waait did someone say $3,682?? thats way higher than i thought! i been turning down extra shifts cuz i thought id lose my cash aid if i made over like $2000 lol

I've been through this exact situation! Don't panic - while you should have reported within 10 days of starting work, the fact that you're being proactive now will help. When you finally reach your worker, be honest about when you started and explain that you were confused about the reporting requirements. In my experience, they're usually more understanding if you come forward voluntarily rather than them finding out through a data match later. Also, keep detailed records of all your pay stubs and hours worked - you'll need them for your case review. The good news is that with a part-time job at 25 hours/week, you're probably still eligible for some assistance even after they calculate the disregards. Good luck getting through to them!

To answer your original question about timing - the official guideline is that CalWORKs does annual redeterminations (once every 12 months), plus they require the Semi-Annual Report (SAR7) at the 6-month mark between redeterminations. However, they can also do what's called a "mid-period report" interview if: 1. Your income exceeds the IRT 2. They received information that affects your eligibility (often from income verification systems) 3. There's a special review of your Welfare-to-Work participation 4. There are questions about child support cooperation Bring your paystub and work schedule to the interview. They probably won't cut benefits during the call - they'll usually process everything afterward and send you a Notice of Action with any changes. Just be honest about when you started working and you should be fine.

Just wanted to add some reassurance - I went through a similar situation last year when I got a random redetermination call after starting a new job. I was terrified they'd cut me off, but the worker was actually pretty understanding when I explained I didn't know about the 10-day reporting rule. They did calculate a small overpayment for the weeks I was working but didn't report it, but they set up a payment plan that was very manageable. The key is really just being upfront and cooperative during the interview. They deal with people who genuinely didn't understand the rules versus people trying to commit fraud all the time, and they can usually tell the difference. You'll get through this!

Based on what you've shared, it sounds like your case is in a partial reinstatement status. When you missed your original phone appointment, they issued the discontinuance, but when you completed the interview on Monday, they reinstated benefits for the current month (May). The worker's comment about June benefits ending likely relates to the child support cooperation issue. Here's what's probably happening: 1. Your May benefits are being processed now that you've had the interview 2. The hospital verification document should be sufficient for now (they'll note in your case that you need to provide the birth certificate later) 3. Your decision to refuse child support cooperation will result in a 25% reduction to YOUR portion of the grant, not the children's portion I recommend calling your county office to specifically ask about the status of your June benefits. There's a chance the worker was incorrectly assuming your case would close completely rather than just being reduced. According to CalWORKs regulations, refusing child support cooperation without good cause should only result in a 25% reduction to the parent's portion, not complete case closure. If you're having trouble getting through on the phone, follow up in person at the office. Make sure to get any answers in writing so you have documentation.

I went through something similar when I had my second child. The hospital verification document (that white paper) is totally acceptable - I used mine for months before getting the official birth certificate. Don't stress about that part. For the child support refusal, the worker probably didn't explain it clearly. You WON'T lose all your benefits - they'll just reduce YOUR portion by 25%. So if your total grant would be $600 and your adult portion is $200, they'd reduce it by $50 (25% of $200), leaving you with $550 total. Your kids' portions stay the same. The confusing part about "stopping next month" might be because your case needs to go through the child support cooperation review process. Sometimes there's a delay while they process the refusal and calculate the new grant amount. I'd definitely call or go back in person to clarify exactly what's happening with June benefits. Also, if you have ANY safety concerns about the father (even from years ago), definitely ask about filing for "good cause" exemption from child support cooperation. This could prevent the 25% reduction entirely.

Health issues can absolutely qualify as good cause for a late SAR7! Make sure to mention this during your interview. The worker might ask for some basic details about how your health affected your ability to submit the report on time. You don't need to provide extensive medical documentation for good cause in many cases - a reasonable explanation is often sufficient. If they approve your good cause claim, they might be able to restore your benefits without a gap, depending on how long it's been since the discontinuance. This would be ideal since you wouldn't have to wait for a new application to be processed.

I work at a county eligibility office and can confirm this is totally normal! The denial letter and interview scheduling often happen simultaneously because they're processed by different parts of the system. The denial is usually automatic when certain deadlines are missed, but caseworkers can still schedule interviews to give you a chance to provide missing information or establish good cause. Since you mentioned health issues caused you to miss the SAR7 deadline, definitely bring this up right away in your interview. Health problems are one of the most common and accepted reasons for good cause. The worker will likely ask you to briefly explain how your health affected your ability to submit the report on time. Also, since you reapplied within the same month, there's a good chance they can restore your benefits retroactively if they approve your good cause claim. This means you might not have any gap in aid at all. Make sure to ask about this specifically during your interview. One tip: if the worker approves your case but says it will take a while to process, ask about emergency aid if you're facing eviction or utility shut-off. Counties have some flexibility to provide immediate assistance in crisis situations.