Policy Chapters and Sections

Adult and Dislocated Worker Supportive Services

Chapter: 7 Section: 4.1.4
Effective Date: 9/1/2026
Expiration Date: Continuing
Published Date: 9/9/2026 12:40:13 PM
Status: Current
Version: 1

  1. For Adult and Dislocated Worker customers under Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), supportive services may be provided with Title I funds as allowed under WIOA to customers when:
    1. The customer is receiving WIOA Title I individualized career services or training services;
    2. Supportive services are necessary to enable participation and are directly tied to an active WIOA Title I-funded individualized career services or training services; and
    3. The customer is unable to obtain similar services from another source.
  2. Per Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 19-16, supportive services can only be provided to Adults and Dislocated Workers during participation (not during follow-up or after exit) to help them participate in Title I career or training services and activities.  Accordingly, supportive services cannot be provided as stand-alone Title I services.
  3. However, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) granted a waiver of WIOA Section 134(d)(2) and 20 CFR 680.910 for Program Years 2026 and 2027 to allow the use of targeted supportive services during the provision of follow-up services for Adult and Dislocated Worker customers who have exited from the program and entered employment, including recipients of public assistance, to ease temporary barriers that may impede job retention.
    1. Under this waiver, Local Workforce Innovation Boards (LWIBs) are authorized to provide targeted, time‑limited supportive services to WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker customers during the provision of follow-up services after program exit only if they are experiencing a documented short‑term barrier that threatens job retention.
      1. All supportive services must be:
        1. Directly related to job retention;
        2. Necessary and reasonable;
        3. Not otherwise available through partner programs or community resources; and
        4. Documented in accordance with this policy.
      2. Examples of authorized retention‑related supportive services that may directly help a customer maintain employment, especially during the early months after placement, include:
        1. Transportation Assistance: Essential for getting to work reliably, such as gas cards, transit passes, mileage reimbursement, and emergency repairs;
        2. Child/Dependent Care Support: Covers childcare gaps that would otherwise cause missed shifts or job loss;
        3. Uniforms, Work Attire, and Tools: Required clothing, boots, tools, or equipment needed to keep the job or meet employer expectations;
        4. Housing Assistance: Short‑term housing stabilization that prevents job disruption (e.g., avoiding homelessness or sudden displacement);
        5. Health and Wellness Support: Short‑term services that help a customer stay able to work, including mental health stabilization, urgent medical needs, etc;
        6. Accommodations Support: Supports needed for customers with disabilities to maintain employment (e.g., adaptive equipment, ergonomic items);
        7. Legal Assistance: Only when the legal issue directly threatens job retention (e.g., driver’s license reinstatement, expungement needed for continued employment);
        8. Technology Assistance: If required for the job, such as phone replacement, internet access for remote work, or job‑required digital tools;
        9. Assistance with Applications, Tests, and Certifications: When needed to maintain employment (e.g., renewing a required license or certification);
        10. Linkages to Community Services/Referrals: Referrals to community resources that stabilize employment (e.g., housing programs, mental health services, childcare subsidies); and
        11. Other Allowable Supportive Services: Includes other short‑term temporary retention supports that are essential for and directly tied to maintaining employment, not listed but allowable under WIOA and local policy.
      3. Supportive services may not be used to support new training activities after exit.
      4. At a minimum, local areas must document the:
        1. Customer’s exit date;
        2. Employment start date;
        3. Current employment verification;
        4. Description of the retention barrier;
        5. Type, amount, and duration of supportive service;
        6. Explanation of necessity;
        7. Documentation of unavailable alternative resources; and
        8. Follow‑up notes on employment retention.
      5. Costs must be:
        1. Tracked post‑exit supportive service expenditures separately from pre‑exit services;
        2. Reasonable, necessary, and allocable;
        3. Maintained documentation sufficient for monitoring and audit review; and
        4. Follow all applicable state and federal fiscal rules.
      6. Each LWIB must update its supportive service policy to include:
        1. Eligibility criteria (e.g., transportation breakdown, childcare disruption, required tools);
        2. Allowable services and costs (e.g., list of allowable services and maximum amount allowed);
        3. Duration limits (e.g., specific number of days per service type and maximum cumulative duration);
        4. Coordination requirements (e.g., confirmation that no comparable assistance is available);
        5. Fiscal tracking procedures;
        6. Approval procedures (e.g., requests exceeding local caps require director‑level approval); and
        7. Confirmation (e.g., Career Planner must contact the customer within thirty (30) days of service provision to confirm retention.)