California is rolling out the most sweeping changes to its CalFresh food assistance program since the COVID-19 pandemic, and millions of households need to understand what is happening before June arrives. Starting June 1, new federal rules tied to H.R. 1 — the legislation President Donald Trump signed into law.
This will expand work requirements for CalFresh, the state’s version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Roughly 5.5 million Californians depend on these benefits to cover grocery costs each month, and not all of them will be affected the same way.
Changes to CalFresh: Who it targets
The new rule applies to CalFresh recipients between the ages of 18 and 64 who do not live with a child under 14. That group must now complete at least 20 hours of work-related activity per week — or an average of 80 hours per month — to keep receiving full benefits.
Anyone in that range who cannot show proof of those hours will face a strict three-month cap on CalFresh in any 36-month window. Previously, the federal age threshold was 55 years old, and parents or caregivers with children up to age 17 were fully protected from this requirement. Both of those protections have been narrowed.
The federal government estimates approximately one million people nationally will become subject to these work rules beginning June 1. In San Francisco alone, officials estimate the change may affect close to 19,300 people — about 18 percent of the city’s CalFresh population.
Thousands of CalFresh recipients to be affected
Current CalFresh recipients will not face these requirements immediately. The rules apply first to new applicants starting June 1. Existing recipients only become subject to the work requirement at their next recertification, which for most households happens once a year. That means someone who applies for CalFresh before June 1 would receive up to twelve months of benefits under the current rules before any recertification triggers the new standards. Anyone considering applying should move quickly.
What qualifies as work activity
Meeting the 80-hour monthly threshold does not necessarily mean holding a traditional job. Activities that count toward the requirement include paid employment, volunteer or community service work, enrollment in a job training or employment program, and attendance at school less than half-time; it includes GED courses or English as a second language classes at community colleges.
All qualifying activity must be documented and can be drawn from a combination of sources. Some positions at nonprofit organizations may allow recipients to fulfill obligations with fewer than 80 hours, but individuals need to verify eligibility with their county benefits office.
Some are exempt from the work requirement
Not every CalFresh recipient is subject to these rules, since the federal exemptions cover a broad but specific set of circumstances. Recipients are exempt if they are younger than 18 or older than 64, pregnant, living with a physical or mental health condition that prevents them from working, receiving Supplemental Security Income or unemployment insurance, enrolled in a substance use disorder program, serving as a caregiver for someone with a disability, a member of a federally recognized tribe, participating in CalWORKS, or attending school at least part-time under student eligibility guidelines.
California counties still exempt
One important shift before moving forward: veterans, certain people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth were previously protected from federal work requirements but may now be subject to the new rules beginning June 1. Anyone in those categories should contact their county CalFresh office to confirm their status.
Seven California counties retain a waiver from work requirements through October 31, 2026, because their unemployment rates remain at or above 10 percent. Those counties are Alpine, Colusa, Imperial, Merced, Monterey, Plumas, and Tulare. No county in the nine-county Bay Area qualifies for an exemption under the current threshold.
June 2026 CalFresh payment schedule
CalFresh deposits benefits onto Electronic Benefit Transfer cards during the first ten days of each month. The deposit date is tied to the last digit of the recipient’s case number, which appears on county paperwork or through a registered account on the state benefits platform.
- Case number ending in 1 — June 1
- Case number ending in 2 — June 2
- Case number ending in 3 — June 3
- Case number ending in 4 — June 4
- Case number ending in 5 — June 5
- Case number ending in 6 — June 6
- Case number ending in 7 — June 7
- Case number ending in 8 — June 8
- Case number ending in 9 — June 9
- Case number ending in 0 — June 10
Third-party EBT tracking data indicates that roughly 92 percent of California accounts receive their funds at midnight on the assigned date. CalWORKS cash aid follows a separate timeline and is deposited within the first three calendar days of the month regardless of case number.
Maximum CalFresh benefit amounts
The maximum monthly allotments currently in effect reflect adjustments to the Thrifty Food Plan and apply through September 2026.
- 1-person household — $298
- 2-person household — $546
- 3-person household — $785
- 4-person household — $994
- 5-person household — $1,183
- 6-person household — $1,421
- 7-person household — $1,571
- 8-person household — $1,789
- Each additional member beyond eight — $218 added to the total
What to do if your CalFresh payment does not arrive
If a deposit does not appear on the expected date, recipients should first check their EBT card balance through their county’s benefit portal or the state’s BenefitsCal platform at benefitscal.com. T he CalFresh Info Line is available at 1-877-847-3663.
