DPSS ePolicy

To convert existing policy to new writing style only - No concept changes 

All mandatory GAIN participants are required to participate an average of 20/30/35 scheduled hours per week in an approved Welfare-to-Work (WtW) activity. The CalWORKs Hourly Participation Requirements can be met by participation in a single activity or a combination of activities. A participant in a SIP is required to participate 20/30/35 hours per week, depending on their household type. For participants in a two-parent household, where both parents are in an approvable SIP, each individual parent must participate for 30 hours per week (for a total of 60 combined hours).

N/A

CalWORKs Hourly Participation Requirements

The number of hours that a participant is required to participate in a GAIN approved activity(ies) each week. The participant’s weekly hourly participation requirement is calculated based on the household composition and the age of the child(ren) in the home. The CalWORKs Hourly Participation Requirements can be met if the participants meet the average weekly hourly requirement for their Assistance Unit (AU) on their own or through shared hours from a second parent.

Exempt Volunteer

A CalWORKs applicant or recipient is not required to participate in WtW/REP activities as a condition of eligibility for aid and though not required to participate in WtW/REP, chooses to participate.

Additional Activities 

WtW activities that vary in length and are available during a participant's time on aid to assist participants meet their CalWORKs Hourly Participation Requirement. 

CalWORKs Hourly Participation Requirements

Listed below are the number of hours a participant is required to participate in on a weekly basis based on the participant’s household type.

• Household Type Single-Parent with child under six.

CalWORKs Hourly Participation Requirements (Weekly Requirement) 20 Hours

• Household Type: Single-Parent with no child under six

CalWORKs Hourly Participation Requirements (Weekly Requirement) 30 Hours

• Household Type: Two-Parent Family

CalWORKs Hourly Participation Requirements (Weekly Requirement) 35 Hours

• Household Type: Two-Parent Family (both parents in SIP)

CalWORKs Hourly Participation Requirements (Weekly Requirement) 30 for each parent
 

** For participants in a two-parent household, where both parents are in an approvable SIP, each individual parent must participate for 30 hours per week (for a total of 60 combined hours).

Refer to GAIN Chapter 115 Welfare-to-Work Plan Activity Assignment for additional information on CalWORKs Hourly Participation.

Concurrent Participation

Concurrent participation in WtW activities is required when the weekly hours of participation do not total at least 20/30/35 hours and 30 hours for a two-parent household where both parents are in an approvable SIP.

Note: Work Study is a concurrent activity that may be paired with a SIP activity.

Allowable Hours

The following activities or combination of activities count towards the weekly participation hours in a SIP activity:

• Classroom: Scheduled hours for each required course/class, including associated labs and clinical hours (non-homework labs).

• Credited Study Time: Scheduled internships or study labs (homework labs) courses that the participant receives credits or units for and count towards the completion of the participant’s approved SIP.

• Supervised Study Time: Study time that is supervised, documented, and verified by the school, such as the time spent in a tutorial lab (homework lab) or learning center.

• Unsupervised Study Time: One hour of unsupervised study time for every hour of class time will be counted towards hours of participation. Refer to GAIN Chapter 660 SIP Study Time.

• Online Courses: Scheduled hours for required classes. Refer to GAIN Chapter 681 SIP Online Classes for information on how to determine online scheduled class hours.

• Internship/ Externship: Specific assignments that provide work experience in the same field as the SIP activity.

School Breaks

During breaks of two weeks or less the SIP activity that would normally be scheduled counts as participation.

When the break is longer than two weeks, participants will be assigned to an additional activity or to another concurrent WtW activity.

Exempt Volunteer

A participant who is exempt and excused from participation may choose to participate in GAIN as an exempt volunteer.

An exempt volunteer is not required to meet the weekly hours of participation and is eligible for all supportive services to participate in the approved SIP activity.

An exempt volunteer is subject to the compliance process and exclusion from GAIN participation if they fail to:

• Provide a Progress Report;
• Provide a Monthly Attendance Report without Good Cause; or
• Make satisfactory progress.

Note: Exempt volunteers are not subject to a GAIN financial sanction but can be excluded from participating in GAIN.
 

N/A