WIOA Eligibility Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

The WIOA Eligibility Specialist conducts applicant intake, evaluates and documents eligibility for WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth services, and prepares complete participant files for assignment to a Career Navigator. The position applies to federal, state, Board, and SERCO requirements consistently and provides applicants with clear, respectful, and timely communication. The Eligibility Specialist does not independently approve training or supportive-service expenditures unless separately authorized in writing.

• Review applications and pre-eligibility information for completeness and identify required eligibility documentation.
• Contact applicants and begin the intake process within established local timeframes, including the three-business-day intake expectation.
• Conduct interviews and explain program requirements, priority of service, participant responsibilities, complaint rights, and available accommodations.
• Verify identity, age, authorization to work, residency, income, employment status, selective service requirements, school status, barriers, and other applicable eligibility factors.
• Determine and document eligibility for WIOA Adult, Dislocated Worker, and Youth programs using current policy and approved verification sources.
• Apply priority-of-service requirements and elevate questionable, conflicting, or exception-based determinations to the Workforce Program Supervisor.
• Enter accurate and timely eligibility, registration, and service information in WorkinTexas and other required systems.
• Issue and track pending-document notices, outreach attempts, and closure notices in accordance with established procedures.
• Maintain orderly electronic files and ensure required documents are uploaded, indexed, signed, and legible before certification.
• Complete a documented handoff to the assigned Career Navigator, including eligibility category, identified barriers, pending actions, and customer commitments.
• Participate in file reviews, corrective actions, training, and monitoring, and correct identified errors within required timeframes.
• Provide service without discrimination and arrange language assistance, auxiliary aids, or reasonable accommodations when requested or indicated.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Experience determining eligibility for WIOA or another publicly funded program.
• Experience using WorkinTexas, DocuWare, or a comparable case-management system.
• Knowledge of documentation, verification, eligibility, confidentiality, and equal opportunity requirements.
• Ability to interpret policy, analyze records, calculate income, identify discrepancies, and document defensible decisions.
• Strong interviewing, customer service, organization, time-management, and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple applications and deadlines accurately with limited supervision.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic case-management systems.
• Meet established standards for timely applicant contact intake completion, eligibility determination, and file transfer.
• Maintain eligibility and data-entry accuracy at or above the required contractual and local standard.
• Maintain complete case notes and supporting documentation sufficient to withstand monitoring and audit review.
• Provide accurate status updates and escalate barriers before an application becomes unnecessarily delayed.
• Demonstrate professional, respectful, and accessible customer service.
• Maintain confidentiality and safeguard personally identifiable, financial, medical, and other restricted information.
• Comply with WIOA, TWC, Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley, SERCO, equal opportunity, accessibility, safety, and records-management requirements.
• Successfully complete required training and maintain any job-related credentials or system access.
• Perform other related duties as assigned. Duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships may be adjusted to meet operational and contractual needs.

Education: Associate degree in business administration, human services, social services, public administration, or a related field.

Experience: Two years of customer service, eligibility, case processing, workforce development, social services, or closely related experience.

Equivalent combination: SERCO may consider an equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience, subject to Human Resources approval.

Work is primarily performed in an office and customer-service environment with extended computer use, frequent communication, and handling confidential records. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Maintain confidentiality and safeguard personally identifiable, financial, medical, and other restricted information.
• Comply with WIOA, TWC, Workforce Solutions Brazos Valley, SERCO, equal opportunity, accessibility, safety, and records-management requirements.
• Successfully complete required training and maintain any job-related credentials or system access.
• Perform other related duties as assigned. Duties, responsibilities, and reporting relationships may be adjusted to meet operational and contractual needs.

Approximate Time

Primary Responsibility

45 percent

Eligibility determination, verification, and certification

25 percent

Applicant intake, orientation, and customer communication

15 percent

WIT data entry, document management, and file transfer

10 percent

Pending-document follow-up and coordination with Career Navigators

5 percent

Training, quality review, reporting, and other duties