Lost my job - will CalWORKs cash aid increase with unemployment? Single mom confused about benefits

Yes, you can receive both CalWORKs and unemployment at the same time! I'm a single mom too and had this exact situation last year. However, your unemployment benefits WILL count as income when they calculate your CalWORKs grant amount. For a family of 2 (you and your daughter) in 2025, the maximum grant is about $875 monthly, but they'll reduce that based on your unemployment income. They don't count all of it though - they have something called the 'earned income disregard' where they ignore the first $225 of income plus 50% of anything over that. Your CalFresh will likely go down a bit too since unemployment counts as income for that program as well.

u should DEFINTELY apply!! they count unemployment diffrent than regular work income. i was getting $390/week unemployment last yr + still got like $320 in calworks for me + my son. it really helped with rent. just be honest about ur unemployment on the application or theyll make u pay it back later. and save ur termination paperwork cuz theyll ask for it

To directly answer your question about the amount: With $1,360 monthly unemployment income for a family of 2, your CalWORKs grant would be approximately $307 per month after they apply the income disregarding rules. And regarding Welfare to Work (WTW) requirements - you actually get an exemption from WTW participation requirements while you're receiving unemployment benefits and actively seeking work through EDD. Just make sure to tell your CalWORKs worker that you're on unemployment so they'll code your case correctly. You'll need to provide verification of your unemployment claim. Apply online through BenefitsCal.com - it's much faster than going in person.

When you apply make sure you check the box for childcare assistance too!!! That's the most valuable part of CalWORKs honestly. They'll pay for childcare while you're looking for work or once you find a new job. Don't miss out on that benefit!

CalWORKs is a pain honestly. They make you jump through so many hoops and the workers never answer their phones. I applied after losing my job and it took FOREVER to get approved. By the time I got any money I had already found another job and then they wanted me to do all these WTW activities on top of my new job. Not worth the hassle IMO.

Just be aware that the 48-month time limit clock starts ticking once you start receiving CalWORKs. That might not matter now if you're just using it temporarily while between jobs, but something to keep in mind. Also, if you have any child support arrangements with your daughter's father, you'll need to cooperate with LCSA (child support services) unless you have good cause not to (like domestic violence concerns).

Update: I applied for CalWORKs through BenefitsCal yesterday! It asked for all my unemployment info and I uploaded my termination letter. They scheduled me for a phone interview next week. Fingers crossed I get approved soon. Thanks everyone for your help explaining how it works!