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4 During their 60 months of receiving aid, adults may receive CalWORKs services and have access to the full array of available activities to address barriers to and prepare for employment. CalWORKs has a “universal engagement” requirement for counties to ensure recipients are participating in appropriate WTW activities as soon as possible. Recipients are required to participate in “initial engagement activities” following the date that the recipient begins receiving cash assistance, and before the WTW plan is developed. These initial engagement activities are limited to four consecutive weeks and to those activities defined as “job readiness assistance” in California’s Work Verification Plan. Counties are required to develop WTW plans with a recipient within 90 days from the date an individual begins receiving cash assistance. However, when initial engagement activities would not be appropriate for the recipient, the county must immediately develop a WTW plan, regardless of time since cash assistance was first received. Certain recipients failing or refusing to comply with program requirements relating to employment or workforce preparation are required to participate in community services activities. The community service criteria are outlined in state law and individual county plans. Clients who meet certain criteria will qualify for an exemption from WTW requirements. Qualifying exemption criteria include age 60 and over, disability, pregnancy, and parenting a young child. CalWORKs also provides good cause for more short-term conditions preventing the client from participation, such as lack of transportation, temporary injury, lack of supportive services, and other temporary circumstances that prevent participation. Failure to participate in WTW activities, unless exempt from WTW, can result in a financial sanction in the form of an aid reduction equal to the adult’s (’) portion of the family grant. Note: clients found to be meeting federal TANF participation requirements are not subject to sanction under CalWORKs. Supportive Services Supportive services, including child care, transportation, diaper assistance payments (for AUs caring for children under 36 months of age), ancillary expenses (such as books for students, clothes or equipment needed for a job), and personal counseling such as mental health, domestic violence, housing search, or other barrier removal services, are available for families participating in WTW activities. Additionally, WTW participants enrolled in publicly funded postsecondary educational institutions are entitled to receive an advance standard payment (ASP) for required books and supplies prior to the start of the