Verification Needed to Establish Eligibility

Deprivation

When determining deprivation, EWs must explore eligibility under ALL possible aid categories.

Deceased

Verification of death (death certificate or other) must be in the case record.

If the only available verification is the client's affidavit (e.g., the parent died in Vietnam and no records are available), the affidavit must be approved by the District Office Manager.

Explore the possibility of Social Security Survivor's Benefits with the applicant. Refer to Deprivation of Parental Support or Care.

Incapacity

Current medical verification must be on file. Refer to Deprivation.

Absence

Notice and Agreement for Child, Spousal and Medical Support (CW 2.1 N&A) and Support Questionnaire (CW 2.1Q) must be completed and signed for each absent parent and for the parents of minor parents.

Referrals to the LCSA must be made, unless the applicant wishes to claim good cause.

If less than a 30-day break in aid, no DCSS referral is needed unless new information is available.

Refer to Common Place Handbook Chapter 14 Child/Medical Support for more information.

Unemployed

All U-parents must file a claim for UIB. Verification of the claim must be on file.

A Request for Information on Termination of Employment (SCD 549B) must be on file if the parent has quit or lost a job within the last 6 months.

Note: The applicant U-parent must have worked less than 100 hours in the four weeks (28 calendar days) prior to the beginning date of aid.

Age, Residence, and Citizenship

Verification of age, residence, and citizenship and/or "qualified non-citizen" status for each individual must be provided and on file. All school age children (aged 6 - 17, 18, if applicable) must meet the school attendance requirement.

The unmarried minor parent under the age of 18 must live in an appropriate adult supervised living arrangement, or meet an exception in order to receive CalWORKs for themselves and their child.

Birth Certificates

Birth certificates or other acceptable verification must be on file for all Assistance Unit (AU) members.

If the applicant's/recipient's birth certificates are viewed, but cannot be imaged, the pertinent information listed below must be recorded on a blank sheet of paper and imaged into the case:

The issuing authority (state, county, church, etc.)
Name of child
Name of father and mother
Date of birth
Place of birth
Any identifying information, including all identifying numbers.

If unable to provide acceptable verification at the time of application, a Sworn Statement (GEN 853) must be obtained from the parent for all children in the AU. Birth certificates can be obtained by our agency, following the procedures on Verification of Birth, Death and Marriage (SCD 109).

Set up the case and give the applicant 90 days in which to obtain birth certificates for all family members included in the AU. Create a reminder to follow up prior to the due date.

Identification

[EAS 40-105.3]

An acceptable form of photo identification (ID) must be on file for all adult CalWORKs applicants. Refer to CalWORKs Verification Chart for a list. In addition, the identity of all adult CalWORKs applicants must be verified in person or virtually to complete the application and eligibility determination process with limited exceptions. Any county staff can verify an applicant's photo ID in person, but only county eligibility staff can verify an applicant's photo ID virtually. The applicant is allowed to choose the method to present their photo ID, provided the method is available to both the applicant and the county. The county cannot restrict applicants from utilizing valid methods. Photo ID is used for the purpose of prevention or prosecution of welfare fraud. An applicant's failure to provide their photo ID in person or virtually will result in ineligibility for the entire AU.

The county currently has one standard platform for videoconferencing, Microsoft (MS) Teams. Other platforms cannot be used for the purposes of verifying an applicant's photo ID virtually. For instructions on how to schedule a virtual meeting on MS Teams, refer to the following resources:

sccLearn Web-Based Training: Managing Microsoft Teams: Meetings & Events > Scheduling Meetings in Microsoft Teams
Workflow: How to Create a New MS Teams Meeting.

Important: When a virtual method is used and the county eligibility staff cannot view and identify the applicant presenting the photo ID, the applicant's identity must be verified in person.

Exempt Persons

The following persons are exempt from providing their photo ID in person or virtually:

Non-minor dependents (NMDs), as long as they meet the NMD eligibility criteria and continue to be aided as a NMD in the CalWORKs program. Refer to Non-Minor Dependents.
Non-needy caretaker relatives applying for a relative foster child.
CalWORKs applicants who previously received CalWORKs, CalFresh, or Medi-Cal, who are already known to the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS), and whose photo ID is part of the case file.
- These applicants are not required to resubmit their photo ID in person or virtually as part of the verification process, unless the EW has reason to request in person or virtual identity verification in the course of gathering documentation necessary to make an eligibility determination. Continuing current practice, when evidence of identity is conflicting, inconsistent, or incomplete, EWs must require in person or virtual identity verification of applicants, even if already known to CalSAWS, to confirm eligibility.

Request for Verification (CW 2200)

Photo ID

If an acceptable form of photo ID is not on file for all adult applicants in the case, then the EW shall send a CW 2200 to give the applicant 10 days to submit the missing photo ID.

Presenting Photo ID In Person or Virtually

Refer to the table below if a non-exempt person needs to present their photo ID in person or virtually:

If the applicant...	Then the EW shall...
Applied in person or by mail/fax/drop-box,	Send a CW 2200 to give the applicant 10 days to present their photo ID in person or virtually. If the applicant does not comply by the due date, then the EW shall deny their application.
Applied telephonically or through other electronic means,	Approve CalWORKs prior to the applicant presenting their photo ID in person or virtually, if all other eligibility factors are met, and Send a CW 2200 to give the applicant 15 working days to present their photo ID in person or virtually for benefits to be continued.*
Is in Immediate Need (IN) of benefits,	Verify the applicant’s eligibility for aid, Issue aid prior to the applicant presenting their photo ID in person or virtually, and Send a CW 2200 to give the applicant 15 working days from the date of receipt of the IN payment request to present their photo ID in person or virtually for benefits to be continued.*
Does not have an acceptable form of photo ID,	Accept the applicant's Sworn Statement (GEN 853) under penalty of perjury regarding identity (a sworn statement is considered sufficient temporarily), Approve CalWORKs prior to the applicant presenting their photo ID in person or virtually, if all other eligibility factors are met, and Send a CW 2200 to give the applicant 15 working days to submit an acceptable form of photo ID and present their photo ID in person or virtually for benefits to be continued.* Exception: If the applicant presents evidence of good faith efforts to obtain a photo ID, the county shall continue aid.

Important: Do not include weekends and holidays when calculating the 15 working days.

*Note: If the client does not comply by the due date, benefits shall discontinue at the end of the month of the 15 working day period with a timely and adequate Notice of Action (NOA). If benefits continue beyond the end of the month of the 15 working day period, an overpayment must be established for any subsequent aided months the client failed to comply.

Documentation

Journal entries must describe how photo ID was verified for all adult CalWORKs applicants.

If...	Then specify...
Photo ID was verified in person,	Time, date, and location. ExampleExample Info sup verified Daphne Dace's photo ID in person at 8:30am on 7/1/2025 at AAC.
Photo ID was verified virtually,	Time, date, and virtual method. ExampleExample EW verified Cristian Silas and Rachel Silas' photo ID virtually at 2pm on 8/19/2025 via MS Teams.
The client is exempt from providing photo ID in person or virtually,	The exemption reason. ExampleExample Eli Kirsikka is exempt from providing photo ID in person or virtually, because he received CalWORKs in January 2024, is already known to CalSAWS, and previously verified his photo ID in person.

Income Eligibility

Income eligibility must be established prior to approval of aid. The client must apply for all sources of potential income. Refer to Potentially Available Income [EAS 82-610, 44-103].

Verification of income must be on file.