CalWORKs wants 'proof' I quit my job for valid reasons - what do they accept?

they always want u to jump through hoops its ridiculous!! when I applied last yr they made me get a letter from my old boss saying why i quit. such bs becuz some ppl leave jobs on bad terms and cant get that. did u tell ur worker u tried contacting ur old work? could try saying u did but they wont respond....thats what my cousin did lol

When I had this issue last year, I submitted a simple written statement explaining why I left my job (childcare issues in my case) and signed it. The key is making sure your reason counts as a "good cause" reason under CalWORKs rules. Moving to a new county with a prohibitively long/expensive commute definitely qualifies as good cause! Submit a signed statement with: - Your previous address - Your new address (with the lease you already submitted) - The commute distance/time - The transportation costs calculated monthly - Your previous income and why the commute was no longer affordable Also mention that you've been actively job searching in your new area. This should be sufficient. They're supposed to accept self-attestation (your own signed statement) for these situations when other documentation isn't available.

Just adding to the excellent advice above - make sure your statement specifically uses the phrase "good cause for voluntary quit due to unreasonable commute" somewhere in the document. That phrase flags it properly in their system. Also, calculate exactly what percentage of your previous income would have gone to the commute costs. If it's over 33% of your take-home pay (which it sounds like it would be), specifically mention that as it's an automatic qualifier for good cause separation. And keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit. I've had documents "disappear" from my case file before... 🙄

my situation was different but i had to prove I got laid off. i got so frustrated with the back & forth!! then my friend told me about claimyr.com and it was a LIFESAVER!! got me through to an actual person at the county in 15 mins when i'd been trying for days. they have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE i finally talked to someone who could tell me exactly what documents they needed and where to send them. worth it if ur still having trouble after trying the written statement others suggested.

CalWORKs is DESIGNED to be impossible to navigate!!! They WANT people to give up!!!! I had to provide 3 different "proofs" of why I left my job and they STILL denied me the first time. Had to appeal. System is RIGGED against working people!!!!!

Quick update question - did you submit your job search logs with your application? That's another piece of evidence that shows you're actively looking for work in your new area, which helps support your case that the move and commute situation was legitimate. Make sure the job search log shows the locations of the jobs you're applying to.

i just rememberd something my worker told me once - ur supposed to tell them BEFORE u quit ur job cuz of the welfare to work rules?? did they mention anything about that to u?? i would be careful if they start talking about sanctions...

UPDATE: I submitted a detailed signed statement explaining everything about my move and the financial impossibility of the commute. Calculated that gas alone would have been 42% of my take-home pay! Also included printouts of current gas prices, a map showing the distance, and info about my car's AC repair estimate ($1,200). Got a call today and they've APPROVED my application! The worker actually apologized for the confusion and said my statement was perfect. Cash Aid should be loaded on my card within 3 days. Thank you all for your advice - especially about using the specific "good cause" language and calculating the commute costs as a percentage of income. That really seemed to make the difference!

ugh i wish i saw this post last month when i was dealing with almost the exact same thing!! except i moved cuz my apartment complex got sold and rent went up $800!!! couldnt afford it so had to move 45 min away... job wouldnt let me go part time and commute was killing me. took 5 WEEKS to get my cash aid going again!

Congratulations on getting approved! Your detailed approach really paid off. I'm bookmarking this thread because your breakdown of how to document the commute costs and use the right language is so helpful. The fact that you calculated the gas as 42% of your take-home pay was brilliant - that's concrete evidence they couldn't ignore. Thanks for sharing your success story and giving hope to others dealing with similar situations!

Welcome to the community @Ravi! This thread really is a goldmine of practical advice. As someone who just went through this process, I'd also add that keeping detailed records from day one is crucial - screenshots of gas prices, rental agreements, job applications, everything. You never know what piece of documentation might be the key to getting your case approved. The CalWORKs system can feel overwhelming at first, but threads like this show there are people here who genuinely want to help each other navigate it successfully. Good luck with your application!

This is such a comprehensive success story - thank you for sharing all the details! As someone who's helped friends navigate CalWORKs applications, I can't stress enough how important it was that you documented everything so thoroughly. The fact that you calculated the exact percentage of your income that would go to commute costs was brilliant strategy. For anyone else reading this thread, I'd also suggest keeping a simple diary of your job search efforts (dates, companies contacted, responses received) as additional evidence of your good faith efforts to find work in your new area. It shows the county that your move wasn't just to avoid working, but that you're actively trying to become self-sufficient in your new location. Really glad this worked out for you, and hopefully your detailed approach helps others who find themselves in similar situations!

As someone who's been through the CalWORKs system multiple times over the years, I just wanted to say how refreshing it is to see such a well-documented success story! @Chloe Martin, your methodical approach to proving "good cause" should be a template for others. What really impressed me was how you turned what could have been dismissed as a vague complaint into rock-solid evidence. The 42% calculation was pure genius - numbers don't lie, and caseworkers can't argue with basic math. I've seen too many people get denied because they couldn't articulate their situation in terms the system understands. For future reference (and for anyone else reading), your strategy of including gas prices, repair estimates, and mapping data created an airtight case. The fact that you also showed active job searching in your new area demonstrated good faith effort to become self-sufficient. Thanks for taking the time to share your detailed update - success stories like yours give hope to people who are struggling with what can feel like an impossible bureaucracy. Congrats on your approval!

What an incredible resource this thread has become! As a newcomer to both this community and the CalWORKs system, I'm blown away by the level of detailed, practical advice shared here. @Chloe Martin, your transformation from initial frustration to systematic documentation and ultimate success is truly inspiring. Your approach of calculating exact percentages and using specific "good cause" language demonstrates how important it is to speak the system's language rather than just explaining your situation emotionally. The fact that you documented everything - gas prices, repair estimates, commute times, job applications - created an undeniable paper trail. For someone like me who's just beginning to understand how complex these requirements can be, this thread is pure gold. The collective wisdom about keeping copies, using precise terminology, and providing quantifiable evidence rather than subjective explanations could save newcomers months of back-and-forth with caseworkers. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and creating such a supportive environment for people navigating these challenging systems. This is exactly the kind of community resource that makes a real difference in people's lives!