Operations Issuance: 2022-06

Issuance Number: 2022-06

Date: May 13, 2022

To: Workforce Partnership WIOA Subrecipients

From: Shaina Gross, Vice President of Client Services

Subject: Dislocated Youth Worker Innovation Challenge Policy and Procedures - Update

Purpose:

This operations issuance is to notify the WIOA Youth Service Providers (YSPs) of the policy and procedures pertaining to the Dislocated Youth Worker Innovation Challenge (DYWIC) grant, also known as “Train Upwards.” The period of performance for this grant is June 1, 2021 – March 31, 2023.

Background

The Employment Development Department (EDD) issued the DYWIC grant to address the disconnection rate of young adults 18-24 who were dislocated from work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant was specifically designed for youth in underserved communities to access services to regain employment using upskilling and training services. SDWP has specifically aligned our WIOA Youth programming to the DYWIC challenge grant objectives to provide training funds for Track B and C enrollments.

DYWIC Eligibility

Eligible participants for this grant must be enrolled as both WIOA Youth and WIOA Dislocated Workers. They must meet each of the specific requirements outlined below:

1. Ages 18-24; AND
2. Dislocated worker; AND
3. Out-of-school youth

Please note: A dual-enrollment form is not required for DYWIC since there will only be one service provider.

Dislocated Worker Eligibility

For the purposes of the DYWIC grant, youth will be eligible as a Dislocated Worker if they meet the following criteria:

1. Categories 1-8: Meets the definition of dislocated in one of the categories as outlined in Chapter 7. Part 1;
   • Must document the dislocation
   • Must document the category of dislocated worker
   • Must document “unlikely to return”
   • Dislocation can be anytime from March 2020 – present
   • Most qualify under Categories 1 & 2

AND

2. Currently:
   • Unemployed; or
   • Underemployed

Documentation of Eligibility Criterion

The guidance in this section specifically outlines the policy and process for documentation of Dislocated Worker (under COVID) and Underemployment for the DYWIC grant. For all other eligibility guidance, refer to Chapter 7. Part 1 & 2 WIOA Youth, Adult, and Dislocated Worker Eligibility Policies and Procedures.

1. Workforce eFile – DYWIC Eligibility

YSPs must conduct eligibility in Workforce eFile by utilizing the following process:

1. Create a “New Enrollment” record “DYWIC”
   1. Conduct both Youth and Dislocated Worker Eligibility
   2. Only one UPAF (Youth) and one MCRF (Youth) is required
   3. Both the Dislocated Worker and Youth ECRFs are required
      1. Applicant Statements are required for each ECRF, if applicable
   4. If youth are underemployed, ensure unemployment documentation is saved in the Document Bin. Unemployment will be documented under the dislocated worker category, if applicable.

If a participant is already enrolled in a WIOA program and would like to enroll in DYWIC, YSPs must conduct both WIOA Youth eligibility and WIOA Dislocated Worker eligibility as two enrollment records in eFile. Contact CalJOBS@workforce.org for assistance.

2. CalJOBS Eligibility and Enrollment

Eligible dislocated youth must be enrolled into the DYWIC grant under grant code 1233 on the WIOA Title I Application in CalJOBS. If a participant is already enrolled as either a WIOA Youth or WIOA Dislocated Worker and is found eligible for DYWIC, the application must be updated with the grant code after eligibility is certified.

CalJOBS and eFile Technical Guidance (screenshots) are provided under the DYWIC Program in the Partner Portal.

DYWIC Enrollment Requirements

Intake and Eligibility Specialists are required to screen out-of-school youth for eligibility for the DYWIC grant and either:

1. Make referrals to the Youth Career Center provider (Access) for enrollment into the grant; OR
2. Enroll into the grant by following this Operations Issuance

Access will be allowed to enroll priority populations who meet the specific eligibility criteria for the grant. The objective of the grant is to enroll 50 youth into training and employment services (Tracks B & C). Enrollment and training funds availability are first-come, first serve.

DYWIC Training Requirements

Eligible youth must be either a Track B or C enrollment that is looking for training services. Youth are required to begin training by March 17, 2023. Training expenditures must be invoiced in full by March 31, 2023. Training funds availability cannot exceed $4,500 per participant under DYWIC, regardless of the type of training program utilized (including ETPL). Additional funds can be leveraged from other sources (WIOA Youth, WIOA Dislocated Worker, financial aid, and/or non-WIOA funding) to cover any additional cost for training services. If it is determined that DYWIC funding is available beyond the cap, YSPs can request additional funds for an individual participant by emailing crystalg@workforce.org for written approval.

