General Eligibility Requirements for CalWORKS Aid
- CalWORKS is cash aid to needy children who are deprived of parental support. This aid is also for the relatives who take care of the children.
- No more than $2,000 in countable property.
- Family's gross countable income must be low. Less than $754 a month for family of three in many of California's counties.
- Must be over the age of 18.
- Must be a resident of California.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or be of lawfully present immigrant status.
- A clean criminal record. You are not eligible for CalWORKS if you have been convicted of any state or federal crime involving a controlled substance.
- Must be able to verify that children between the ages of 6-18 attend school.
- CalWORKS recipients must sign child and spousal support rights to the county.
SOURCE: Western Center on Law and Poverty, CalWORKS: A Comprehensive Guide to Welfare for California Families (Los Angeles: Western Center, 1998).
-Ann Gorman