Completion of Intake Interview

How to Treat Changes During the Application Period

Any changes reported by the AU while the EW is still determining eligibility for CalWORKs shall be used to make a final determination of eligibility and grant amount. If changes take place after the legal beginning date of aid, but before the determination of eligibility, and the change results in applicant ineligibility, the EW shall deny aid. If the changes do not result in ineligibility, but will have an effect on the grant amount, they shall be used to determine the correct grant amount for the AU.

Important: Current Income Disregard and MAP values must be used in calculations. Income Disregard and MAP values in the example below may not reflect current values.

Note: The examples use a MAP of $670 for an AU of three and $800 for an AU of four.

Example 1

Mary applies for CalWORKs for herself and her two children on June 9th. She is unemployed. Her interview is June 22nd. She informs her worker she was hired on June 20th at a new job and verifies her start date is June 25th. Mary provides verification to her worker that she will be working 20 hours a week at $9.00 an hour, paid weekly. Her first paycheck is expected July 8th. With that information, the worker can reasonably anticipate no monthly income for June and a monthly income of $779 beginning in July using a weekly conversion factor ($9.00 x 20 x 4.33 = $779). Her actual current income of $0 will be used to see if she passes the first applicant financial eligibility test and her reasonably anticipated income from her new job, across the June - November SAR period, will be used to determine the AU’s eligibility and grant amount. The CWD will prorate the June grant amount back to the date Mary applied for CalWORKs (June 9th).

Mary has no reasonably anticipated income for the month of June. Mary’s current MAP is prorated beginning June 9th. Aid is granted in the amount of $491 for the month of June.

Example 2

Same as above, but Mary doesn’t know her start date or how many hours she will be working until after her application is approved. Since the worker cannot reasonably anticipate income from her new job, no income will be used to determine the AU’s eligibility or grant amount. As long as she met her reporting requirements and reported all changes during the application period within five days, the EW will not assess an overpayment based on her new job or income.

Mary’s current MAP is prorated beginning June 9th. Aid is granted in the amount of $491 for the month of June. She has no reasonably anticipated income for the remaining months of the payment period so aid is granted in the amount of $670 for the months of July through November.

Example 3

John applies for CalWORKs for himself and his two children on August 4th. He has applied for unemployment (UIB) but is not sure of the amount that will be authorized or when he will start receiving payments. At the time of application, his UIB income cannot be reasonably anticipated. Three days after his interview, he receives his first check and reports it to the EW within five days as required. By the time he reports the income, the application has been approved and he is considered a current recipient. His report will be treated as a mid-period voluntary report and the UIB will not affect the AU’s grant amount until the following SAR period.

John’s current MAP is prorated beginning August 4th. Aid is granted in the amount of $588 for the month of August. Aid is granted in the amount of $670 for the September - January SAR period because John’s UIB cannot be used until the following SAR period.

Example 4

Suzie applies for CalWORKs for herself and her two children on September 1. She works part-time 20 hours a week making $9.00 per hour and has no other household income. Her monthly income is calculated using a weekly conversion factor ($9.00 X 20 X 4.33 = $779). On September 10 she loses her job and reports it to the EW along with verification of her job loss. The application has not yet been approved, so the EW uses the information regarding her job loss and reasonably anticipates no income when determining the AU’s eligibility and grant amount for the September - February SAR period.

Aid is granted in the amount of $670 for the months of September through February.

Example 5

Same as above, but when Suzie makes a timely report of her job loss, the application has already been approved on September 5th and the AU’s grant has been calculated. The AU’s first aid payment is issued on September 5th when the application is approved. The report of decreased income due to the job loss is treated like a voluntary mid-period report and the AU’s grant amount will be recalculated based on recipient SAR rules. Any supplemental payments will be provided to the AU within ten days.

Example 6

On September 8, Steve applies for CalWORKs for himself, his wife, and their two children. He is working 30 hours per week. When Steve comes to his scheduled interview on September 21st, he tells the EW about his job but provides a lay-off notice that verifies he will be laid off as of September 30th. The only basis for deprivation for this family would be unemployed parent deprivation, but because John worked more than 100 hours in the four weeks prior to applying for CalWORKs, John and his family are not eligible for the month of September. However, as of October 28th, he will meet the 100-hour rule for unemployed parent deprivation. The EW pends the application and sends Steve a Notice of Action (NOA), Suspend Application, NA 290, M41-440G, that he is not currently eligible, but his application will be re-examined on October 28. On November 3, the EW meets with Steve and verifies that no other changes have taken place since he completed his application. He is still unemployed, has not yet been granted UIB, and his current and reasonably anticipated income is zero. The AU’s application is granted for the October - March SAR period with an October 28th beginning date of aid.

Steve’s current MAP is prorated beginning from October 28th. Aid is granted in the amount of $100 for the month of October and $800 for the months of November - March.

