforce eFile system is a secure, web-based document management system that provides a process for subrecipients to enroll participants remotely while creating an electronic participant case file (eFile). Applicants will be able to view and sign applicable eligibility forms, as well as upload required eligibility documentation from their phone or computer.

For all other programmatic documents kept in the participant case file, the subrecipient must use the “Document Manager” and/or the “Verify” links in CalJOBS to upload proper documentation into the participants CalJOBS case file, as required per the Operations Manual. This guidance can be found in Operations Issuance 2020-10.

    A. Additional Case File Documentation

Subrecipients who require additional documents/forms that are normally kept in the participant’s “paper” case file (non-SDWP/WIOA forms) cannot be uploaded into the Workforce eFile system and should not be uploaded into CalJOBS unless the form is directly related to a service activity or eligibility.

Files uploaded to CalJOBS must be clearly labeled. Files uploaded to the Workforce eFile system must be clearly labeled using the “Document Naming Wizard” only.

Eligibility Process

Subrecipients must conduct “virtual” eligibility over the phone (i.e. conference call number) or through a visual-virtual application (i.e Zoom, FaceTime). Each subrecipient must have a designated eligibility specialist assigned to conduct eligibility during the stay home order. The eligibility specialist should conduct eligibility through a scheduled orientation where program services are discussed and required eligibility forms are reviewed and completed alongside the participant. The information collected during the orientation must also be entered on the WIOA Application and the Objective Assessment in CalJOBS. Each subrecipient must develop a process for conducting eligibility, the WIOA Application, Objective Assessment, and Plan (IEP/ISS) during the stay home order.

WORKFORCE eFILE PROCESS

Designated eligibility specialists and second review staff from each subrecipient will register and receive login information for the Workforce eFile system. Login information for individuals cannot be shared. A Workforce eFile user guide is available to support each user with the process for adding a participant, completing required eligibility forms, assisting participants with uploading documentation, and organizing and gathering signatures from participants. A link to the Workforce eFile user guide is available in resources below, along with two recorded training sessions.

Subrecipients must continue to use the eligibility policy outlined in Chapter 7 of the Operations Manual. For participants conducting eligibility as of the effective date of this issuance, all eligibility documentation must be kept in the participant’s Workforce eFile.

    A. Participant Information

All fields in the participant information section are required. The “WIOA App #” must be filled in once a WIOA Application number has been created in CalJOBS.

    B. Workforce eFile Pin

The eligibility specialist must give the Workforce eFile pin to the applicant during the phone or virtual orientation in order for the applicant to upload eligibility documents into the system. The pin number is available in the participant information section. This number will not be emailed to them.

    C. Universal Participation Agreement Form (UPAF) Process

  • The UPAF must reviewed verbally over the phone or virtual application.
  • The eligibility specialist must pre-fill/pre-check the required UPAF sections, including emergency contact information prior to sending to the participant for initials/signature.
    • Emergency contact information must also be entered in CalJOBS.
  • The eligibility specialist must initial the sections required during the virtual review.
    • Copies of the Equal Opportunity Notice (English/Spanish/Arabic), Complaint Form, Incident Report Form, and Complaint and Incident Reporting Policy Notice will be attached to the DocuSign envelope.
  • Include the UPAF in the DocuSign envelope for signature.
    • For minors (Youth only), case managers will send a secure link from Workforce eFile to the participant’s parent/guardian’s email address. Once they have clicked the link, the system will capture the parent/guardian’s signature. The system will not allow the case manager to forward the DocuSign envelope to a minor until the parent/guardian’s signature has been captured on the UPAF.

    D. Multimedia & Communications Release Form (MCRF) Process

  • The MCRF must be reviewed verbally over the phone or virtual application.
  • The eligibility specialist must pre-fill/pre-check the applicable MCRF sections prior to sending to the participant for initials/signature.
  • If the participant is “declining to sign” a signature is still required from the participant and the document must be included in the DocuSign envelope.
  • If the participant is agreeing to the MCRF, the eligibility specialist must fill in the “witness” section and sign during the virtual review prior to sending to the participant.
  • All MCRF’s require a standalone CalJOBS case note.
  • Include the MCRF in the DocuSign envelope for signature.
    • For minors (Youth only), case managers will send a secure link from Workforce eFile to the participant’s parent/guardian’s email address. Once they have clicked the link, the system will capture the parent/guardian’s signature. The system will not allow the case manager to forward the DocuSign envelope to a minor until the parent/guardian’s signature has been captured on the MCRF.

    E. Eligibility Certification and Review Form (ECRF) Process

  • The eligibility specialist must review eligibility criteria and required documentation over the phone or virtual application. The applicant does not, and should not, be required to complete the ECRF. This is an internal form, only.
  • The eligibility specialist should assist the participant with uploading the required documents for each eligibility criteria to the Workforce eFile system. This can be completed during the review in real-time on their phone or computer.
  1. Applicant Statements
    • For applicants who need to complete an applicant statement(s), the eligibility specialist must pre-fill the applicant statement(s) and review the language with the applicant.
      • Language within the applicant statement must include the entire list of acceptable documentation reviewed and noted that the applicant did not currently have or have access to obtaining that documentation.
    • The eligibility specialist must then pre-sign the Applicant Statement, asserting that they reviewed ALL acceptable documentation listed on the Table of Documentation to Establish WIOA Eligibility with the applicant, prior to sending for signature.
    • Each Applicant Statement requires a standalone CalJOBS case note.
    • Include the Applicant Statement(s) in the DocuSign envelope for signature.
      • For minors (Youth only), case managers will send a secure link from Workforce eFile to the participant’s parent/guardian’s email address. Once they have clicked the link, the system will capture the parent/guardian’s signature. The system will not allow the case manager to forward the DocuSign envelope to a minor until the parent/guardian’s signature has been captured on the Applicant Statement(s).

    F. DocuSign

The eligibility specialist must notify the participant that they will be receiving the documents (outlined above) at the email provided from DocuSign. This email is the one entered in the participant information section in Workforce eFile and must also match the contact email entered in CalJOBS.

    G. Prior Enrollment/Re-Enrollment

Prior enrollment must still be checked in CalJOBS before entering the applicant in the Workforce eFile system. A re-enrollment form must be completed and uploaded in the Workforce eFile. Eligibility documents expire six months after original certification date.

    H. Dual Enrollment

Complete the Dual Enrollment form as required per the Operations Manual. To request access to saved eligibility documents (from the original provider), email CalJOBS@workforce.org. The second (requesting) provider does not need to collect duplicate documents as long as the eligibility certification has not expired at the time of dual enrollment. Eligibility documents expire six months after certification

Background:

 

Action:

Effective April 13, 2020 all WIOA (Adult, DW and Youth) Subrecipients must use this guidance as necessary to conduct eligibility until the stay home order has been lifted or there is a change to Chapter 7 of the Operations Manual, whichever is latest.

If you have any feedback or questions regarding this issuance contact your Program Specialist. 

For questions regarding Workforce eFile or the document manager in CalJOBS, email CalJOBS@workforce.org

References and Related Materials: 

  1. Executive Order N-33-20
  2. Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers
  3. COVID-19 Updates for Workers
  4. COVID-19 CalJOBS Updates
  5. Operations Issuance – 2020-08
  6. Operations Issuance – 2020-09
  7. Operations Issuance – 2020-10
  8. Workforce eFile Webinar #1
  9. Workforce eFile Webinar #2
  10. Workforce eFile Web Access User Guide 
  11. Workforce eFile Participant DocuVault User Guide