Completely lost on CalWORKs WTW Activities form - what hours count?

I totally know the struggle with those WTW forms! Don't worry, it gets easier. So first, those codes - JS is Job Search and JCR is Job Club/Readiness. For your 30 hours, only approved activities count, not taking your kid to daycare. Here's what typically counts: - Job searching (document each application with company name and date) - Job interviews (keep track of time, location, who you met with) - Job workshops or classes at the county office - Vocational training or education if pre-approved - Volunteer work if pre-approved as part of your WTW plan Make sure you're following exactly what's in your WTW plan. They should have given you a list of your approved activities during your orientation. If you haven't had orientation yet, call your worker ASAP to clarify.

when i first got on cash aid i messed up those forms so bad lol. kept getting called in for not doing enough hours. make sure u sign the bottom of every page!! thats what got me in trouble

The WTW activity logs are confusing at first, but they're crucial for keeping your benefits. To answer your specific questions: 1. Job searching online DOES count, but you need to document each application properly (company name, position, date, method of application). 2. Transportation time to approved activities can sometimes count, but not regular childcare transportation. 3. Your WTW plan should list your specific approved activities and required hours. 4. Activity codes breakdown: - JS = Job Search - JCR = Job Club/Readiness - VTR = Vocational Training - SES = Self-Employment - WEX = Work Experience - ABE = Adult Basic Education - ESL = English as Second Language If you're uncertain, don't guess! Call your employment specialist directly. If you have trouble reaching them (very common), try Claimyr.com - it helped me get through when I was stuck with similar questions about my WTW activities. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE

They ALWAYS do this - throw a bunch of forms at u with no real explanation and expect u to figure it out!! What county r u in? In LA county they made me go to this stupid 2-week job readiness class before I could even start counting job search hours. Such a waste of time when I could've been applying to jobs!! The whole system is designed to make u fail I swear

I remember being confused about those WTW forms too! One thing to be careful about is making sure you're actually doing the activities listed in your Welfare-to-Work plan. If your plan only approves certain activities but you log hours for something else, they won't count those hours and you could end up with a sanction. Also, double-check if your county requires a signature or initials from employers or program supervisors for certain activities. Some counties want verification signatures for things like job interviews or workshop attendance. And don't stress too much about the past - focus on keeping good records going forward. Start a simple notebook where you write down every job you apply to, every call you make, every workshop you attend. Date, time, company name, position, how you applied - all of it.

dont stress to much hun. i ben on calworks 3 years now and tbh sometime i forget to even fill out the form and my worker just calls me and reminds me lol. but dont do that on purpose!! some workers are super strict

Just wanted to add something important - if you have any barriers that make it hard to complete your 30 hours, tell your worker ASAP. Things like: - Physical or mental health issues - Domestic violence situation - Transportation problems - Childcare issues These might qualify you for a temporary exemption or modified WTW plan with fewer hours. Don't struggle in silence trying to meet requirements that aren't realistic for your situation. The 30-hour requirement can be adjusted based on your circumstances.

To answer your follow-up question - yes, how you distribute hours throughout the week is flexible as long as you meet your total weekly requirement. Some people do more hours early in the week, others spread them out evenly. Regarding your son's specialist appointments - YES, that could potentially qualify you for an adjustment to your WTW plan. Document all appointments and speak with your worker about a "family stabilization" referral, which is specifically for parents dealing with children's special needs. Keep in mind that CalWORKs has supportive services that can help - they can provide transportation assistance (bus passes or mileage reimbursement) and childcare assistance while you complete your WTW activities. Don't miss out on these benefits!