Example 7

James applies for CalWORKs for himself, his wife, and their child on September 8th. He is the principal earner, but has been unemployed for three months. When he goes to his interview on September 26th, he reports that he has just received an offer for a full-time job that will start on October 17th with a monthly salary of $1,385. Based on this job offer, he anticipates earning $0 in October as his first payday will begin on November 1st. In November, he reasonably anticipates earning a partial month salary of $625. His full monthly salary will begin in December. Since he has not worked more than 100 hours in the four weeks prior to his application date, his family still meets the unemployed parent deprivation requirement. His current income is zero, so his family passes the applicant eligibility test. Next, the EW must determine recipient eligibility and grant amount. The SAR period is September - February and his reasonably anticipated, net, nonexempt monthly income for the upcoming SAR period will be calculated as follows:

James has no reasonably anticipated income for the month of September. James’ current MAP is prorated from September 8th. Aid is granted in the amount of $506 for the month of September.

$670 MAP for three
÷ 30 Days in the month
$ 22 Subtotal
X 23 Number of days in the month James is eligible
$506 Grant amount for September

James has no reasonably anticipated income for the month of October. Aid is granted in the amount of $670 for the month of October.

James’ countable income for the month of November is $200. Aid is granted in the amount of $470.

Determining the Net Non-Exempt Income (NNI) used to determine the November grant amount:

$625 Earned Income
- 225 Unused DBI Income Disregard
$400 Subtotal
÷ 2 EID – 50 percent of the remaining earned income
$200* NNI *The NNI is rounded down to the next whole dollar amount.

Determining the Grant Amount:

$670 MAP for three
- 200 NNI
$470 Grant amount for the month of November

James’ countable income for the months of December - February is $580. Aid is granted in the amount of $90 for the months of December - February.

Determining the NNI used to determine the grant amount for the remaining payment period:

$1,385 Earned Income
- 225 Unused DBI Income Disregard
$1,160 Subtotal
÷ 2 EID – 50 percent of the remaining earned income
580* NNI *The NNI is rounded down to the next whole dollar amount.

Determining the grant amount for the remaining payment period:

$670 MAP for AU of three
- 580 NNI
$ 90 Grant amount for December through February

Example 8

Same as above, but James will be earning $14 an hour and his job will start on October 1st. He anticipates earning $2,424 per month beginning in November. His reasonably anticipated NNI for the upcoming SAR period is as follows:

James has no reasonably anticipated income for the month of September. James’ current MAP is prorated beginning from September 8th. Aid is granted in the amount of $506 for the month of September.

$670 MAP for three
÷ 30 Days in the month
$ 22 Subtotal
X 23 Number of days in the month James is eligible
$506 Grant amount for September

James has no reasonably anticipated income for the month of October. Aid is granted in the amount of $670 for the month of October.

James’ countable income for the month of November - February is $1,099. Beginning in November, the family will become financially ineligible for CalWORKs.

James’ reported reasonably anticipated income for November - February is $2,424.

$14.00 Hourly wage
x 40 Hours worked per week
$ 560 Subtotal Weekly Income X 4.33 Conversion Factor
$2,424 Monthly Gross Income

Determining the NNI used to determine the grant amount for the remaining payment period:

$2,424 Earned Income
- 225 Unused DBI Income Disregard
$2,199 Subtotal
÷ 2 EID – 50 percent of the remaining earned income
$1,099* NNI *The NNI is rounded down to the next whole dollar amount.

James is ineligible for CalWORKs beginning November 1st because his NNI exceeds the MAP for an AU of three ($670).

Example 9

Jane applies for CalWORKs for herself and her child on January 15th. She is unemployed. When she goes to her interview on February 3rd, she reports that her child’s father has moved into the home and is employed full-time. Because Dad hasn’t lived in the home for over two years, Mom is the principal earner, so the AU still has unemployment deprivation. However, Dad’s income makes the AU financially ineligible and the application is denied.

Documentation

Documentation in the Journal Detail page must reflect the applicant's situation. Discrepancies must be clarified. Do not assume what is occurring. Determine what is actually happening and then take appropriate action based on the situation.

Regardless of what is occurring, documentation and verification must be in the case record so that the EW Supervisor, Co-Worker, State Auditor, IEVS Examiner, Appeals Examiner, or anyone who reviews the case is able to accurately determine eligibility and grant level. Documentation is critical for the county to maintain federal and state funding and to avoid claiming penalties.

The following information, NOT FOUND ELSEWHERE IN THE CASE, must be documented:

The content of the intake interview,
The method of the intake interview (face-to-face, telephone, or telephonic signature);
Any contacts, either written or by phone, indicating a change or a potential change in the case, (i.e., household composition, income, or property change). Explain all the decisions made based on anticipated circumstances where an alternate action could have been taken. For example:
- Potential income may either be anticipated or ignored for the payment period, depending upon the probability of receipt, i.e., A/P support ignored when A/P has stated he won't pay, or has historically not paid; UIB anticipated after steady employment;
- Seventeen (17) year-old child is exempted from work registration during the summer because he plans to resume full-time school attendance in the fall;
- Someone is discontinued from the AU effective the first of the following month when they request it in anticipation of her/his leaving the household.
Any justification for unusual or special actions taken by EW,
Eligibility for all programs explored and explained if potentially eligible and the client’s decision to apply or not to apply for the other benefits,
Any information from Social Security including the SSN or any possible benefit information,
The scheduling of appointments,
Any additional or questionable information that would be helpful to an EW newly assigned the case.

Reminder: The applicant may view the Journal Detail page as part of the case record. This page is used only to state factual information and actions taken or proposed.