Students & CalWORKs Questions & Answers

1. Can I get welfare and still go to college or vocational training?		Yes, CalWORKs, the welfare program which replaced AFDC, allows you to get an education that will help you get and keep a job. There are certain time limits and other rules, but you keep going to school.
2. Can the county make me quit school?		No. But if you cannot get your course of study approved, the county can assign you to other work activities which will make continuing in school very difficult. If you don't attend those assigned activities without a good reason, the county will start the sanction process. A sanction means your CalWORKs grant will be cut. See #30
3. What is a Self-Initiated Program?		A Self-Initiated Program is also called a "SIP". You are in a SIP when you are enrolled in a training or education program on your own, before you start job search or another assigned welfare-to-work activity for the new CalWORKs program. If your SIP is approved, it will help you meet your work requirements for CalWORKs.
4. What is an "approvable" SIP?		An "approvable" SIP is one where: you will earn a degree or certificate, and you are making "satisfactory progress," and your program "leads to employment." If you already have a four-year college degree, you can only be in a SIP if you are studying to earn a teaching credential.
5. What is " satisfactory progress?"		Each college decides what is satisfactory progress. Generally, it means you are in good standing and making progress toward your degree or certificate.
6. When does a SIP "lead to employment?"		A SIP leads to employment if it is on the list of education and training programs the county and community colleges develop each year. Ask your worker or the college for a copy of the list.
7. What if my SIP is not on my county's list?		The list can be changed or added to on an ongoing basis. If you think your program will lead to a job, ask your college placements office or counselors for help in proving this to the county. Use want ads, newspaper articles, statements from employers or anything else that shows your program will lead to a job. If you cannot convince the county to approve your SIP, ask if you can change to a SIP that can be approved (see #4). If the county refuses, or if you don't want to change, then ask for a "Third Party Assessment" and a hearing. See#8&#9.
8. What if the county still doesn't want to approve my SIP?		If your program is not on the list and the county doesn't agree that you have proved it will lead to employment, ask for a "Third Party Assessment." Just write a note to your worker saying you want a "Third Party Assessment." This is a meeting with a different person (who is not involved in your case) to look at the matter again. If the county still won't approve it, ask for a state hearing. See #9.
9. How do I ask for a state hearing?		You can use a form on the back of your letters from the welfare department to ask for a hearing. You can also call the state at (800) 952-5253 to ask for a hearing. If you ask for a hearing before the day the sanction takes effect, your cash aid will not be reduced while you are waiting for the decision.
10. What about childcare?		CalWORKs will pay for childcare for your children 10 years old and younger and 11 & 12 year olds if funding is available. You can also get childcare coverage for your older children who have special needs. Childcare is available: while you are in an SIP, or while you are in education, training or any other activity as part of your welfare-to-work plan, or if you need it as "post-employment" services.
11. What about transportation?		SIPs are entitled to payment for transportation. Generally this means a bus pass. If no bus service is available you can get payment for mileage.
12. What about money for books, tools and uniforms?		These are covered by CalWORKs if needed to complete your SIP, and if they are not covered by some other source (like the college itself.)
13. Can I still get CalWORKs if I get financial aid?		Yes. Practically all college loans and grants are "excluded income." That mean your CalWORKs should not be reduced or cut off because you get financial aid.
14. Do I have to use my college financial aid for childcare or other expenses which could be covered by CalWORKs?		No. If you are in an approved SIP, the college can help you work with the county to make sure that your needs are met, but that payments are not duplicated. For example, the county does not have to pay for your childcare if it is already being covered by the school. However, colleges and financial aid can pay
15. If I buy a computer for school will it affect my CalWORKs grant?		No. Families getting CalWORKs are allowed to own personal computers even if they are not used for school.
16. Do I have to go to school full-time?		No. But your school may not agree that you are making satisfactory progress if you are taking only a couple of classes. Also, for CalWORKs, all your "work activities" (classroom, lab, internships, work study and work) have to equal at least 32 hours per week. If you are not taking many classes, you will have to do more of these other activities. With the new time limits on getting welfare, you may want to take as many classes as you can. See question #21.
17. If I am in a SIP, do I also have to work?		Maybe. All people in SIPs have to spend at least 32 hours per week in the classroom, labs, internship programs, jobs and other welfare-to-work activities. If your classes, labs and internships don't add up to 32 hours, you will have to do some additional activities to reach the total. A part-time job would qualify. If you don't have a job, the county can assign you to other welfare-to-work activities such as community service (workfare), job club or job search, or additional education or training. But the county must count all your school, lab and internship hours before deciding how many other hours you can be assigned to additional activities.
18. Can work-study count toward my 32 hours per week?		The county should count work-study toward a SIP's 32 hours. If you have a work-study job and the county says it won't count toward your 32 hours, ask for a hearing and contact legal aid. See #9.
19. Do I have to quit my SIP if I am offered a job?		No. If your SIP has been approved, you have good cause for refusing to accept a job or do other activities that would interfere with it.
