WIA TITLE I-B PROGRAM MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
To: All WIA Title I-B Youth Program Subrecipients
Subject: Incentive Awards
Effective Date: May 1, 2001
A. Policy
Consistent with the Workforce Investment Act, the Washington State Strategic and Operations Plans for workforce development, and the Snohomish County Workforce Development Council Strategic and Operations Plans, it is the policy of the Snohomish County Workforce Development Council that a given subrecipient may elect to provide youth registered in the WIA Title I-B Youth Program funded services with an opportunity to receive incentive awards to provide motivation for the attainment of DOL recognized skills and other measurable objectives. Should a subrecipient elect to provide incentive awards to the participants it registers under the WIA Title I-B Youth Program, the subrecipient must have procedures in place to ensure the such awards are made based on equitable determination of eligibility and provision of payments to all participants based on (1) performance and (2) attendance. Such incentive awards may be in the form of cash or non-monetary goods or services.
To that end, each subrecipient must have written internal eligibility determination and payment procedures that describe minimum measures of performance and attendance requirements. Procedures must also define the frequency and amount of payments and steps to assure that payments are available to any participant eligible for an incentive award based on such procedures. Eligibility for and receipt of such payment must be maintained by the subrecipient in the participant's file and its fiscal records.
1. Eligibility Criteria
a. Eligible Activities: Only participants enrolled in one of the following structured training activities for which time and attendance records are maintained are eligible for incentive awards.
| ABE | Adult Basic Education |
| ACR | Credit Retrieval |
| AES | English as a Second Language |
| AGE | GED Preparation |
| AOB | Other Basic Skills Training |
| ASA | Summer Educational Activity linked to work readiness and occupational skills development activities |
| EWP | Paid Work Experience |
| EWU | Unpaid Work Experience |
| SOP | Paid Summer Youth Employment Opportunity linked to academic and occupational learning. |
| SOU | Unpaid Summer Youth Employment Opportunity linked to academic and occupational learning. |
| OJY | On-the-Job Training (Youth) |
| OSO | Summer Occupational Skills Development Activity linked to basic and work readiness development activities |
| OST | Classroom Based Occupational Skills Training |
| NYB | Basic Skills Training paid by a source other than WIA |
| NYJ | On-the-Job Training paid by a source other than WIA |
| NYO | Occupational Skills Training paid by a source other than WIA |
| NYW | Work Experience paid by a source other than WIA |
b. Behavior Standards: Only participants who attain both of the following standards are eligible for incentive awards.
- Performance: Satisfactory performance is defined as attainment of a DOL recognized skill or other measurable objective as documented through an appropriate evaluative process.
- Attendance: Satisfactory attendance shall be at 90% or better for scheduled activities.
2. Maximum Amount/Value.
Whether in the form or cash or a non-monetary good or service, the maximum amount/value of an incentive award to a given youth may not exceed $200 in any given calendar year.
B. Procedures
Any subrecipient electing to provide incentive awards must document the participant's eligibility for and receipt of payment in the participant file utilizing the Incentive Documentation Form provided in Attachment A.