CalWORKs Family Reunification benefits

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Effective January 1, 2025, participants who were members of a CalWORKs family when CalWORKs-eligible children were removed from the home will remain eligible for CalWORKs cash aid, child care and reunification services when: 1) all CalWORKs-eligible children were removed by the county Child Welfare Services (CWS), 2) the AU received CalWORKs cash aid when removed, and 3) the child welfare services agency or court has determined that the services mentioned above are necessary for reunification.

CalWORKs family reunification cash aid is limited to six months.  Other CalWORKs family reunification services can continue after six month with good cause granted by the CWS.

Upon notification that all CalWORKs eligible children have been removed from the home, children are considered temporarily absent for one month. After one month, CalWORKs Family Reunification will take effect if either there is a case plan in effect or under development by the CWS agency that includes providing cash aid, or there is a court order for a case plan that includes providing cash aid.

Pregnant Person Only cases when there is immediate removal of the child upon birth can be eligible for CalWORKs Family Reunification cash aid.

Non-needy caretaker relatives are not eligible for CalWORKs Family Reunification cash aid.

CWS removal of a child is considered an action that is verified upon receipt, which means that it changes CalFresh benefits mid-period.

If CalWORKs is terminated because of removal of the children by CWS, the household can be eligible for Transitional CalFresh.  (ACL 25-05, January 7, 2025.)

Increase in State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave Benefits

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Effective January 1, 2025, State Disability Insurance (SDI) and Paid Family Leave (PFL) benefits increased to 90% of wages for many workers.

Workers with annual wages of $1,200 to $2889.96, or $300 to $722.49 in their highest earning 3 month period are now eligible for $50 per week in SDI or PFL.

Workers with annual wages of $2,980 to $62,025.60, or $722.50 to $15,506.40 in their highest earning 3 month period are now eligible for 90% of their weekly wages in SDI or PFL.

SDI provides benefits to people who cannot do their customary work because of a disability.

PFL provides benefits to people who need to take time off work to care for a seriously ill family member, bond with a new child, or support a family member in the US armed forces who is deploying to a foreign country.  (Employment Development Department News Release 25-01, January 2, 2025.)

Welfare-to-Work good cause and flexibilities because of Los Angeles wildfires

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The California Department of Social Services has issued guidance regarding Welfare-to-Work participation and the Los Angeles wildfires.  Los Angeles and Ventura Counties can implement county-wide blanket good cause to suspend welfare-to-work participation during the state of emergency.  Welfare-to-work participants may continue to voluntarily participate.  This blanket good cause does not stop the 60 month time on aid clock.

These counties should establish an end date for blanket good cause based on the time needed to reengage participants.  Blanket good cause cannot extend longer than the state of emergency.

After blanket good cause ends, counties should continue to grant good cause and exemptions on a case-by-case basis for participants who have health or economic issues because of the wildfires.

Wildfire victims may also be eligible for nonrecurring special needs payments, an exception to the once every 12 months limit on Homeless Assistance, and welfare-to-work exemptions.  Current recipients may also be eligible for the CalWORKs Housing Support Program.

Some wildfire evacuees may apply for CalWORKs outside of their home county.  Evacuees may not have documentation available.  If evidence does not exist, or the applicant and county make a good faith effort to obtain verification but are unsuccessful, the county must accept the applicant’s statement under penalty of perjury.

Families receiving CalWORKs through the recovery period must comply with regular verification rules as soon as possible. (ACWDL, January 28, 2025.)

CalFresh automatic benefit replacement

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The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has granted California’s request for a waiver to allow automatic CalFresh replacement because of wildfires and utility shutoffs.  FNS granted replacement of 40 percent of CalFresh benefits for households who were issued January benefits before January 6, 2025 in parts of Butte, Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Mateo, Tuolumne, and Ventura Counties.  California requested 70 percent replacement.

Counties must process individual request for replacement benefits received before or after waiver implementation. Households that receive replacement based on an individual application do not receive the mass replacement.  Households can individually request more than the mass replacement amount.  (Letter from Food and Nutrition Service, January 28, 2025.)

CalFresh hot food waiver

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In general, CalFresh cannot be used to purchase hot food.  California requested a waiver to allow purchase of hot food because of the Los Angeles wildfires.  The Food and Nutrition service granted that waiver.

The hot food waiver is not extended until March 10, 2025.  This allows purchase of hot food with CalFresh benefits in Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura Counties through March 10, 2025.

The waiver does not allow purchase of food from restaurants unless the household is eligible for the Restaurant Meals Program (which are elderly, disabled, or homeless households.)   (Letter from Food and Nutrition Service, February 4, 2025.)

Waiver of CalFresh 10 day reporting requirement for food replacement

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In general, CalFresh benefits can be replaced if a household reports loss of food purchased with CalFresh within 10 days.  California requested a waiver of the 10 day reporting requirement for replacement of food purchased with CalFresh benefits that was lost because of the Los Angeles wildfires and related utility shutoffs.  The Food and Nutrition Service granted the waiver of the 10 day reporting requirement through March 6, 2025.  Reports of loss of food purchased with CalFresh benefits because of the Los Angeles wildfires will be timely if submitted by March 6.  The waiver includes Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. (Letter from Food and Nutrition Service, February 5, 2025.)