CalWORKs worker refused to tell me income limits for family of 3 - how is this legal?
I'm so angry right now! Went to the welfare office yesterday to ask about CalWORKs eligibility for my family (me, my partner, and our 4-year-old). All I wanted to know was the maximum income limit for a family of 3 so we could plan our work hours and make sure we stay eligible if we apply. The worker literally told me 'we can't give out that information.' What?! How am I supposed to plan our finances if they won't even tell me the basic income limits? Isn't this public information? I'm trying to be responsible and make sure we don't earn too much to qualify before we go through the whole application process. Has anyone else experienced this? It feels like they're deliberately making it hard for working families to access benefits.
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Aisha Abdullah
That's definitely not right. Income limits for CalWORKs ARE public information and any eligibility worker should be able to tell you. For a family of 3 in 2025, the gross income limit is around $2,813 per month. There's also a net income test after deductions. The worker might have been confused or poorly trained. Here's what you should do: call the main CalWORKs customer service line and ask again, or check the CDSS website where they publish all the income limits. You can also submit an application through BenefitsCal and they'll determine eligibility - you don't have to guess.
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GalaxyGuardian
•Thank you so much for this information! $2,813 is actually higher than I thought. Do you know what kinds of deductions they allow for the net income test? My partner just started a new job and we're trying to figure out if we should reduce hours.
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Ethan Wilson
Thats horrible!!! Ive heard of wrkers being rude but never refusing to give out the ACTUAL RULES of the program!!! Sounds like someone on a power trip who doesn't want to do there job. I would report them!!
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Yuki Tanaka
•I second this! I'd definitely ask for a supervisor and file a complaint. They can't just withhold basic information about program requirements. That's literally their job to explain how the program works.
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Carmen Diaz
This happens more often than you'd think. When I applied last year, I got different answers from THREE different workers about income limits. One told me it was based on federal poverty level, another quoted me a specific number, and the third said it depends on my "circumstances" and wouldn't give me a straight answer. The income limits ARE public information, but some workers seem confused about county policies on sharing information. What's frustrating is that planning your income is exactly what you SHOULD be doing to transition off benefits properly, and they make it nearly impossible. I've found that calling works better than going in person sometimes. Have you tried the county call center instead?
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GalaxyGuardian
•I haven't tried calling yet. Every time I've called about anything in the past, I end up on hold for hours and then get disconnected. It's so frustrating! Did you eventually get through to someone helpful?
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Andre Laurent
Try using Claimyr to get through to an actual CalWORKs worker on the phone. I was dealing with the same frustrating run-around about income limits and verification requirements, kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. With Claimyr, they called the office for me, waited on hold, and then connected me directly to a worker. I finally got all my questions answered about income limits and how deductions work. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE and their website is claimyr.com. Saved me from taking another day off work just to get basic information.
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GalaxyGuardian
•Thanks for the suggestion! I've never heard of this service before. Did you have to provide a lot of personal information to use it? I'm always cautious about sharing my CalWORKs details with third parties.
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Andre Laurent
•I was worried about that too, but they actually don't need your case details or personal info - they just need your phone number to call you back when they reach a human. You're the one who talks to the worker directly. It's basically just a hold-waiting service.
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AstroAce
When i applied last yr they told me everything about income limits no problem, maybe u got someone new or having a bad day? Or u could try another office somtimes the workers r better at different locations
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Zoe Kyriakidou
This is exactly why the system doesn't work! They hide information, make everything complicated, then wonder why people get discouraged and give up. I've been on and off CalWORKs for years and I've never understood why they can't just be TRANSPARENT about requirements. The worker wasn't confused - they're trained to make it hard. The fewer people who successfully apply, the less money they have to pay out. It's by design!
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Aisha Abdullah
•I understand your frustration, but I don't think there's an actual policy to withhold income limit information. It's definitely not supposed to work that way. The income limits are published on the CDSS website and in numerous public documents. More likely it was a poorly trained worker or someone who misunderstood policy.
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Carmen Diaz
To actually answer your question more specifically: For a family of 3, there are three income tests for CalWORKs: 1. Gross income limit (around $2,813/month for 2025) 2. Net income after deductions must be under the Minimum Basic Standard of Adequate Care (MBSAC) 3. Net income after deductions must be lower than the Maximum Aid Payment (MAP) For deductions, they allow: - $450 for work expenses for each employed person - 50% of remaining earned income - Child care costs (with limits) After these deductions, your net countable income must be below the MAP for your family size, which for a family of 3 is about $1,057 if you live in a higher-cost county (Region 1) or $1,008 in a lower-cost county (Region 2). This is public information they absolutely should have shared with you!
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GalaxyGuardian
•Thank you SO MUCH for breaking this down! This is exactly what I needed. So it sounds like if both my partner and I work, we'd each get the $450 deduction plus half our remaining income wouldn't count? That's way more generous than I thought. Do you know if the child care deduction is before or after the 50% reduction?
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Carmen Diaz
•The childcare deduction is taken after the 50% earned income deduction. And yes, you both would get the $450 deduction if you're both working! The system actually has decent work incentives built in, which is why it's so frustrating when workers don't explain it properly.
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Yuki Tanaka
I've been through this exact situation. The reality is that the income limits for CalWORKs are complicated because there are different tests, and sometimes workers don't want to give a simple answer that might not apply to your specific situation. But they SHOULD have explained that to you instead of just refusing to answer! Are you just trying to figure out if you should apply, or are you already receiving benefits and worried about income changes? The rules are slightly different depending on your situation.
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GalaxyGuardian
•We're not on CalWORKs yet but considering applying. My partner just got a job offer and we're trying to figure out if we should accept it or ask for fewer hours so we can still qualify. We're in a really tough spot financially right now with rent increasing, and the childcare assistance through CalWORKs would be a huge help while we get back on our feet.
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Yuki Tanaka
•In that case, I would absolutely apply regardless! The initial income limits are actually pretty generous with the deductions, and the childcare benefit is incredibly valuable. Even if you're close to the limit, it's worth applying because they'll do the exact calculations for your situation. Don't turn down work hours before knowing for sure - you might qualify anyway with the deductions.
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