CalJOBS Required Grant Activities

1. DYWIC CalJOBS Enrollment

The WIOA application and participation form must indicate eligibility and enrollment of out-of-school youth and dislocated worker under grant code 1233.

2. Approved DYWIC Program Activities

Participants will be enrolled under the DYWIC grant as both a Youth and a Dislocated Worker, therefore the services provided must align with the expenditures of each grant. Youth will mostly be utilizing WIOA Youth program services, whereas they will be utilizing only Dislocated Worker training services. The appropriate activities are as follows:

All attached activity code case notes for both Youth and Dislocated Worker services must link to the ISS. Funding sources must be cited, when required by the specific activity.

3. Training Programs

Training must lead to measurable skills gain and an industry recognized credential or be for preparation trainings (listed above as 224 and 322) in conjunction with a corresponding occupation-specific training activity. Training may not be for general skills or limitations as outlined in Chapter 4.

YSPs must utilize the Partner Portal for a list of available training programs and/or develop specific trainings for their participants by following the policies cited below.

• • ITAs and ATAs must be approved through the ETPL. If you would like to add a program to the ETPL from an approved provider for a youth participant, reach out to carolinaponce@workforce.org
  • CETs require a minimum of 5 participants in a cohort. YSPs should work with the Career Center to develop CETs based on participant demand or use the Portal to view open training opportunities.
  • OJTs and CTs (if there is employer demand) should be developed by the BSRs in partnership with Xavier Martinez, xaviermartinez@workforce.org.
  • Pre-Apprenticeship Trainings must be used in conjunction with a Registered Apprenticeship (ATA) on the ETPL
  • Job Readiness Training must be for a specific occupation and be used in conjunction with an ITA or OJT.
  • All other training programs must be listed under the “Skills Upgrading and Retraining.”

4. DYWIC Training Tracking

YSPs will be required to track training allocations and expenditures through a spreadsheet for payments of Dislocated Worker training funds for each participant. The spreadsheet will allow YSPs to view funding availability and track grant enrollment requirements. The spreadsheet will be available under the Partner Resources page – Youth Resources.

5. Training Program Policy and Procedures

Refer to Chapter 4, Part 1. Attachments for policy and procedures regarding the following training services:

• • • ETPL, ITA and ATA
    • OJT
    • CT and CET

Skills Upgrading and Retraining and Job Readiness Training

• • • Program must be listed in the partner portal
    • Program must lead to an industry-recognized credential as defined by WIOA
    • Training Provider and Program must be approved in CalJOBS
    • Training Provider must be an approved SDWP vendor
    • To pay for trainings, an activity code training enrollment form must be generated in CalJOBS (similar to an ITA agreement).

CalJOBS Activity Code Training Enrollment Form

CalJOBS will be the source for generating the training agreement between the training provider and the participant. The form must be completed under the appropriate Dislocated Worker activity code.

1. 1. Select Dislocated Worker as the funding/grant source.
   2. Comments must include the following information:
      1. DYW – WIOA APP ID – PROGRAM ID
      2. Total Program Cost
      3. Financial Aid Cost (Enter $0 if N/A)
      4. Participant Cost (Enter $0 if N/A)

Refer to Chapter 4, Part 2. Youth Program Activities and Attachments for guidance on all WIOA youth program activities.

Refer to Chapter 5. CalJOBS Data Entry Policies and Procedures for guidance on required data entry policies and procedures for both WIOA Youth and Dislocated Worker.

DYWIC Performance

All participants of the DYWIC grant will be subject to both WIOA Youth and Dislocated Worker performance.

Action:

The updated DYWIC policy and procedures is effective May 16, 2022.

This policy will be amended with any guidance or directive from EDD throughout the duration of the grant.

Questions & Contact

If you have any feedback or questions regarding this issuance, contact your Program Specialist and copy Crystal Gunter, crystalg@workforce.org

• For assistance with Dislocated Worker Eligibility contact Daniella Molina, daniellamolina@workforce.org and Jimmy Watkins, jimmywatkins@workforce.org at the San Diego Career Centers
• For assistance with ETPL and Training Providers in CalJOBS contact Carolina Ponce, carolinaponce@workforce.org
• For CalJOBS and eFile Technical Assistance contact CalJOBS@workforce.org and copy your Program Specialist.
• For assistance with Training Development, CalJOBS Training Enrollment, and Invoicing contact Wynde Bennet, wyndebennet@workforce.org and Daniella Molina, daniellamolina@workforce.org
• For assistance with developing OJTs and CTs contact Xavier Martinez, xaviermartinez@workforce.org