Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Children and Families
DCF 101-199 - Family and Economic Security
Chapter DCF 101 - Wisconsin Works
Section DCF 101.03 - Definitions

(1) "AFDC" means aid to families with dependent children, a public assistance program under Title IV-A of the Social Security Act of 1935, as amended, and s. 49.19, Stats.

(2) "Assessment" means the process under which the Wisconsin works agency evaluates each Wisconsin works participant's skills, prior work experience and employability.

(3) "CARES" means the department's automated client assistance for re-employment and economic support.

Note: The CARES system, using data provided by applicants, electronically determines eligibility for Wisconsin works, calculates community service jobs and transitional placement benefit amounts and electronically retains data in historical files.

(4) "Case management" means the family-centered and goal-oriented process for assessing the needs of a Wisconsin works group member and the group member's family for employment, training, and supportive services and assisting the Wisconsin works group member in obtaining services to achieve self-sufficiency.

(4m) "Child care administrative agency" means any of the following:

(5) "Community rehabilitation program" means a program that provides directly or facilitates the provision of vocational rehabilitation to individuals with disabilities and that enables an individual with a disability to maximize opportunities for employment.

(6) "Community service job" or "CSJ" means a work component of Wisconsin works administered under s. 49.147(4), Stats.

(7) "Component of Wisconsin works" means a trial employment match program job, community service job, transitional placement, or unsubsidized employment.

(8) "Custodial parent" means, with respect to a dependent child, a parent who resides with that child and, if there has been a determination of legal custody with respect to the dependent child, has legal custody of that child. For the purposes of this subsection, "legal custody" has the meaning given in s. 767.001(2) (a), Stats.

(9) "Department" means the Wisconsin department of children and families.

(10) "Dependent child" means a person who resides with a parent and who is under the age of 18 or, if the person is a full-time student at a secondary school or a vocational or technical equivalent and is reasonably expected to complete the program before attaining the age of 19, is under the age of 19.

(11) "Domestic abuse" has the meaning given in s. 968.075(1) or 813.12(1) (am), Stats.

(12) "Employability plan" means a written agreement developed by a FEP in consultation with a participant that details a logical, sequential series of actions to move the participant from dependency to self-sufficiency. The "employability plan" includes the participant's goal, precise tasks required of both the W-2 agency and the participant, and supportive services needed by the participant.

(13) "Financial and employment planner" or "FEP" means a case manager employed by a Wisconsin works agency who determines eligibility, assists in the process of determining eligibility, or performs case management functions.

(14) "Food stamp program" means the assistance program under 7 USC 2011 to 2029.

(14m) "Formal assessment" means the process of making a determination that a condition exists, establishing the extent and severity of a condition, and, if appropriate, what alternative services or accommodations in jobs or work assignments might permit the recipient to engage in work, either immediately or after some other intervention. A "formal assessment" shall be completed by a qualified assessing agency or business.

(15) "Incapacitated" means having a medically-determined physical or mental impairment that has been verified by the department of workforce development's division of vocational rehabilitation or other similar agency or business and that prevents the person from temporarily or permanently holding full-time unsubsidized employment or participating in a trial employment match program job or CSJ.

(16) "Job access loan" means a loan under s. 49.147(6), Stats., to address an immediate and discrete financial crisis in order to obtain or continue employment.

(19) "JOBS" means the job opportunities and basic skills training program established under 42 USC 682 and s. 49.193, 1997 Stats., for the purpose of assisting AFDC recipients to develop marketable skills and obtain gainful employment.

(20) "Learnfare" means the program established under s. 49.26, Stats., which requires that all preteens living in a pilot county designated by the department and teenagers attend school.

(21) "Medical assistance" means the assistance program operated by the department of health services under ss. 49.43 to 49.497, Stats., and chs. DHS 101 to 108.

(22) "Migrant worker" has the meaning given in s. 103.90(5), Stats.

(23) "Minor parent" means an individual who is under age 18 and is a custodial parent.

(24) "Minimum wage" has meaning given in s. 49.141(1) (g), Stats.

(25) "Noncustodial parent" means, with respect to a dependent child, a parent who is not the custodial parent.

(26) "Nonmarital parent" has the meaning given in s. 49.141(1) (i), Stats.

(26m) "Nonparticipation" means failure to attend required activities specified in the individual's employability plan.

(27) "Parent" has the meaning given in s. 49.141(1) (j), Stats.

(28) "Participant" means an individual who participates in any component of the Wisconsin works program.

(29) "Poverty line" has the meaning prescribed under s. 49.001(5), Stats.

(30) "Protective payment" means a money payment to a payee designated by the agency as the receiver of a participant's total or partial W-2 benefit.

(31) "Reasonable promptness" means as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days after the date the agency receives a signed application completed to the best of the applicant's ability.

(31h) "Screening" means a process of determining if an individual is at risk of a certain condition or barrier. A "screening" is intended to determine the likelihood that a person requires additional assessment to uncover a particular barrier. A "screening" does not result in a specific diagnosis.

(31m) "Second parent" has the same meaning given "other parent" in s. 49.15(1), Stats.

Note: Sec. 49.15 (1), Stats. defines "other parent" as "a parent who is not a participant in a Wisconsin works employment position."

(32) "Strike" has the meaning provided in 29 USC 142(2).

(32m) "TANF" or "temporary assistance for needy families" means a federal block grant under 42 USC 601-619.

(33) "Transitional placement" means a work component of Wisconsin works administered under s. 49.147(5), Stats.

(34) "Trial employment match program job" has the meaning given in s. 49.141(1) (n), Stats.

(35) "Unsubsidized employment" means employment for which the Wisconsin works agency provides no wage subsidy to the employer including self-employment and entrepreneurial activities.

(36) "Vendor payment" means a money payment made on behalf of a participant directly to a provider of goods or services.

(37) "Wisconsin works" or "W-2" means the assistance program for families with dependent children, administered under ss. 49.141 to 49.161, Stats.

(38) "Wisconsin works agency" or "W-2 agency" means a person, county agency, tribal governing body, or a private agency contracted under s. 49.143, Stats., by the department to administer the Wisconsin works program under ss. 49.141 to 49.161, Stats., and this chapter. If no contract is awarded under s. 49.143, Stats., "Wisconsin works agency" means the department.

(39) "Wisconsin works employment position" has the meaning given in s. 49.141(1) (r), Stats.

(40) "Wisconsin works group" has the meaning given in s. 49.141(1) (s), Stats.