Operations Issuance: 2020-17

Issuance Number: 2020-17

Date: May 21, 2020

To: Workforce Partnership UCII Subrecipient

From: Shaina Gross, Director of Programs

Subject: Underserved COVID-19 Impacted Individuals (UCII) Grant Policy and Procedures

Purpose:

This operations issuance is to notify KRA Corporation, subrecipient of the policy and procedures pertaining to the Underserved COVID-19 Impacted Individuals (UCII) Grant.

Background:

The Employment Development Department (EDD) has issued the UCII grant, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) 25% Dislocated Worker funds to provide supportive services to assist workers most impacted financially by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The following information outlines the eligibility criteria for individuals to receive these funds, in addition to the allowable use of funds for supportive services. The Subrecipient is required to prioritize underserved populations, particularly those in need of support services in the English Language Learner (ELL) and ELL Navigator programs. To ensure speedy delivery of services, the information provided in this issuance supersedes the supportive services policies found in Chapter 4. Adult and DW Program Activities, Attachment – Supportive Services Policy and Procedures. Please note the eligibility requirements and use of funds differs from traditional WIOA 25% Dislocated Worker funds, and the information outlined in this notice does not apply to other WIOA funds.

UCII Supportive Services

Supportive services shall be provided to individuals with an emphasis on providing supportive services to underserved populations, particularly participants in the ELL and ELL Navigator programs. These supportive services may include, but are not limited to:

  • Equipment necessary to telework (e.g. computer, internet, etc.)
  • Housing assistance
  • Utility assistance
  • Childcare assistance
  • Transportation assistance
  • Needs-related payments (NRP) can be provided as long as the individual meets federal and local requirements for NRP

Please note: Groceries for program participants under this grant are not allowable.

*Supportive services are available in two tiers:

    1. Individuals receiving at least 50% of their previous wages either from their employer directly, or with Unemployment Insurance (UI) payments, may receive supportive services totaling $400.
    2. Individuals who are not receiving at least 50% of their wages from their employer directly, or with UI payments, may receive supportive services totaling $800.

* Existing WIOA Adult or Dislocated Worker formula funds and policy caps for supportive Services do not count towards the $800 limit.

Supportive Service Documentation:

Co-enrollment

Since this grant only allows for funding to be utilized on supportive services, the staff-assisted career service needs to be funded by other funds (e.g. formula, AA, NDWG, etc.).

UCII Eligibility

Per WSIN19-39: WIOA Dislocated Worker Funds for Underserved COVID-19 Impacted Individuals (UCII), individuals must satisfy all the following:

  1. Individuals are enrolled in Title I Dislocated Worker services.**
    • Individual must have a complete Title I application in CalJOBS with Dislocated Worker eligibility.
    • Dislocated Worker services can include any services with the following reporting categories found in Chapter 5. CalJOBS Data Entry Policy and Procedures, Attachment – Activity Code Dictionary:
      • Basic Career Service (Staff-Assisted)
      • Individualized Career Service
      • Training Service
  1. Individuals whose household income are not above 400% of the federal poverty level (FPL) for the last six months prior to enrollment in the UCII grant.
  2. Individuals must meet one of the following:
    • Laid off due to COVID-19.
    • Experienced a reduction in hours and/or pay due to COVID-19.
    • Unable to work for any of the following COVID-19 related reasons:
      • Subject to quarantine.
      • Caregiver for someone who is subject to quarantine.
      • Need to care for children because of school closure or closure of other childcare provider.
      • At higher risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19, or lives with someone at higher risk, as outlined on the California Department of Public Health COVID-19 website.
      • Required to telework but does not have the necessary equipment.

** If an individual is not eligible for the Dislocated Worker program, they can be enrolled into the Title I Adult program and provided the tiered supportive services described below, as long as they meet the other two COVID-19 related eligibility criteria listed above.

Eligibility Documentation:

An applicant statement is a self-attestation of the required eligibility information and may be used for the purposes of this grant for income and the COVID-19 related eligibility determination. Refer to SDWP’s Operations Manual, Chapter 7. Part 1: WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker Eligibility, Section III. Documentation Methodology, C. Applicant Statement and Attachments. 

