How soon after CalWORKs approval do WTW requirements start? Urgent help needed

usualy u get a letter within like 2 weeks after ur approval. they'll scheduel ur orientation 1st and then assign u a WTW worker who's diffrent from ur eligibility worker. the orientation is mandatory u cant skip it or theyll sanction u

You should receive a notice scheduling your Welfare to Work orientation within 10-30 days after your CalWORKs approval. At the orientation, they'll explain all the participation requirements and have you sign a WTW plan. Your current part-time job (15 hours/week) will count toward your WTW hours! The total requirement is typically 30 hours/week for a single parent with a child under 6, so you'd need to add activities for the remaining 15 hours. This could be job search, education, training, or other approved activities. VERY IMPORTANT: Apply for childcare assistance right away! You should mention this at your orientation. CalWORKs will cover childcare costs while you participate in WTW activities, but it can take time to process the childcare application and find providers. Don't wait until the last minute.

when i got approved last year they didnt contact me for almost 2 months about WTW!! i was so confused and worried i was doing something wrong. then suddenly got a letter saying i had orientation the next week. the system is so disorganized lol

DONT MISS THE ORIENTATION!!!! They will cut your benefits so fast. I missed mine because my kid was sick and they immediately started the sanction process. Had to do so much paperwork to fix it. They're super strict about this stuff. Also the WTW counselors are way better than the eligibility workers. My WTW lady actually helps me and returns calls, my eligibility worker might as well be a ghost.

After your CalWORKs approval, you'll receive a notice to attend a Welfare to Work orientation, typically within 2-4 weeks. During this orientation, they'll explain the program requirements and schedule an appointment for you to meet with your assigned WTW case manager. Your case manager will help you develop a WTW plan that takes into account your current employment (the 15 hours/week will count toward your participation requirement) and other factors like your children's ages. Since you have a child under 6, your total requirement is 30 hours per week. You'll also need to apply for Stage 1 Child Care through CalWORKs to cover childcare expenses while you participate in WTW activities. Make sure to request this assistance during your orientation. If you're having trouble reaching your eligibility worker by phone, I recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). They can help you get through to a live person at the CalWORKs office without waiting on hold for hours. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE that shows how it works. I used it when I needed to reach my worker about WTW questions and it saved me so much frustration.

They gonna make u do that stupid job search worksheet every week where u gotta list all the places u applied. Its such a waste of time especially if ur already working part time. The whole system is designed to make u jump through hoops. And don't expect them to actually help u get a better job. My "job counselor" just handed me printouts of job listings I coulda found myself on indeed.

Are you already receiving the childcare assistance for your current part-time job? If not, ask about retroactive childcare payments when you meet with your WTW worker. Sometimes they can cover childcare costs from when you were first approved for CalWORKs, even before your WTW orientation. Also, make sure to bring documentation of your current employment to the orientation - paystubs or a letter from your employer stating your hours. This will help speed up the process of creating your WTW plan.

One more thing - if you have any barriers to participation (health issues, domestic violence situation, learning disabilities, etc.), mention these during your orientation or WTW assessment. There are exemptions or modifications available if you qualify. Don't struggle to meet requirements that might not be appropriate for your situation.

Just wanted to add - make sure you understand the "clock" system! California has a 48-month lifetime limit on CalWORKs cash aid, and your clock starts ticking as soon as you're approved (even if you haven't started WTW yet). BUT if you're meeting your WTW participation requirements, you can get extensions beyond 48 months in some cases. Also, if you're already working 15 hours/week, you might qualify for the Earned Income Disregard which lets you keep more of your CalWORKs grant even while working. Ask about this at orientation - it's not automatic and you have to request it. Good luck with everything! The first few months figuring out the system are the hardest, but it gets easier once you know what to expect.

Hey Carlos! Congrats on getting approved! I just went through this process a few months ago. You'll definitely get a separate notice for WTW orientation - mine came about 3 weeks after my approval letter. The orientation is usually scheduled for 2-3 weeks out from when you get the notice, so you'll have some time to arrange childcare. Since you already have part-time work, that's actually going to help a lot! They count those 15 hours toward your requirement. And definitely apply for the childcare assistance ASAP - it can take a while to get approved and find providers, but once you do, it's a huge help. One tip: keep track of all your job search activities even before orientation starts. They sometimes ask you to show what you've been doing since approval, and having that documentation ready makes everything smoother. You've got this! The WTW part seems scary at first but it's really just about showing you're trying to become more self-sufficient, which it sounds like you already are.

Welcome to CalWORKs, Carlos! I'm new here too and just got my approval last month. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful - I had no idea about some of this stuff like the 48-month clock and Earned Income Disregard. I'm still waiting for my WTW orientation notice (it's been 2.5 weeks since approval) and getting pretty anxious about it. Does anyone know if there's a way to check on the status or if we can call to ask when it's coming? I keep checking my mail every day and worry I might have missed something important. Also curious about the childcare application process - do we apply at the orientation or should we try to get that started beforehand? I have a 4-year-old and really need to get this figured out before any mandatory activities start. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is already helping me feel less overwhelmed about the whole process!