20. Can my SIP be approved if I am enrolled in a school program but I haven't started classes yet?		State law says your SIP can be approved if you are enrolled. You don't have to be actually attending classes yet if school hasn't started.
21. If my SIP is approved, how long can I stay in it?		As of 12/1/2004 the Welfare to Work participation rules changed. Participants now need to be active in 20 hours of core and 12 � 15 hours of non-core activities to remain eligible for services. The 18 � 24 month limits on education have been eliminated and students in good standing and making good progress may be allowed to receive training for a full 60 months, based on assessment and need. SIPs are not impacted by the core/non-core hours requirement; however, SIPs must continue to maintain 32 � 35 hours per week of activities that can include classes, labs, internships, work experience, work study and employment as approved in their WtW plan.
22. Do I have to finish my program within the 18 or 24 months?		Refer to Question #21...18-24 month time limits have been eliminated
23. What if I already had a SIP under the old GAIN program?		Any time you spent in a SIP (or any other activity) under the old GAIN program before CalWORKs began does not count against your CalWORKs time limits. Even if you completed a two-year SIP under GAIN, you can still be a CalWORKs if you meet the requirements described here.
24. What if I have to quit my SIP but want to go back later?		You can do this only if you had a "good cause" for quitting. Good cause includes lack of childcare or other supportive services, domestic violence, and anything else the county agrees was a good reason, such as illness or a family crisis. Your SIP will still be limited to 18-24 months, not counting the time you weren't attending. Ask for a hearing if the county doesn't agree you can go back to your SIP. See #9
25.What happens during the summer or school breaks?		This varies by county. The county can assign you to other activities during times you are not actually attending school, but can't require you to do anything that conflicts with your approved SIP. If the county sends you to job club, for example, you don't have to accept a job that would interfere with your SIP.
26. What if I already signed a "welfare to work plan" because I didn't realize I could be a SIP?		State law says that you have the right to ask for a change within three days of signing a plan. Call your worker right away if you signed within the last three days. If you are beyond the three days, ask for a state fair hearing immediately so an Administrative Law Judge can decide if your SIP should be approved. See #9.
27. Can I get education and training if I already have a job?		Maybe. If you already have a job and you still get CalWORKs you may get education as part of your welfare to work plan. You may also qualify for up to one year of "post employment" services after you leave CalWORKs for a job. This could include education or training. Ask your worker about "post employment" services available in your county.
28. Can I get training or education if I am not already in a SIP?		Yes. During your assessment, you can ask to be assigned to a community college or other training course as part of your "welfare to work plan."
29. Will I lose all of my family's aid if I get sanctioned?		No. Only the parent's share of the CalWORKs grant is cut if the parent doesn't do the CalWORKs work assignments. For a single parent with two children, this means the family will lose about $100 per month. You will also lose all CalWORKs supportive services, such as childcare, transportation and books. You can still get cash aid for your children even if you are sanctioned. Everyone in the family should still get Medi-Cal and Food Stamps. You will have to follow all the other rules for Food Stamps. Also your Food Stamps grant will not go up even though your CalWORKs grant has been cut.
30. If I am sanctioned, will my children's CalWORKs check come to me?		Maybe not. If you are sanctioned and your sanction lasts for more than three months, the county may "vendor pay" your children's CalWORKs benefits. "Vendor pay" means they would write a check directly to your landlord for your rent and directly to the utility company for your utilities. You would receive anything left over. If the CalWORKs grant isn't enough to cover the rent and utilities, you would have to pay the remainder yourself.
31. How does the sanction process work?		There are several steps in the sanction process. The county must send you a letter saying that you failed to participate in your assigned activity. The letter will give you an appointment to meet with the worker to talk about why you didn't do the work activity the county assigned you to. If you ignore the letter, your aid will be reduced on the date mentioned in the letter, unless you ask for a fair hearing before the date the reduction is to happen. If you go to the meeting, you can argue again that your SIP should be approved. If that doesn't work, you can agree to a "conciliation plan" which would mean agreeing to do the activity the county wants you to. If you reach agreement either way, the county will cancel the planned sanction. If, after going to the meeting, you either don't agree or don't follow through on the conciliation plan, the county will send another letter telling you when and how much your grant will be cut. You can use the back of the letter to ask for a state hearing. If you ask for the hearing before the date your grant is set to be cut, your aid will continue until the hearing is resolved. See #9
32. Where can I get more information about CalWORKs?		For more detail, see "CalWORKs: A Comprehensive Guide to Welfare for California Families," a manual by Western Center on Law & Poverty. It is available in all legal aid offices and most community college CARE offices. Also contact the Student Parent Support Network, a project of Lifetime (Low Income Families Empowerment Through Education) at (510) 526-3803.
33. Other related sites.		http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/default.htm (California Department of Social Services) http://www.jobconnect.org/ (Job Connections of the Mother Lode) http://www.wclp.org/index.html (Western Center on Law and Poverty) http://www.calindian.org/ (California Indian Legal Assistance) http://www.lsnc.net (Legal Services of Northern California) http://www.centralcallegal.org/ (Central California Legal Services)