Time on Aid Overview
Federal Welfare Reform Legislation created the TANF program. A 60-month lifetime limit was imposed on the receipt of federal cash assistance for the aided adults. The TANF clock began on December 1, 1996 for California.
AB 1542 created the CalWORKs program as California’s state-funded TANF program. A 60-month lifetime limit was also imposed on the receipt of state-funded cash assistance for the aided adults. The CalWORKs clock began on January 1, 1998.
SB 72 reduced the amount of months in the CalWORKs clocks from 60 months lifetime limit to 48 months lifetime limit for all aided adults. Effective 7/1/2011, all aided adults who have reached or exceeded the 48-month time on aid limit must be discontinued.
AB 79 reverted the 48-month CalWORKs time clock back to 60 months effective 5/1/2022 for all aided adults including a stepparent or caretaker relative of an aided child. This also includes the aided caretaker relative of an SSI child or a Foster Care child. All aided adults who have reached or exceeded the 60-month time on aid limit must be discontinued.
Funding
Correct aid-type determination is important, since it can affect the funding source of the aid. If the client is coded with a federal aid code, the county receives funding for these clients from the federal government. If the client is coded with a state aid code, the county receives funding for these clients from the state government, and has more direct impact on county funding as well. The following is a list of cash assistance aid codes and the funding source for each.
| State Funded Aid Codes | Federally Funding Aid Codes | Mixed Funding Aid Codes |
| 32 | 30 | 3E |
| 35 (from 10/99 to 10/06) | 35 (prior to 10/99 and after 10/06) | 3H |
| 3G | 3A | 3W |
| 3L | 3C | 33 |
| 3M | 3P | |
| 3U | 3R |
[Refer to “Time Limits” in the CalWORKs Program Handbook for detailed policy information regarding TOA.]
Exemptions
There are exemptions to the time limits that exempt months from the count (stop the clock). The CalWORKs 60-Month time clock exemptions are:
- Sixty (60) years of age or older,
- Disabled,
- Eligible for and participating in or exempt from the Cal-Learn program,
- An individual living in Indian country as defined by federal law or an Alaskan native village, in which at least 50 percent of the adults living in the Indian country or in the village are not employed,
- A non-parent caretaker,
- Caring for an ill or incapacitated person residing in the home,
- A victim of domestic abuse, or
- Excluded from the AU for any reason other than reaching the 60-month time limit (i.e. sanction).
[Refer to “CalWORKs Individual Time Limit Exemptions” in the CalWORKs Handbook for detailed information regarding time limit exemptions.]
Extenders
There are extenders to the time limit that add months to the clock or enable an individual to receive aid after reaching the 60-month time limit. The CalWORKs 60-Month time clock extenders are:
- Sixty (60) years of age or older,
- Caring for an ill or incapacitated person residing in the home,
- A non-parent caretaker relative,
- Receiving SSP benefits, IHSS, SDI, or Worker’s Compensation TDI benefits,
- Incapable of maintaining employment or participating in self-sufficiency activities, or
- Domestic Abuse.
[Refer to “Extenders - After the 60-Month CalWORKs Time Limit in the CalWORKs Program Handbook for detailed information regarding time limit extenders.]
[Refer to “TANF 60-Month Lifetime Limit” in the CalWORKs Program Handbook for detailed information regarding the TANF Time Clock.]
Related Topics
Where TOA Information Comes From