hav u tried goin to ur county office agen? sometimes thats the only way i can get anythng done w my calfresh. its so annoying but I bring a book and just wait all day if i have too. the online stuff never works right for me either and im tired of the phones.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to confirm they received your SAR7? If your income change was less than $125/month, you technically don't even have to report it on the SAR7 mid-period (though it's always good that you did). The key threshold to worry about is the IRT that was listed on your approval notice. As long as your total household income stays below that, your benefits should continue without interruption.

Update from the OP would be helpful - were you able to reach someone and get this resolved? This type of document mixing can sometimes flag cases for fraud investigation if not addressed quickly, since it appears as though two people might be applying for benefits using the same documentation. Not to add stress, but best to be proactive.

I finally got through yesterday! The worker was actually really helpful and apologetic. They confirmed it was a document indexing error in their imaging system - apparently when documents are uploaded, they sometimes go into a general queue and then get manually assigned to cases. Someone clicked the wrong case number for my SDGE bill. They've moved it to my correct file and put notes in both our cases explaining the mix-up. They also checked and confirmed no other documents were misplaced. Such a relief!

Update: I just got through to someone using that Claimyr service (it actually worked!). The worker explained that any electronic transfers over $250/month automatically trigger a verification request, which was supposedly mailed but I never received it. They're reissuing the request but she said I can upload the documents now and they'll process them within 3 business days. She also said they can issue emergency benefits for my kids since we're almost out of food. Really relieved but still frustrated by the whole process. Thanks everyone for your help!

So glad you got through and are getting this resolved! This is a perfect example of why the CalFresh system needs better communication - automatically flagging electronic transfers without proper notice is causing unnecessary stress for families. For anyone else dealing with similar issues, it's worth noting that you can also request all future correspondence be sent via email through your BenefitsCal account to avoid missed mail notices. The $250 threshold for automatic verification is something more people should know about upfront. Hope your benefits get restored quickly!

Something that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're facing hardship while waiting for stolen benefits to be replaced, you can request an expedited hardship replacement. In California, if you're experiencing an immediate food need, you can request emergency benefits while your theft claim is being processed. You'll need to submit a statement of hardship along with your theft claim form (CF 303). This doesn't work in every case, but it helped me get partial benefits while waiting for my full theft reimbursement.

I had no idea about this option! Nobody at the county office mentioned it, even when I told them I was struggling to buy food. Is there a specific form for the hardship request or just a written statement?

I'm so glad you got through and received such a significant increase! $438 is a huge jump from $237 - that extra $200+ will make such a difference for your family's grocery budget. Your success story is really encouraging for others dealing with reduced hours. I've been in this community for a while and it's always great to see someone navigate the system successfully and then come back to share the outcome. The tip about calling right when they open is gold - I'll definitely remember that for future reference. Hope your situation improves overall and that this benefit increase helps bridge the gap until things get better!

Wow, what an amazing outcome! Going from $237 to $438 is incredible - that extra $201 per month will make such a huge difference for your family. I'm really impressed that you got through so quickly by calling right when they opened. That's definitely a strategy I'll remember if I ever need to contact my worker. It's also reassuring to see that the system actually worked the way it's supposed to - sometimes you hear so many horror stories that you forget there are success stories too. Thanks for coming back to update everyone, especially those who are dealing with similar situations. Your experience proves that reporting income decreases right away is absolutely worth it, even if the process can be intimidating. Hope things improve with your work situation soon, but at least you have this extra support to help you through the tough time!