2. Vocational Rehabilitation
3. Policy, Processes, and Guidance
4. WIOA Competitive Integrated Employment Annual Outreach and Review Services

WIOA Competitive Integrated Employment Annual Outreach and Review Services

November 2016

In the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), there is a new definition for Competitive Integrated Employment:

• Work should be performed on a full-time or part-time basis;
• Work should be compensated not less than the applicable State or local minimum wage law (is the customary wage);
• The worker should be eligible for the level of benefits provided to other employees;
• The work should be at a location that is in the community where the employee works with people without disabilities who do not supervise them;
• The job presents opportunities for advancement.

There are new responsibilities in WIOA to provide services and documentation of those services at different milestones that align and support the new definition:

Information on services to workers in subminimum wage jobs:

• DVR is contracting with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UWW) for an Annual Outreach and Review Service for ALL subminimum wage employees to include career counseling, information about supported employment, customized employment, career advancement, benefits counseling, and referral to DVR and other available job placement resources.
• The service is scheduled to begin in Fall 2016-First year-cycle to end July 1, 2017.
• Process:
• Information will go out to each subminimum wage employer and a letter will be sent to the employee/guardian several weeks in advance of interview dates to include purpose, sign-up information, location details, timeframes, etc.
• The contractor will then schedule individual interview times for all employees/guardians who must receive services.
• The meetings will take place at the employer site or at community locations.
• There will be nighttime, weekend and working hour timeframes available for the interview.
• The employee/guardian will get a signed copy of the service record to provide proof of provision.

Additional Information:

Documentation will be provided to the student, youth or worker to provide a record of required WIOA services. It will be important for the person receiving the services to keep copies for future reference.

Nothing in WIOA addresses pre-vocational service eligibility, enrollment or service provision as provided by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Home and Community Based Waivers administered by Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and funded by Family Care, IRIS, and CIP/COP Waivers. For questions related to pre-vocational services, please contact DHS.

A sub-minimum wage employer with more than 15 employees must provide self-advocacy, self-determination and peer-mentoring training services annually to all sub-minimum wage employees.

A 14 c certificate holder cannot provide the training. The Employer and Employee must retain a record of the training.

Contracting Limitations are in place for schools. They can no longer contract for transition services that include job training or employment of students in work paid under a 14 (c) special wage certificate.

Resources for Information:

Department of Education/Department of Labor-WIOA Page:
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/wioa-final-rules.html

LEAD Center-WIOA Summaries:
http://www.leadcenter.org/

Includes:
Summary Review of the Final Rules Implementing Titles I and IV of WIOA, from a Disability Perspective

Summary Description of FINAL RULE Implementing Title I of the Rehabilitation Act (State Vocational Rehabilitation), as amended by Title IV OF WIOA

DVR Webpage: https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dvr/job-seekers/subminimum-wage/default.htm