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.

Thank you all for the help! I called my worker this morning and specifically mentioned that my daughter is a full-time high school student and her income should be exempt. She checked something in the system and confirmed you're all right - it won't count against our eligibility! Such a relief. Now I just need to make sure it's documented correctly on the SAR7 when we get it.

So glad to hear you got it resolved! This is such a common issue and it's frustrating how many workers don't seem to know the student exemption rules. For anyone else reading this - definitely keep pushing if your worker tries to count your high school student's income. The regulation is clear that earned income for full-time students under 18 is completely exempt from CalWORKs calculations. Don't let them intimidate you into accepting wrong information!

This whole thing reminds me that diaper benefits are ending completely when my daughter turns 3 next month. Has anyone successfully transitioned their toddler out of diapers before the benefits end? Any potty training tips that worked with your kids? My daughter shows zero interest and I'm worried about the extra expense.

I'm so glad I found this thread! I was panicking when I saw my diaper allowance was missing from my January payment too. My 15-month-old daughter depends on that $60 and I was worried I'd done something wrong with my paperwork. It's such a relief to know it was just a system glitch and not something I messed up. I'll keep checking my account for the supplemental payment. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helped calm my nerves knowing I wasn't the only one dealing with this!

One more important detail: When you report WEX or Subsidized Employment income on your SAR 7, the first $225 of earned income is disregarded, and then 50% of the remainder is disregarded. This means only a portion of your earnings will count against your Cash Aid. Example: If you earn $1,000 from WEX: - First $225 doesn't count = $775 remaining - 50% of $775 doesn't count = $387.50 remaining - Only $387.50 affects your Cash Aid amount This is why these programs are so valuable - you gain work experience AND increase your total income substantially.

Just want to add that timing matters too! I'm also in Merced County and when I started my WEX placement last fall, they told me it can take 4-6 weeks after your orientation to actually get placed somewhere. The county has to find an appropriate work site that matches your skills/schedule and then do all the paperwork. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't happen right away! Also, some placements are better than others - I got lucky and was placed at the library which was perfect for my schedule with kids. My friend got stuck doing maintenance work at a park which wasn't ideal for her. If possible, mention any preferences or limitations during your assessment so they can try to match you better.

Quick update for everyone: I checked with several counties, and all of them confirmed they're accepting walk-ins for recertifications. However, many offices are experiencing higher than normal traffic due to staffing issues post-pandemic. One important tip: If you go in person, ask them to make a note in your case file that you attempted the phone appointment but couldn't get through after a reasonable wait time. This documentation can protect you if there's any question about whether you made a good faith effort to complete your recertification on time.

I've been through this exact situation multiple times! The phone system is absolutely broken - I once waited 4 hours only to get disconnected right when someone picked up. Here's what worked for me: Go to the office first thing when they open (usually 8am). Bring a printed copy of your appointment confirmation if you have it, plus screenshots showing how long you were on hold. Most importantly, bring EVERYTHING - birth certificates, Social Security cards, rent receipts, utility bills, bank statements, pay stubs, school enrollment forms if you have kids, medical documentation, etc. Even bring stuff you think they won't need because they'll ask for something random you forgot. When you get there, be super polite but firm - explain you had a phone appointment, waited hours, and couldn't get through. Ask them to document in your case that you made a good faith effort. Most workers understand the phone system is a mess and will work with you. Also, if this happens again in the future, try calling right at 8am when they open - that's usually when you have the best chance of getting through quickly. Good luck tomorrow!