thats awesome!!! the system is so confusin sometimes u never know what ur gonna get. glad u got a good worker who knew the rules!

So glad to hear you got approved! Your update will definitely help other people in similar situations. The 9-month exemption rule is something a lot of people don't know about. Just a heads up - if you're having trouble finding a car due to supply chain issues or high prices, make sure to document that too. Sometimes workers will extend the exemption period if you can show you've been genuinely trying but market conditions are preventing you from making a purchase. Keep receipts from any deposits you put down, screenshots of car listings you've looked at, even emails with dealers. The more paper trail you have, the better!

I work with families navigating CalWORKs, and here's what you should know about direct deposit: 1. The standard processing time is 1 payment cycle (your worker is correct) 2. March's payment will be a check as scheduled 3. April's payment should go to direct deposit 4. You can verify it's set up by calling the EBT customer service line (not the county office) and asking if direct deposit is showing as active on your account If you want to be proactive, call your worker in late March just to confirm everything is on track for April's direct deposit. Document who you speak with and what they tell you, just in case there are any issues later.

Just wanted to add my experience - I set up direct deposit in January and it worked exactly like everyone is saying. Got my last paper check that month, then direct deposit started the next cycle. The key thing is to make sure you save that direct deposit confirmation paperwork they give you (or take a photo of it) because if there are any issues later, having that reference number makes it way easier to resolve. Also, once it kicks in, the money usually hits your account on the 1st or 2nd of the month instead of waiting for the mail on the 10th, so it's definitely worth the wait!

There's a specific form for Immediate Need called the CW 4 form. You can request it when you apply, and you'll need to explain your emergency situation (like being at risk of eviction, utilities being shut off, not having food, etc.). The worker should ask about your immediate needs during the interview, but it doesn't hurt to specifically mention that you want to apply for Immediate Need assistance. For your question above about your car - vehicles are now exempt from resource limits for CalWORKs in California, so your paid-off car won't affect your eligibility regardless of its value. They'll still ask for the information, but it won't count against you.

Good luck with your application tonight! Just wanted to add a couple quick tips that helped me when I applied: 1. Save your progress frequently - the BenefitsCal website times out after 30 minutes of inactivity and you'll lose everything if you don't save. 2. Have all your documents scanned or photographed on your phone before you start. You can upload them during the application process which speeds things up. 3. If you get stuck on any question, you can leave it blank and come back to it rather than guessing. Better to ask the worker during your interview than put wrong info. You're doing the right thing applying quickly after the job loss. The sooner you get the application in, the sooner you can get help. Wishing your family the best during this tough time!

Did they tell you if there's any chance of getting emergency CalWORKs funds before the 3-5 day wait? When my benefits were delayed last year I told my worker I was about to be evicted and they issued a portion of my benefits the same day. Might be worth asking!

I'm so glad you finally got through to someone and got this sorted out! This exact same thing happened to my sister - she submitted her redetermination in September and it just sat there until December when she finally got a worker who actually looked at her file. It's absolutely ridiculous how backed up they are. One thing that helped her was asking the worker to put a note in her file about the processing delay so if it happens again there's already documentation that it wasn't her fault. Also, she started taking photos of every document before submitting just in case the receipt gets lost. I hope your benefits come through quickly and you can catch up on everything. Having kids and dealing with this stress is just awful. Sending you good vibes that everything works out!

UPDATE: I got through to a worker this morning (calling right at 8am when they opened helped). Turns out I was missing the school attendance verification for my older kid. For some reason, this affected CalFresh but not CalWORKs! Worker said they'll reactivate my CalFresh once I submit the form. So weird how one missing document affects one program but not the other. Thanks everyone for your help!

So glad you figured it out! This is exactly why I always recommend calling right when they open at 8am - much shorter wait times. The school attendance verification thing is so confusing because they never explain why one program needs it and the other doesn't. At least now you know for next time. Hope your CalFresh gets reactivated quickly once you submit that form!