A reminder to counties that they are NOT just to send applicants/recipients willy-nilly to EDD to apply for Unemployment Benefits.  Since the EDD files are available on-line to county workers, they are required to check for potential eligibility prior to referring folks to EDD to apply. [Download]

A much needed once-over of the MFG rules.  The letter notes that counties must provide the CW 2102 MFG informing notice form at application and each subsequent annual redetermination. Failure to issue/get the form signed at an annual redetermination that was at least 10 months prior to the birth of the child renders the MFG rule inapplicable.  Prior to applying the rule, the worker is to determine if there was a 2 months or longer break in aid, or the family met another exception.  The letter contains several examples, as well as a reminder that counties must provide interpretive services and written translations, as appropriate. [Download]

Pretty self-explanatory title.  Mostly notable because it impacts the FS calculation, and people should be getting the correct forms.  [Download]

In the “Better late than never,” category, CDSS announces that it this past February, the Department  of Child Support Services (DCSS) sent out retroactive $50 child support disregards, to compensate for the failure to timely credit and issue payments in the transition between Local Child Support Agencies and DCSS.  A reminder that the retroactive payments (as well as the regular ones) are disregarded as income for both CalWORKs and Food Stamps.  And, as an added bonus, recipients “shall not be discontinued for failure to report” the retro payment, presumably a reference to accepting a QR 7 as complete whether or not the retro payment is reported.   [Download]