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Florida WAGES - Transitional Benefits

Transitional benefits are available to assist former Florida WAGES program participants to transition from public assistance to work.

Eligibility for Transitional Benefits:

To be eligible for Transitional Benefits, a person must not currently be receiving Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) under the WAGES program. There are two ways to be found eligible for Transitional Benefits:

·      Earned income must be sufficient to cancel the Temporary Assistance Cash grant, or

·      After being eligible for cash assistance the participant may choose to "opt not to receive" such assistance as a result of earned income.

An applicant who obtains employment, which results in his/her application for Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) being denied, is not eligible for Transitional Benefits.

Services Available as Transitional Benefits:

·      Transitional Education and Training:

Education, training, and the support services needed to engage in education and training may be provided to an employed, former participant. These can be provided for up to two years after the participant is no longer receiving Temporary Cash Assistance as a result of earned income. The education and/or training must relate to some job. However, it does not have to relate to the current employment.

The local WAGES Coalition Service Provider may enter into an agreement with an employer to share the costs of upgrading the skills of participants hired by the employer.

Education and training resources available in the community at no additional cost to the WAGES Coalition Service Provider are used whenever possible.

The Provider may authorize childcare, transportation expenses, books or other support services in addition to those provided to support employment. For example, a participant who is employed full-time may receive Transitional Child Care related to employment from Children and Families and may also receive additional subsidized childcare assistance for Transitional Education and Training from the Local WAGES Coalition Service Provider.

·      Transitional Transportation:

Transportation may be provided for up to one (1) year after the participant is no longer eligible for Temporary Cash Assistance due to earned income. Transitional Transportation services must be job related.

Transportation Services can involve cooperative arrangements with such organizations as public transit providers, school districts, churches, ridesharing programs, etc.

The Local WAGES Coalition Service Providers are authorized to provide payment for vehicle operational and repair expenses. These may include repair expenditures necessary to make a vehicle functional such as vehicle registration fees, driver’s license fees, and liability insurance for the vehicle for a period of up to six months.

·      Child Care for Transitional Education and Training:

The Local WAGES Coalition Service Providers are responsible for authorizing childcare necessary to enable participants to enroll in and complete Transitional Education and Training. This childcare is provided in addition to the Transitional Child Care (TCC) which is provided by Children and Families.

·      Transitional Medical Benefits:

Families who lose eligibility for Temporary Cash Assistance due to earnings shall remain eligible for Medicaid for 12 months if private medical insurance is unavailable from their employer or is unaffordable. The family is not eligible for months within that 12 months when:

1.   The family does not include a dependent child, or

2.   The family’s average gross monthly earnings during the preceding month exceed 185% of the federal poverty level.

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