I'm dealing with a CalFresh dispute right now too and wanted to share something that just worked for me yesterday! After reading through all these comments, I decided to try a combination approach. I called first thing in the morning (8 AM sharp like @Sasha Ivanov suggested) and specifically asked for an "Administrative Review of Benefits Calculation" (thanks @Miguel Hernández!). The key was when I got someone on the phone, I politely but firmly explained that I had been waiting 3+ weeks and asked them to pull up my case while I was on the line. I had my dispute reference number ready and mentioned that I was prepared to file a State Hearing if needed. The worker actually found my paperwork that had been "misplaced" and told me it would be processed within 5 business days! @Jamal Brown - definitely try calling early morning and use that specific language about "Administrative Review." Also, if you can swing it, going in person with all your documents might be your best bet. The squeaky wheel really does get the grease with this system. Don't let them wear you down - you deserve those benefits!

I'm so sorry you're going through this frustrating situation! Three weeks is way too long to wait for a dispute resolution. Based on what others have shared here, I'd definitely recommend trying the early morning call strategy (8 AM sharp) and specifically asking for an "Administrative Review of Benefits Calculation" rather than just checking on your general dispute status. Also, since you mentioned your family is really counting on those extra benefits, you should absolutely request an expedited review due to financial hardship. The county is supposed to prioritize cases where people are struggling to meet basic needs. When you call, emphasize that your reduced work hours are causing financial difficulties and that you need the increased benefits urgently. One more thing - if you haven't already, consider reaching out to your local Legal Aid office or food assistance advocacy groups. They often have direct contacts at the county offices and can sometimes cut through the bureaucratic delays. Some organizations even have "benefit advocates" who can make calls on your behalf. Keep pushing - you're absolutely entitled to those benefits and shouldn't have to wait this long for something that should be straightforward. The system is definitely broken, but don't let them wear you down!

As someone who just went through this same confusing situation, I want to share what I learned. The emergency allotments were basically a temporary "boost" that brought everyone up to the maximum benefit amount regardless of income - that's why so many of us saw our benefits cut in half when they ended in February 2025. The key thing is to make sure your caseworker has ALL your deductions correct. I was missing several deductions that cost me about $150/month in benefits! Don't just assume they have everything right - call and verify they're including your rent, utilities, childcare, medical expenses if you qualify, etc. Also, for anyone struggling to reach their caseworker, there are services that can help you get through faster. The phone system is terrible but there are ways around the endless hold times. It's worth the effort because even small corrections to your deductions can make a big difference in your monthly benefit amount.

I'm going through the exact same thing and this thread has been SO helpful! My benefits dropped from $740 to $268 for my family of 4, and I was completely panicking thinking something was wrong with my case. Now I understand it's because the emergency allotments ended and we're back to income-based calculations. Reading everyone's experiences, I'm realizing I probably need to check my deductions too. I pay $1,200 in rent and about $400 in childcare, plus I have high utility bills since we're in an older apartment with no insulation. My caseworker never asked about most of these expenses when I first applied last year. Has anyone had success getting their benefits recalculated after providing missing deduction information? I'm nervous about calling because every time I've tried to reach my worker it takes hours on hold, but it sounds like it could be worth hundreds of dollars per month if they're missing my expenses.

This is so frustrating! I'm a warehouse worker on the graveyard shift (10pm-6am) and I just discovered this the hard way last week. My deposit day is the 15th and I tried to buy groceries at 2am after work - card declined! The store clerk had no idea why and I felt so embarrassed. I had to go home hungry and wait until after my sleep to shop, which completely messed up my meal prep schedule. Why didn't they send clearer notifications about this change? I've been getting CalFresh for 3 years and always counted on that midnight availability. Really wish California would consider us night shift workers - we're already dealing with enough challenges without having our benefit access restricted during our only free time to shop!

I'm a security guard working 11pm-7am shifts and just ran into this same issue last month! My deposit day is the 3rd and I've always done my grocery runs at around 2am after work. When my card got declined at the self-checkout, I thought there was a system error or something was wrong with my account. The overnight manager didn't know about the 6am restriction either. It's really tough because by the time 6am rolls around, I'm exhausted and just want to get home to sleep. Plus most of the good sales and fresh produce are picked over by then. I wish they would at least make it 3am or 4am instead of waiting until 6am - that would help us night workers a lot more. Has anyone tried contacting CalFresh directly to give feedback about this policy? Maybe if enough night shift workers speak up they might consider adjusting the time.

As someone who works in healthcare and relies on being able to shop during off-hours, this thread has been a lifesaver! I was getting really worried when I heard rumors about permanent time restrictions on EBT cards. It's such a relief to know that what people experienced was just temporary system maintenance for the modernization project, not a new policy. The lack of clear communication from the state is really frustrating though. Night shift workers, healthcare staff, and other essential workers shouldn't have to piece together information from buried website notices and word-of-mouth to understand when we might not be able to buy groceries. For anyone still concerned about this, I found that calling the EBT customer service line during business hours (not during the maintenance windows obviously!) can give you the most current information about scheduled maintenance dates. They were actually pretty helpful when I finally got through to someone real. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and helped clarify what was actually happening. This community is so valuable for getting real answers when official channels fall short!

This has been such an eye-opening thread for someone new to both CalFresh and this community! I was actually panicking earlier this week when I heard secondhand rumors about EBT cards being "locked" overnight - as someone who works irregular hours and often shops late at night, I thought this would completely disrupt my routine. Reading through everyone's experiences and the clarifications provided, I now understand that what people experienced was temporary system maintenance for the EBT modernization project, not a permanent policy change restricting when we can use our food benefits. The distinction between food benefits and cash benefits having different rules is also really important to understand. What strikes me most is how poor the communication has been from the state about these maintenance windows. It's unacceptable that essential workers, night shift employees, and others who rely on off-hours shopping have to piece together information from buried website notices and community discussions just to know when they might not be able to buy groceries. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and helped separate fact from rumor - especially those who took the time to actually call customer service or dig up the official notices. This kind of community support is invaluable when official channels fail to adequately inform the people who depend on these services most.

I'm new to CalFresh and this thread is so helpful! I had no idea that EBT cards don't actually lock at midnight - good to know for future reference. I work odd hours too and was worried about when I could use my benefits. Quick question though - is there a way to tell if it's a store system issue vs a card issue before trying another location? Like are there specific error messages or codes that come up? I'm still learning how all this works and want to be prepared if something like this happens to me.

I've been using CalFresh for about 2 years and this happened to me once at a Walmart around 1am. The cashier told me the same thing about cards being "locked after midnight" but I knew that wasn't right. Turned out their EBT processor was down for maintenance. I went to a 24-hour CVS down the street and my card worked perfectly. It's really annoying when store employees spread misinformation like that - makes people think there's something wrong with their benefits when it's just a technical issue on the store's end. Always worth trying a second location before panicking!