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Additional Three Consecutive Months
In certain circumstances, ABAWDs may be granted an additional three consecutive months of eligibility after they have exhausted their three countable months. This only applies to ABAWDs who have regained eligibility by satisfying the work requirement for any 30 consecutive calendar days, but have subsequently stopped satisfying the work requirement. This policy allows the client to be given three additional months of benefits to be used consecutively.
Note: Once the first of the three consecutive months is issued, the other two months will automatically follow even if the ABAWD satisfies the work requirement during that time. The three consecutive months of eligibility are only available once during the 36-month period and must be given to those ABAWD clients who qualify (i.e. by regaining eligibility and subsequently not satisfying the work requirement).
If an individual ABAWD has used their three countable months, lost eligibility, and then regains eligibility by satisfying the work requirement, the three consecutive months will start when the ABAWD notifies the county that they are no longer satisfying the work requirement. If the individual was participating in a work program or workfare program, the three consecutive months will start when the county determines the ABAWD is no longer in compliance. Counties must track the three consecutive months in the ABAWD’s individual record of the 36-month period in CalSAWS. An example of the use of the three consecutive months is illustrated below.
An ABAWD subject to the time limit fails to satisfy the work requirement during months 2, 3 and 4 of the 36-month period and is ineligible for CalFresh. In month 7 (July), the client obtains employment, meets the work requirement, and regains eligibility. At the beginning of month eight (August), the client loses his job. The ABAWD individual is eligible receive the additional three consecutive months of CalFresh benefits for months 8, 9 and 10 (August, September, October) without satisfying the work requirement. Beginning with month 11 (November) and for the remaining months of the 36-month period, the client can only receive CalFresh if they satisfy the ABAWD work requirement or qualify for an exemption.
Note: In the example above, because there is no partial month applied in June or July, it is assumed that the client applied for and received a full month of CalFresh benefits on the first day of July. This person’s 30 consecutive day period began no later than June 1. When they submitted their application on July 1st, they provided proof that they had satisfied the work requirement for 30 consecutive days.
If the ABAWD reapplying for benefits in July is a part of an existing CalFresh household, the ABAWD can be added to the case effective the first day of the month (i.e.Aug).