Exemptions Policy

[EAS 42-712]

An individual may not be required to participate in a WTW activity if she/he qualifies for an exemption. EWs typically determine whether or not an individual is exempt from CalWORKs Employment Services participation. ECs also assist with granting exemptions, including completion of CW 2186A and CW 2186B for TOA.  All exemptions, except 0-23 months YCE, will be granted for no more than 12 months at a time.

ExampleExample  07/13/2023 - 06/30/2024     

 

The EC may request the EW to review for an exemption by completing a Task assignment when information is disclosed that suggests the individual may meet one of the exemption criteria. The EC may also contact the EW to process an expired exemption in order to register client or to extend exemption.

Depending on the exemption, the exemption may or may not tick the 60-month CalWORKs TOA clock.

Some exemptions also work as TOA extenders.

Exempt Volunteers

To help assist clients to become self-sufficient, the EW and EC is to make every effort to encourage exempt clients to volunteer. However, the 20, 30, or 35-hour per week minimum participation requirements do not apply to exempt volunteers because they may choose to volunteer for less hours. A volunteer who was removed from participation due to not participating may return to participation prior to exemption period ending, but needs to attend an Orientation if client has not participated for more than 30 days.

Note: Inform volunteer that some activities, such as adult education programs, require minimum weekly enrollment hours based on service provider.

Extender

The term “Extender” refers to past CalWORKs recipients who used their 60-month CalWORKs TOA lifetime limit and were discontinued from the CalWORKs grant. When applying an Extender, there is no retroactivity; which means that the individual in the Safety Net case will be added back to the case (following Beginning Date of Aid Rules) the first of the month, following the month verifications were received, or the first of the following semi-annual period if results in a grant decrease. The EC and EW are to coordinate efforts to ensure clock is unticked when necessary.

Once an individual has reached the CalWORKs 60-month time limit, an extender to that time limit may be granted if ALL PARENTS OR CARETAKER RELATIVES of an aided child(ren) meet one of the extenders.

Refer to Chapter 39: Time Limits in the CalWORKs Handbook for more detailed information regarding counting exemptions/extenders towards CalWORKs and TANF Time Limits and TOA Handbook “Time on Aid Overview,” page 1-1.

Exemption

When the exemption is a TOA exemption, a current CalWORKs aided recipient may qualify to have the CalWORKs TOA clock unticked effective the first of the month, the month verifications are received.

The EC and EW are to coordinate efforts to ensure the clock is unticked.

Refer to Chapter 39: Time Limits (EAS 42-302), page 39-1 in the CalWORKs Handbook for more detailed information regarding counting exemptions/extenders towards CalWORKs and TANF Time Limits and TOA Handbook “Time on Aid Overview,” page 1-1.