A. Initial WIC and Ongoing Success Training
WIC training ensures that cashiers (including store staff who deal with WIC foods or purchases) are prepared for WIC shoppers and comfortable and proficient with WIC purchases. This investment in training improves everyone's experience.
Below are the main ways that store managers and trainers initially prepare cashiers and other store staff for WIC shoppers and then build success, proficiency, and expertise on an ongoing basis.
Initial WIC training: before authorization and new hire
Store managers are responsible for ensuring that cashiers are provided with WIC training, are prepared to complete WIC purchases, and that the training is documented. WIC training needs to be supplied to cashiers when the store is initially authorized (after an orientation visit from WIC) and as cashiers (and other staff that work with WIC) are hired. This initial preparation training should include, but is not limited to:
- View the latest WIC cashier training video.
- Review how to use the most recent WIC-authorized food list.
- Learn how to troubleshoot WIC purchases using the food list and WIC shoppers' receipts.
- Know where to go to ask questions, get answers, and share expertise.
After the training, cashiers should know the benefits of WIC, how to use the authorized food list, and how to use the customer's receipt to find approved and non-approved foods. They should be aware of WIC violations and where to find available resources. They should be proficient and comfortable ringing up and troubleshooting a WIC purchase at the register, offering WIC shoppers the option to pay for or avoiding items ringing up differently than expected.
Ongoing success training: Periodically
Throughout the agreement, the Department sends updated procedures, revised food lists, and other tools as necessary. Cashiers need the latest information to be proficient and confident in their role in successfully ringing up WIC transactions. Vendors must have processes to disseminate updated WIC information to store staff routinely and efficiently.
B. Training Tools
YOUR STORE'S CASH REGISTER/POINT-OF-SALE (POS): For a cashier new to WIC purchases, there is no substitute for practice time at a cash register to learn how a WIC purchase works and how to troubleshoot.
FOOD LIST: Updated every two to three years, cashiers must be retrained on updated Food Lists and be informed of the main changes. A group setting is suggested to allow cashiers to ask questions and learn from each other.
WIC CASHIER TRAINING VIDEOS: Typically revised every two to three years, cashiers and any store staff involved with WIC transactions should view the newest video version upon new hire and as revisions are produced. Links to the videos can be found on the WIC Vendor Website: www.dhs.state.il.us/wicvendor.
C. Vendor Agreement
The Illinois WIC Vendor Agreement (Vendor Agreement) defines the roles and responsibilities of vendors. By reference, this Handbook is part of the Vendor Agreement, and the policies and procedures outlined in this Handbook are integral to the Vendor Agreement. The Vendor Agreement, Vendor Handbook, state and federal regulations, and any contract amendments are essential to the Vendor Agreement. The Vendor Agreement, Vendor Handbook, state and federal regulations, and contract amendments outline policies and procedures authorized vendors must meet at all times. The Department may terminate the Vendor Agreement by providing 15 days advance written notice. The vendor may terminate the Vendor Agreement by providing 15 days advance written notice. The parties shall not be released from the duty to perform their obligation until termination. Neither the Department nor the vendor is obligated to renew the agreement.
D. Vendor Notices
Clarifications, changes, and/or additions to WIC policies and procedures may be made throughout the agreement period. These changes will be transmitted to vendors through vendor notices. Vendors will be notified before the implementation of any policy changes. Vendors may access all previous vendor notices through the WIC Vendor Website at www.dhs.state.il.us/wicvendor.
E. WIC Logo / Acronym
The use of the acronym "WIC" and the WIC logo, in total or in part, is reserved for official use in the program.
Vendors are not permitted to use the WIC acronym or close facsimiles in the vendor's name.
Vendors are permitted to display signs notifying the public of Illinois WIC authorization. The Department does not provide these signs.
WIC-authorized vendors are restricted from using the WIC acronym in advertising and other promotional activity without the Department's consent.
Vendors cannot use the WIC logo in advertising or other promotional activity.
Vendors may not apply stickers, tags, or labels that have the service mark on WIC-approved items.
F. Tax Exempt
The Vendor shall not charge sales taxes for WIC Foods, as the Department is exempt from those taxes.
G. Rain Checks Prohibited
The issuance of rain checks for WIC foods is prohibited. Vendors with a pattern of charging for WIC supplemental food not received by the WIC shopper are subject to a three-year disqualification from Illinois WIC.
H. Coupons, Buy One Get One Free Offers & Sale Items
WIC shoppers must be provided the same discount opportunities as other WIC shoppers, including the following
- Coupons, manufacturers' coupons, and store discount cards.
- Buy One, Get One Free. (The items purchased by WIC must be WIC approved - the promotional items (free items) do not have to be WIC approved.)
