Expanded Subsidized Employment (ESE) Resources

On this Webpage, you will find the Outcomes-Oriented Toolkit for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) ESE Program, County ESE Plans, and other materials for the ESE Learning Community.

Background: Assembly Bill 74 (Chapter 21, Salutes of 2013) created the ESE Program to expand subsidized employment opportunities for CalWORKs clients in California. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is encouraged by this expansion and the benefits of the ESE Program for CalWORKs clients.

Outcomes-Oriented Toolkit For ESE Programs

These tools are designed to assist the CWDs with efforts to improve ESE programs outcomes. The CDSS encourages the CWDs to use these tools to help achieve their outcomes goals for ESE participants, which may include improving skills for the workforce, obtaining unsubsidized employment, and achieving self-sufficiency.

• Tool 1 - Guide to Improving ESE Agreements
• Tool 2 - Innovative Uses of ESE Funds 
• Tool 3 - Partnership Best Practices
• Tool 4 - Data-Driven Decision-Making Framework
• Tool 5 - ESE Learning Community Charter

ESE Learning Community

Guidance for ESE Programs, including All County Letters (ACLs), All County Information Notices (ACINs), and County Fiscal Letters (CFLs):

• ACL 12-15 Workers’ Compensation for Subsidized Employment
• ACL 13-81 Guidance to Implement ESE Programs
• ACL 14-17 ESE Program Data Reporting
• ACL 14-81 Clarifying Guidance for the ESE Program
• ACL 14-81E CalWORKs Program: Clarifying Guidance For The Implementation Of The Expanded Subsidized Employment Program Resulting From The Passage Of AB 74 (Chapter 21, Statutes Of 2013)
• ACL 16-95 ESE Program Updates; Elimination of AB 98 Subsidized Employment
• ACL 16-95E CalWORKs AB 98 Subsidized Employment and Expanded Subsidized Employment Program Changes
• ACL 17-03 Clarifying Guidance for the ESE Program
• ACL 17-03E CalWORKs Program: Additional Clarifying Guidance For The Expanded Subsidized Employment Program
• ACL 20-36 CalWORKs Program Guidance To Provide Outcomes-Based Incentives And Performance-Based Payments
• ACL 21-01 Clarifying Guidance For Operational And Non-Operational Costs (Wage And Non-Wage Costs) In The CalWORKs Expanded Subsidized Employment Program
• ACIN I-64-17 Updated Data Upload Address
• ACIN I-62-18 (September 28, 2018) Access To CalWORKs, CalFresh And General Assistance/General Relief Recipient Employment Development Department Base Wage Data
• CFL 13/14-22 Claiming Guidance for the ESE Program
• CFL 13/14-23 Original Allocation for the ESE Program
• CFL 15/16-23 Updated ESE Claiming Guidance
• CFL 15/16-65 Updated ESE Claiming Guidance
• CFL 16/17-23 Updated ESE Claiming Guidance
• CFL 16/17-23E Updated ESE Claiming Guidance
• ACWDL Dated March 30, 2020 CalWORKs Employment Services, COVID-19
  • ACWDL Follow-up Question and Answer (Q&A) 1
  • ACWDL Follow-up Q&A 2
  • ACWDL Follow-up Q&A 3
• ACWDL September 1, 2020 provision of CalWORKs Employment Services in response to the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID 19)

Other ESE Resources

• CalWORKs and CalFresh Distance Learning Student Resource Guide