Policy Chapters and Sections

Transition From Services

Chapter: 3 Section: 4
Effective Date: 7/9/2026
Expiration Date: Continuing
Published Date: 7/9/2026 4:42:54 PM
Status: Current
Version: 1

  1. The importance of transitioning a WIOA customer from active services toward exit and follow-up is to ensure the customer has achieved their goals, leading to unsubsidized employment, post-secondary education, or training completion. This process supports long-term retention, promotes self-sufficiency, ensures accurate performance reporting, and provides a smooth transition from active participation to follow-up engagement. Proper transition procedures also help maintain accountability and ensure that all outcomes achieved during participation are fully documented in IWDS 2.0.
  2. The transition period begins when the customer receives their last anticipated system-recorded qualifying service and continues through the ninety (90) calendar day period of inactivity that results in an automatic exit. During this time, Career Planners must actively review customer dashboards to identify customers who are approaching inactivity through their IWDS 2.0 dashboard and begin transitioning customers from active participation before the system-generated exit occurs. Proactive monitoring of customers' needs helps prevent unnecessary or premature exits and supports compliance with performance accountability requirements.
  3. Career Planners should refrain from using the term “exit” when speaking with the customer.  The customer needs to be assured that WIOA services continue to be available to them for a period after they find employment or become enrolled in postsecondary education, and that follow-up services will be provided as necessary to assist them in maintaining the employment or education program.
  4. Prior to transition, the Career Planner must verify that no additional services are planned, as outlined in the applicable section of the policy manual, and confirm that no further WIOA support is needed. If ongoing needs exist, the Career Planner must schedule the next qualifying service and update the Universal Career Plan accordingly. To assist with this process, IWDS 2.0 includes a Transition Checklist that Career Planners are required to complete. This checklist includes reviewing the case file for accuracy, ensuring that all goals and action steps are properly closed with the correct status, confirming that all known performance outcomes have been entered into the system, and documenting employment or enrollment in postsecondary education when applicable. Career Planners must also ensure that customers understand the next steps in the process, including the availability of follow-up services.
  5. When a customer becomes unresponsive, Career Planners must document all outreach and verification efforts, including all attempts to contact the customer and any secondary contacts.
    1. Staff should review the Illinois Department of Employment Security’s Illinois Benefit Information System (IBIS) screen for reported earnings and verify any employment information sufficient to enter into the Employment tab in IWDS 2.0.
    2. Career Planners must also review the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) or County Sheriff’s websites to determine if the customer has become incarcerated. If incarceration is confirmed, supporting documentation must be uploaded into IWDS 2.0 and the appropriate Transition Reason selected.
    3. Similarly, if the customer has a medical condition preventing participation or employment, or if the customer is deceased, appropriate supporting documentation must be uploaded and the correct Transition Reason selected.
  6. As part of the transition process, the Career Planner must select the appropriate Transition Reason based on the customer’s circumstances. Transition reasons include:
    1. Achieved Employment/Education/Training Goal: The customer has achieved their employment, education, or training goal by earning a credential and/or entering unsubsidized employment or post-secondary education. No staff‑assisted WIOA services have been received for 90 days, no future services are planned, and there is no pause in services. The customer meets the criteria for exit due to ninety (90) calendar days of no service;
    2. Did Not Achieve Employment/Education/Training Goal: The customer did not achieve their employment, education, or training goal by earning a credential and/or entering unsubsidized employment or post‑secondary education.  No staff‑assisted WIOA services have been received for 90 days, no future services are planned, and there is no pause in services. The customer meets the criteria for exit due to ninety (90) calendar days of no service;
    3. Customer Declines Services: The customer has initiated a request that they no longer wish to receive services or will be moving out of the area;
    4. Military Enlistment: The customer has enlisted in the military; or
    5. Customer Unresponsive: The customer has stopped responding after at least five (5) documented contact attempts over no less than thirty (30) days.
  7. Certain circumstances may justify closing services and allowing an exit before the customer achieves the goals identified in the Universal Career Plan. These circumstances include the following and are considered exclusionary reasons from performance:
    1. Incarceration/Institutionalization: The customer has become incarcerated in a correctional institution or has become a resident of an institution or facility providing 24-hour support, such as a hospital or treatment center, during the course of receiving services as a customer;
    2. Medical/Long-Term Health Treatment (longer than ninety (90) calendar days): The customer requires medical treatment, and that treatment is expected to last longer than ninety (90) days, and precludes entry into unsubsidized employment or continued participation in the program;
    3. Deceased: The customer is deceased;
    4. Called to Active Duty (for at least ninety (90) calendar days): The customer is a member of the National Guard or other reserve military unit of the armed forces and is called to active duty for at least ninety (90) calendar days; or
    5. Foster Care (Youth Only): Only in the case of a youth customer entering the foster care system as defined in 45 CFR 1355.20(a) and exits the program because the customer has moved from the local workforce area as part of such a program or system.
  8. During transition, Career Planners must also confirm whether the customer was employed or enrolled in education at the time of transition as part of the Career Planning Checklist. Career Planners must ensure, if applicable, that the Employment Meets Customer’s Goal question is marked as “Yes” on the Employment tab of the Outcome section on the Customer’s Profile page when the employment meets the specific goal established in the Universal Career Plan.
  9. Note: If a customer has gone over one-hundred (100) calendar days without a service, Career Planners will not be able to select a Transition Reason.  See the Automatic Exit section of this policy.