- Sale Items. (If a WIC item has a sale price, then WIC is charged the sale price.)
I. Exchanges and Recalls
The vendor may not provide refunds or permit exchanges for approved foods obtained with WIC, except for exchanges of an identical approved food item when the original approved food item is defective, spoiled, is being recalled, or has exceeded its "sell by," "Best if used by," or other date limiting the sale or use of the food item. An identical approved item means the exact brand and size as the original approved food item obtained and returned by the WIC shopper. In the case of a recalled item, the manufacturer or FDA instructions for return/recall should be followed. Information is available at www.fda.gov or by calling 1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332). Some recalls will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
J. Substitutions
WIC foods are selected to be healthy, nutritious additions to family diets. The vendor may not provide unapproved food, non-food, cash, or credit (including rain checks) in exchange for eWIC cards or benefits.
K. Non-Discrimination
Stores must offer WIC shoppers the same courtesy as offered to other customers. Any practice that singles out WIC shoppers from other customers is prohibited. Such practices include:
- Having separate lines (or store hours) WIC shoppers must use.
- Keeping lists of participants.
- Having WIC shoppers sign cash register receipts.
- Having register lines specifically for WIC shoppers.
- Keeping folders for each participant.
- Keeping WIC shoppers' purchase receipts
- Offering or denying incentives solely to WIC participants (based on 7 CFR 246.12(h)(3)(iii)).
- By federal law and policy, Illinois WIC and authorized vendors are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
L. Shelf Tags
Vendors may use shelf tags (i.e., shelf labels, flags, talkers, channel strips, or clings) indicating an item is WIC eligible under the following conditions throughout the WIC agreement period:
- The tags must be placed at the exact spot(s) that contain the WIC-approved item(s) indicated.
- The vendor shall be responsible for labeling food items that are WIC-approved in Illinois.
- Vendors are responsible for the placement of shelf tags.
- WIC tags/labels are prohibited on individual item containers; labels created by manufacturers stating WIC approval are prohibited.
Vendors can decide which food categories to use the shelf tags in the store. For instance, a vendor may find that the bread category would benefit from shelf tags, but the cheese category would not.
If using WIC-approved shelf tags, vendors must place shelf tags under every WIC-approved item that is stocked within that food category. (This does not mean vendors must keep stock of every approved food option.) Stores are not allowed to promote one product brand over another.
M. Reporting Abuse
Vendors should contact the Department with questions or to resolve initial problems. The Department is the point of contact for the stores and will work with individual stores to provide participant follow-up when needed. Reports of abuse and/or complaints should be made immediately, if possible, no later than three days after the incident. Specific information, including the WIC shopper's name, WIC Card number, time, and date, assists the WIC in researching the incident.
It is okay to ask whether a customer is participating in WIC. However, it is the customer's option to disclose that they are on WIC. It must remain a voluntary disclosure on the part of the WIC shopper.
WIC cannot release the status of the WIC shopper's involvement in WIC to the vendor since WIC status is considered confidential information. WIC will follow up with anyone determined to be a participant and apply sanctioning procedures as appropriate.
In the rare case that you encounter a WIC shopper who is rude or you suspect is misusing WIC, please report this to the Department. Examples of things to report include:
- Return of items purchased with WIC.
- Verbal or physical abuse.
- Attempts to obtain cash or credit in a WIC transaction (e.g., returning to the store with a discount card after completing the transaction).
Buying, selling, or otherwise misusing WIC benefits is a crime. To report suspected abuse, please call 1-844-901-0962, email the department at DHS.WICFraud@illinois.gov, or visit www.usda.gov/oig/hotline.htm.
N. Lost/Found eWIC Cards.
If an eWIC card is found, please return it to the Department at:
Department of Human Services
Illinois WIC
823 E. Monroe St.
Springfield, IL 62701
If a customer loses an eWIC card, please instruct them to call their local WIC Agency to report their card missing and request a replacement.
O. Prices and Price Lists
Shelf prices must be declared at the time of application and remain competitive with other vendors in the peer grouping (i.e., stores in the same geographical type, area, etc.) at the subcategory level. The Department also evaluates vendor prices throughout the agreement period. If a vendor's prices are not competitive, one request will be made to the vendor asking for resubmission and/or justification of their pricing. If the vendor pricing remains ineligible for authorization based on the selection criteria listed in Section X, the authorized vendor will be sanctioned up to and including termination. Vendors applying for initial authorization will not be authorized. Prices are confirmed through store visits and/or redemption data.
All WIC vendors must always clearly mark the product price on the products themselves or on the shelf in the same place that the product is placed for WIC shoppers to see.
