Child Care Law Center

Advocating for Children Since 1980

Unemployment and Financial Supports

1. Is there any financial assistance available to me if I receive an Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) or file with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)? (Last Reviewed 11/23/21)

Yes. If you receive a CalEITC or file with an ITIN, you are eligible for the Golden State Stimulus Program(GSSP). You are eligible for a one-time $600 or $1,200 payment per tax return. Payments began  mid-April 2021. 

To qualify you must: 

  1. file your 2020 taxes, 
  2. be a CalEITC recipient OR an ITIN filer who made $75,000 or less, 
  3. live in California for more than half of the 2020 tax year, 
  4. be a California resident at the time of GSSP payment and 
  5. not be a dependent for tax purposes. 

For more information on GSSP payments  or CalEITC eligibility, visit the GSSP webpage. You may also be eligible for the GSSP II. Check eligibility requirements here.

2. If I participate in CalWORKs, am I eligible for a COVID-19 financial relief program? (Last Reviewed 11/23/21)

A CalWORKs participant is eligible for the Golden State Grant Program (“GSG”). 

Under the GSG, each “assistance unit” (“AU”) will receive a one-time $600 payment.  Households should receive the payment automatically by late Spring 2021.

This payment does not impact CalWORKs or CalFresh eligibility or monthly benefits. 

Note, an AU might not include all the people living with you.For more information about AUs and payment schedules, visit the GSGP resources page.

3. Is there financial support for workers living in California regardless of immigration status? (Last Reviewed 11/23/21)

Yes, there are financial support programs for people who live in California regardless of immigration status. 

Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)

You can apply for the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI). This program gives monthly cash benefits to people who are aged, blind, or disabled. This program provides help regardless of immigration status. 

To qualify for CAPI you must:

  1. Meet all other Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) eligibility requirements.  
  2. Be aged, blind, or disabled,
  3. Be a California resident,
  4. Have resources below the allowable limits of $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple, and
    1. Have income less than the CAPI standards
    2. Be a non-citizen and meet the immigration status criteria in effect for SSI/SSP as of 8/21/96.
    3. Be ineligible for SSI/SSP because of immigration status. A CAPI applicant must apply for SSI/SSP or show ineligibility proof from the Social Security Administration. 

CAPI payments may vary. They depend on factors like marital status, living arrangement, and other incomes. The CAPI payment will be equal to SSI/SSP benefits For more information visit the CAPI website. To apply and learn more, contact your county’s local social services agency. The list of agencies is in this link.

Golden State Grant program (GSG) 

A CAPI recipient may also be eligible for the Golden State Grant (GSG) program that would give a one time payment of $600. The California Department of Social Services should release information about a CAPI applicant’s eligibility for GSG soon. For more information, see the GSG Program resources page at this link.

Golden State Stimulus Program (GSSP)

If you file with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), you are eligible for the Golden State Stimulus Program. You are eligible for a one-time $600 or $1,200 payment per tax return. Payments should begin mid-April 2021. 

To qualify you must: 

  1. file your 2020 taxes, 
  2. be a an ITIN filer who made $75,000 or less, 
  3. live in California for more than half of the 2020 tax year, 
  4. be a California resident at the time of GSSP payment and 
  5. not be a dependent for tax purposes. 

For more information on GSSP payments or eligibility, visit the GSSP webpage.

California Disability Insurance or California Paid Family Leave

These programs can help if you or a family member gets sick or unable to work. For more information, see Question “What financial support can my employees get if they miss work because they or their family member is sick or because they need to care for a family member?”  

Additional Resources

California has an immigrant resource guide. You can look at the guide at this link. The guide comes in multiple languages.  The guide has information about COVID-19 financial support and other helpful information. You can use this guide regardless of immigration status.