    • Complete all sections of ATTACHMENT – APPLICANT STATEMENT;
    • Dates and signatures must be prior to or at enrollment into UCII.

CalJOBS Data Entry

Title I – Workforce Development Applications in CalJOBS must be manually updated to indicate that participants are eligible for the UCII grant. Only supportive service activity codes may be entered under the UCII grant codes.

CalJOBS Eligibility Process:

On the Eligibility Summary page of the Title I – Workforce Development Application in CalJOBS:

    • Add an attached case note to the application
      • Select the box labelled Case Notes
      • Select ‘Add a new Case note’
        • Subject Line: UCII Eligibility and Tier Level Determination, must include the following information:
          • Tier level,
          • Criteria used to determine tier (1 or 2),
          • Eligibility criteria verified with applicant statement,
          • Describe why information was not readily available, or would cause a delay in providing services, or cause undue hardship for the applicant to obtain; and
          • Corroborative Witness: Obtain corroborative witness signature if there is doubt about the accuracy of the applicant statement or if the eligibility staff decides that additional backup information is necessary, or the information appears to be contradictory to other information gathered.
    • Select ‘Add a Document’ and upload/attach the Attachment – Applicant Statement to the case note.
    • Select Save

Note: Only one criteria per Applicant Statement form is allowed. If multiple Applicant Statement forms are used, each criterion determined must have its own Applicant Statement and a corresponding attached case note.

  •  
    • Activate the UCII grant
      • For Dislocated Worker participants
        • Beneath the WIOA Grant Eligibility section, select ‘Yes’ for Statewide Dislocated Worker Eligibility
        • Beneath the Grants section, select ‘Add’ for Local Grant Code 1187 – Underserved COVID-19 Impacted Individuals Grants
      • For Adult participants
        • Beneath the WIOA Grant Eligibility section, select ‘Yes’ for Statewide Adult Eligibility
        • Beneath the Grants section, select ‘Add’ for Local Grant Code 2051 – Underserved COVID-19 Impacted Individuals Grants

CalJOBS Supportive Service Process:

    • Add a supportive service activity code
    • Enter all the required fields and the additional requirements below

On the General Information tab:

    • Select Customer Group
      • For Dislocated Worker participants:
        • Statewide Dislocated Worker
      • For Adult participants:
        • Statewide Adult
    • Select Grant
      • For Dislocated Worker participants
        • 1187 – Underserved COVID-19 Impacted Individuals
      • For Adult participants
        • 2051 – Underserved COVID-19 Impacted Individuals
    • Enter in the Comments field:

Tier Level: $400 or $800

Amount Disbursed: $xxx.xx

Remaining Balance: $xxx.xx

Note: The text in the Comments field must be formatted exactly as shown. For Tier Level, enter only one value, $400 or $800, dependent upon eligibility determination. Amount Disbursed is the amount of the supportive service being provided. Include the two decimal places (ex. $72.00).

For more information on the policy and procedures for Supportive Services refer to SDWP’s Operation Manual, Chapter 4, Part 1: Adult and Dislocated Worker Program Activities, Attachment – Supportive Services Policy and Procedures and Chapter 5: CalJOBS Data Entry Policies and Procedures.

Performance

Once an individual is enrolled as a program participant in formula funds (Title I Dislocated Worker or Adult), they will be in performance. An individual becomes a participant in the program when they do all of the following: (1) Meet the definition of a reportable individual, (2) Satisfy all applicable program requirements for the provision of services, including an eligibility determination, and (3) Receive any training service, individualized career service, or basic career service that is not self-service or an information-only service.

To receive a supportive service, the individual must be enrolled in a program, which means they must receive a career service other than self-service or workforce information-only services. If the individual is provided a participant-level (staff-assisted) career service funded by formula funds, they will appear in the performance calculations.

Performance considerations should not be a component of determining program eligibility and providing services. The EDD performance team is aware of the performance impact COVID-19 will have on performance results.

Action:

Effective March 1, 2020 Subrecipient may begin providing supportive services to under the UCII grant to eligible participants.

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