Welfare-to-Work Plans: Know Your Rights
From CalWORKs | Welfare Resources
Contents |
Getting a Good Plan
- What Is a Welfare-to-Work Plan?
- The plan lists how you will get job skills during your 60-months limit on CalWORKs. It says what support services you will get to help you do what is listed in the plan. It’s a contract between you and the county.
- How Can I Get a Good Plan?
- Decide what you want, and push for it! The plan is supposed to be created by you and the county, together.
- Be prepared! Put together information about what you want to do, and why, at the very beginning of being in CalWORKs. Here are some tips for the various stages of CalWORKs.
- Job Club
- Have a job or field in mind and why it would be a good for you. Look into the job duties, what you are good at, and wages.
- Have the job search staff help you target your search in this field. They may be able to do outreach to employers in that field.
- Assessment
- The assessment looks at what you can do, what you need to become employed, and what jobs are in your local area.
- The county must look at your skills level, and not just what grade in school you finished or what kind of jobs you’ve had.
- Talk about what you think has gotten in the way of your having a job that earns you enough to support your family.
- Explain what you are interested in doing and why.
- If you disagree with the assessment or what the county assigns you to, ask for a “Third-Party Assessment.” A non-county person will redo the assessment of your needs.
- Note: Make sure this neutral assessor has your reason why you don’t agree with the county.
- Creating the Plan
- The county must work with you to create the plan. If the worker suggests something you don’t want, say what you want and why.
- If you don’t have basic reading and math skills or English-speaking skills, the county should offer you these classes. The county must let you take these classes if needed to get rid of barriers to your working.
- If you don’t agree with the county, make it clear! Say “I disagree with the plan.” Put this in writing. Ask for a “Third-Party Assessment.”
- Hours of Education
- Effective December 1, 2004, the first 20 hours of welfare-to-work must be in “core” activities.
- “Core” activities are work, selfemployment, unpaid work, work study, job search, and the first 12 months of Vocational Education.
- If you are not in Vocational Education, this means that your education will be assigned to the remaining 12-15 “non-core” hours.
- Note: You may be able to do other types of education during your “core” time. Ask the worker. If turned down, ask for a hearing.
- Changing Your Plan
- After you sign your plan...
- You have three days to change your mind and get a new plan.
- If you have started activities in your plan, you have 30 days to change your mind and get a new assignment. The county must let you change, if another assignment is available.
- You can ask for a new plan if something in your life changes so you can no longer do the plan.
Tips for a Good Plan
- Ask questions and negotiate the terms.
- Ask a friend or advocate to come to the appointment to make the plan.
- Have someone help you look over the plan before you sign it.
- Ask for a copy for your records.
- You have three days to change your mind about the plan—ask to change it in writing.
- You have 30 days after starting to ask for a different activity.
- Don’t agree to a plan you know you can’t do.
- If the worker says “sign or you’ll get sanctioned,” ask to speak to the supervisor, and ask for a state fair hearing.
- Note: When you disagree with the plan, the county must send you to a non-county employment assessor, not sanction you!
- Disagree with the plan? Ask for a “Third Party Assessment.”
- Disagree with the Third-Party Assessment? Ask for a state hearing.
- Problems? Ask for a state hearing. Fill out the back of any Notice of Action or call (800) 952-5253.
Need More Help?
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