Policy Chapters and Sections

General Eligibility Requirements

Chapter: 5 Section: 1
Effective Date: 7/1/2015
Expiration Date: Continuing
Published Date: 6/25/2024 11:32:24 AM
Status: Current
Version: 3

Tags: Eligibility, Eligibility

  1. All individuals seeking assistance through the workforce system, whether it be through the one-stop system or technology, must have basic career services made available to them. The level of service requested will determine the information required from the individual and the need for eligibility determination.
    1. Individuals seeking only self-services and informational activities through the Resource Room, online materials and reference documentation, workshops, job fairs, and employer trainings are universally available to all individuals without determination of eligibility.   
  2. Individuals receiving only self-service or informational activities may be considered as reportable or non-reportable for performance purposes.
    1. Individuals must, at a minimum, provide their name to receive these services. A customer who only provides a name (or name and address) is considered non-reportable and unavailable to be included in any performance reports.
      1. Local areas may want to track the number of non-reportable individuals and activities through local methods such as a swipe card, Resource Room Sign-In Form, or other local check-in procedure. In such instances, local policy should indicate the information necessary to conduct the tracking of services.
      2. This should not be construed as meaning an individual refusing to provide this basic information should be denied from receiving self-services and informational activities.
    2. Individuals may be counted as reportable by providing their name, address, and Social security number. This information allows the reporting system to identify them as a unique individual and be counted in required local and state reports.
      1. Reportable individuals receiving more than self-service or informational activities (i.e., staff-assisted services) must be determined eligible for the applicable program as outlined in the Adult Eligibility, Dislocated Worker Eligibility, and Youth Eligibility sections of this policy.
  3. Individuals seeking staff-assisted WIOA services must be registered following an eligibility determination.  Registration is the process of collecting information through an online or paper application for entry and subsequent eligibility determination into the Illinois Workforce Development System (IWDS).
    1. Eligibility certification shall be based on the information provided in the individual’s signed and dated application.
      1. Applications must be signed and dated on or prior to the application certification date in IWDS.
    2. Once an individual is registered, the individual is considered a “participant” and is generally subject to performance requirements. 
    3. All Title IB registrations must be recorded in IWDS by a local Title IB representative.
  4. WIOA requires all registered individuals under WIOA Title IB programs to meet two general eligibility requirements: 
    1. Authorized to work in the United States.  Individuals participating in Title I programs and activities or receiving funds under Title I shall be citizens and nationals of the United States, lawfully admitted permanent resident aliens, refugees, asylees, and parolees, and other immigrants authorized by the Attorney General to work in the United States.
    2. Compliance with Military Selective Service Requirement.  All males born after December 31, 1959, who have reached age 18, must be registered with the Selective Service Administration as required by the Selective Service Act, (50 USC App. 453). 
  5. All eligibility determinations must have supporting documentation as outlined in WIOA Title IB General and Fund Source Eligibility Requirements and Documentation Sources. It provides a list of sources of documentation allowed as evidence of general or program specific eligibility.  (See the Attachments tab.)
    1. Evidence of general eligibility must be maintained in the participant’s case file.
    2. Self-attestation may be used to support most eligibility determinations; however, it should always be used as the last option for support. All other options available under a particular eligibility determination decision must be reviewed before relying only on self-attestation.
      1. The only exception is for an eligibility determination of an individual with disabilities. If the disability is the only means for determining eligibility, then the customer should provide a source of support other than self-attestation, if available.
      2. If the disability is not the only means to determine eligibility, then self-attestation alone is sufficient to document the existence of a disability.
    3. Self-attestation is the only requirement for the purposes of collecting demographic information or when a participant seeks accommodations to participate in services.