CDSS has issued instructions about counting Welfare-to-Work hours for Workforce Investment Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Career Pathways participation. As required by Welfare and Institutions Code Section 11322.83, when a WTW participant participates and is making satisfactory progress in an Approved WIOA Career Pathway, the participant is deemed to be meeting minimum participation requirements regardless of the actual number of hours of participation. See ACL 16-51 for additional information about county welfare department collaboration with WIOA programs.
WIOA Career Pathway participation does not automatically meet federal participation standards. Unless the WIOA Career Pathway program also meets federal participation standards, the participant’s 24 months WTW clock will tick while participating in a WIOA Career Pathway.
For the county to deem participation in an Approved WIOA Career Pathway as meeting WTW participation requirements, the Career Pathway must 1) be included in the participant’s WTW Plan; 2) meet the requirements of a career pathway program approved by the local workforce development board and 3) the participant must be making satisfactory progress in the pathway. ACL 16-102 (December 12, 2016).