Employment & Retention Services Policy

 [EAS 42-717 and 42-750] 

CalWORKs Employment Services is committed in providing a wealth of services to assist clients with obtaining and retaining employment. These services help clients move towards self-sufficiency and are available to employed CalWORKs recipients and to former recipients during the PAS period to ensure continued success. Services include employment retention through employment follow-up and provision of supportive services, such as transportation, diaper cost assistance and ancillary. Former recipients may be eligible for up to 12 months of PAS beginning the first of the month following date cash aid was discontinued. Refer to Employment & Retention Services - Post-Aid Services (PAS) for additional PAS information.

Monthly and Quarterly Services

As part of case management, employment retention and supportive services are provided as follows:

• Monthly to CalWORKs-aided recipients, and
• Quarterly with monthly supportive services to former recipients during the PAS period

State regulations prohibit “capping” (setting a specific limit, maximum or ceiling) on supportive services, which includes transportation and ancillary payments for work/training-related expenses. The capping prohibition extends to supportive services provided during PAS.

Employment Incentives

In addition to employment retention and supportive services, employment incentive payments are paid to eligible participants to help retain employment. Refer to Employment Retention Incentives & Eligibility Criteria for eligibility criteria.

Benefits of Employment

When speaking to employed clients it is important that the assigned EC convey information outlined in “Work is More than Money” (SCD 1754), which includes:

• Earning a higher wage and meeting a potential new employer
• Increasing job-related and educational skills
• Receiving additional support services in order to participate