CalFresh benefits threatened again - second month in a row! Legal options against county?

Before you go the legal route (which takes forever btw), have you tried asking for a supervisor? That sometimes works. Also make sure to submit a formal appeal right away - you only have 90 days to appeal any negative action. The form should be on the back of any notice they sent you. When you appeal, your benefits usually continue until the hearing.

Thank you! I didn't get any official notice yet, just that phone call. Should I wait for the notice to appeal or can I do it now? And does anyone know if there's a specific supervisor I should ask for at Sacramento County? The caseworkers never give their names when they leave messages.

omg same thing happened to me!!!! its like they WANT us to lose benefits!! i swear they hope we just give up and go away

I work for a community org that helps with CalFresh issues. You don't need to jump straight to legal action, but you do need to be strategic about this. First, call the main CalFresh customer service number (not your worker's direct line) and specifically request a \

This is super helpful! I just took screenshots of all my uploaded documents from last month. Do you know if there's a direct email address I can use? The main number just keeps disconnecting me after 45+ minutes on hold.

i had this happen a while back and turns out it was because my income from job #1 didn't match job #2 and they thot i was lying or somethng even tho i sent everything in. make sure u bring both jobs paystubs for ALL the months they ask for. sometimes they want 3 months worth not just 1.

Having spent 15+ years dealing with the CalFresh system (both as recipient and now as an advocate), I can tell you that legal action is usually not necessary and would take far too long to resolve your immediate issue. Here's what you need to do:\n\n1. Request an Immediate Supervisor Review - this is different from just asking for a supervisor. Specifically say \

THANK YOU! I just called that state hearing number and requested a hearing. They gave me a confirmation number and said my benefits should continue until the hearing. I'm going to try that Claimyr service right now because I NEED to speak to someone to figure out what's actually wrong with my verification. Really appreciate the detailed advice!

I'm dealing with the exact same BS but with Los Angeles County!! They keep saying my verification is \

Actually, you can file a complaint with the Civil Rights Division if you think you're being discriminated against or unfairly targeted. The pattern of repeated issues without clear explanation could qualify. You don't need a lawyer for this - just go to the CDSS website and look for the Civil Rights complaint form. I had to do this when my worker kept \

I didn't know about the Civil Rights complaint option! I'm definitely going to look into that. And you're right about the specific pay periods - I'll double check what dates they need. Do you know if my boss can write a letter explaining my work hours if one of my paystubs is missing? I sometimes work cash jobs that are hard to document.

Yes! They absolutely can accept a letter from your employer. Ask your boss to put it on company letterhead if possible, and make sure it includes your gross income (before taxes), pay periods/dates, and how often you get paid. Have them sign it with their contact info so the county can verify if needed. Cash jobs are tricky but this method works - my sister uses this for her housekeeping income.

maybe ur income is 2 high now??? did u get a raise or more hours? they NEVER tell u when u cross the income limit they just cut u off and make it seem like its ur fault for not sending stuff in

I didn't get a raise, but I did pick up a few extra shifts last month. But I'm nowhere near the income limit for a household of 5 - we're at about $2,890/month gross and I think the limit is around $4,700??? It's so frustrating they don't just clearly communicate what the problem is!

Just an update - I used that Claimyr service the other person mentioned and it actually worked pretty well! Got through to a human at Sacramento County in about 20 minutes (after trying for DAYS on my own). Turns out they couldn't read one of my paystubs because it was too blurry when I uploaded it. Such a simple thing but they were about to cut off my entire family's benefits over it! Might be worth trying for anyone else struggling to get answers.

That's a relief to hear! I'm going to try Claimyr tomorrow morning. Did they charge you upfront or only if they get someone on the line? And I'll definitely re-upload clearer copies of everything. So frustrating that they couldn't just tell me that in the first place!

They charge when they connect you, not upfront. And yeah, the whole