County-Initiated Mid-Period Changes

In addition to making mid-period adjustments to benefits as a result of mandatory and voluntary recipient reports, the EW must also act on certain changes in eligibility status at the end of the month in which a timely and/or adequate notice can be provided, even if it results in a decrease in cash aid. EWs must take action mid-period on the following changes:

  • An adult in the AU reaches the CW 60-month time limit;
  • The county imposes a sanction or financial penalty on an individual member of the AU;
  • The county removes the sanction of an individual who corrects his/her welfare-to-work participation problem;
  • The county removes the penalty for an AU that complies with the CalWORKs program requirements;
  • A Cal-Learn participant earns a Cal-Learn bonus or sanction;
  • A child in the AU reaches the CW age limit;
  • A child in the AU is placed in Foster Care;
  • A non-minor dependent is transferred into his or her own AU;
  • A RCA recipient reaches the 12-month RCA time limit;
  • Aid has been approved for a child or other individual who is currently aided in another AU;
  • Late SAR 7 adjustment;
  • A State Hearing decision results in mandatory changes mid-period;
  • An AU becomes a Family Reunification case;
  • An AU member is no longer a California resident;
  • Am overpayment (O/P) or overissuance (O/I) occurs;
  • Acting on information provided at redetermination (RD);
  • Adjustments to correct erroneous payments caused by (1) incorrect or incomplete recipient SAR 7 or mid-period reporting; or (2) incorrect action or lack of action by the county on SAR 7 or mid-period information reported by the AU;
  • When it becomes known to the county that an AU member is deceased;
  • An AU is transferred to a Tribal TANF program;
  • When COLA for MBSAC, including income in-kind, MAP, and Social Security increases;
  • When it becomes known to the county that an individual is confined in a correctional facility and is expected to remain for a full calendar month or more;
  • A late SAR 7 or RD/RC forms result in benefits needing to be reduced for the next SAR Payment Period (see “Reminder” below);
  • An individual is terminated from TCVAP or is transferred to the federally-funded program;
  • Any other county-initiated actions that may arise.

Reminder: If the county cannot decrease benefits due to an inability to provide a 10-day notice, benefits for the first month of the SAR Payment Period must be released at the prior level and an OP/OI assessed for that month. The county must take action to reduce benefits effective the first day of the next month in the SAR Payment Period when 10-day notice of a decrease in benefits can be provided.

Reductions to Correct Erroneous Payments

When it is discovered that an AU/household is receiving an erroneous payment, the county must correct the error mid-period, even if it results in a decrease in the grant and allotment amount. However, recouping an OP/OI is not a county-initiated mid-period action, so the county may only initiate benefit adjustment/reduction in order to begin recoupment of an OP or OI at the beginning of a semi-annual period, unless it will not result in a decrease to benefits.

ExampleExampleIf recoupment of one OP/OI is completed mid-period, the county may begin recoupment on a second OP/OI in the following month, as long as the amount of the second recoupment is equal to or less than the first, so there is not a reduction to the benefit amount mid-period.

Related Topics

Mandatory Mid-Period Reports

Reporting Changes Affecting Eligibility and Grant Determinations/Mid-period Changes