CalWORKs WTW pay amounts in Merced County? Anyone getting compensated?

they dont pay u for wtw lol ur caseworker is confusing u with something else. wtw is REQUIRED to get ur cash aid its not a job

I'm in Merced too!!! I think your talking about the WORK EXPERIENCE program. My cousin did this and she got placed at a nonprofit and got like $350 extra a month on top of her regular cash aid. She said it was worth it cuz she also got job experience she could put on her resume. You have to ask specifically for it though cuz they don't always tell you about all the options. Make sure to ask at your orientation!!

To clarify some confusion here - CalWORKs Welfare to Work has several different pathways that can include compensation: 1. Work Experience (WEX) - This provides work experience and a supplemental payment 2. Subsidized Employment - Where the county pays part of your wages at a real job 3. Work Study - For those in eligible educational programs In Merced County specifically, the compensation varies based on your assigned hours and which program you qualify for. The WEX stipend is usually calculated based on your Cash Aid amount divided by the number of required participation hours. The payments typically come as a separate check, not on your EBT card. And yes, these earnings are reportable income, but they generally don't reduce your Cash Aid dollar-for-dollar because of earned income disregards.

I tried calling Merced County for THREE DAYS to get info about these programs after my WTW orientation. Every single time I got disconnected or was on hold forever and then had to hang up for my other appointments. So frustrating!!! Finally I used Claimyr.com and got through to a real person in 10 minutes. They have this video demo that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Anyway, the WTW counselor told me that the Work Experience pays different amounts depending on your Cash Aid and family size. For me with 2 kids it worked out to about $12/hr for 20 hours a week, which came out to around $960 extra per month! Way better than just doing unpaid community service hours.

The actual payment structure works like this in Merced County: - For Work Experience (WEX): Your monthly grant amount ÷ minimum wage = maximum hours you can work per month. The "payment" is essentially your Cash Aid divided by your hours. - For Subsidized Employment: You get actual wages (usually minimum wage) from an employer, but the county subsidizes those wages. - For Work Study: Compensation varies by placement and hours. The best approach is to attend your orientation with specific questions ready. Also, when you meet with your WTW counselor, ask them to show you ALL the available options that include compensation. Many counselors don't volunteer this information unless specifically asked.

mY daughter did WEX in merced last year n they put her in the county office doing filing stuff. she got like $14/hr for 22 hrs a week but she had to report the income on her SAR 7 n it did lower her cash aid some but she still came out ahead with more total $$$. just make sure u report it right or theyll hit u with an overpayment later

One more important detail: When you report WEX or Subsidized Employment income on your SAR 7, the first $225 of earned income is disregarded, and then 50% of the remainder is disregarded. This means only a portion of your earnings will count against your Cash Aid. Example: If you earn $1,000 from WEX: - First $225 doesn't count = $775 remaining - 50% of $775 doesn't count = $387.50 remaining - Only $387.50 affects your Cash Aid amount This is why these programs are so valuable - you gain work experience AND increase your total income substantially.

Just want to add that timing matters too! I'm also in Merced County and when I started my WEX placement last fall, they told me it can take 4-6 weeks after your orientation to actually get placed somewhere. The county has to find an appropriate work site that matches your skills/schedule and then do all the paperwork. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't happen right away! Also, some placements are better than others - I got lucky and was placed at the library which was perfect for my schedule with kids. My friend got stuck doing maintenance work at a park which wasn't ideal for her. If possible, mention any preferences or limitations during your assessment so they can try to match you better.