TRAINING SERIES
WIA General Eligibility
WIA
Workforce Investment Act
ELIGIBILITY
To participate in WIA programs, all participants, adults,
dislocated workers, and youth, must meet general eligibility
requirements and provide acceptable documentation.
General Eligibility
Requirements
• Age at time of registration/participation
[Act 101(1) and 20 CFR 663.110]
• Citizenship or Authorization to Work
[Act 188(a)(5)]
• Selective Service Registrant (if applicable)
[Act 189(f)]
AGE REQUIREMENTS
Adults and Dislocated workers must be at
least 18 at the time of participation.
Youth must be 14 – 21 at the time of
participation.
Examples of Age Documentation
This eligibility item must be verified with
appropriate documentation.
Examples:
• Birth certificate, hospital birth record,
baptismal record
• Government-issued identity card/passport
See WIA Guide for more detail.
Citizenship/Authorization to
Work Requirement
WIA limits program participation to
• Citizens of the United States
• Nationals of the United States
• Lawfully-admitted permanent
resident aliens
• Lawfully-admitted refugees, asylees, and
parolees
• Other immigrants authorized by the U.S.
Attorney General to work in the U.S.
Verification of Citizenship or
Work Authorization
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) provides
guidance on documentation required to verify citizenship or
work authorization. Examples:
• U.S. Passport/Passport Card
• U.S. or US Territory Birth Certificate
• Native American Tribal Document
• Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Form
• Original Social Security Card (that does not specify that the
card does not authorize employment in the U.S.)
• Other documents listed on Form I-9 issued by USCIS
See WIA Guide for more detail.
Examples of Right to Work
Documentation
CITIZENSHIP OR AUTHORIZATION TO WORK
--continued
• Documentation specified on the I-9 form
• Completed and Signed I-9 Form
• Telephone Verification
• Applicant Statement
• Other Applicable Documentation, (specify)
Selective Service
Males born on or after January 1, 1960 must register with the
selective service system within 30 days after their 18th birthday or
at least before they reach the age of 26.
Local boards must ensure that documentation
is recorded in the State MIS to support the
participant’s selective service status.
If a participant’s status is marked
non-applicable (N/A), a case note should be
entered which explains the reason(s).
Note: This is an eligibility item which could lead to potential disallowed costs if
not documented correctly.
Selective Service Registration
Noncompliance
Regional Workforce Boards (RWBs) need to have a local procedure
for determining and documenting non-registrants who are 26 or
older and have not registered with the Selective Service. These
procedures should require the documentation of:
 Age and non-registration
AND
 The fact that the individual’s failure to register was not knowing or
willful.
Documentation provided should be maintained in the applicant’s file.
See TEGL 08-98 for more detail.
Verification of Selective Service
Registration
Examples:
Various Selective Service Records
Stamped Post Office Receipt of Registration
Internet www.sss.gov
See WIA Guide for more detail.
VETERANS PRIORITY OF SERVICE
States and local areas are required to provide
priority of service for veterans and eligible
spouses.
[20 CFR part 1010]
VETERANS PRIORITY OF SERVICE
Priority of service to veterans and other covered persons in
qualified job training programs covered by this regulation
means the right to take precedence over non-covered persons
in obtaining services.
Taking precedence may mean:
• The covered person receives access to the service or
resource earlier in time than the non-covered person;
or
• If the service or resource is limited, the covered person
receives access to the service or resource instead of or
before the non-covered person.
VETERANS PRIORITY OF SERVICE
The implementation of priority of service does not change the
intended function of a program or service. Covered persons
must meet all statutory eligibility and program requirements
for participation in order to receive priority for a program or
service.
Questions or Additional Information
If you have any questions or for additional
information, please contact DEO’s WIA policy
and technical assistance staff at:
WP_WIAProgramInfo@deo.myflorida.com.