@casual_commenter Yes! It actually does work. I was skeptical too, but after getting disconnected THREE times trying to reach my worker about my daughter's School Readiness payment, I tried Claimyr and got through in minutes. Just followed the instructions on their site. Worth it to avoid the hours of frustration and hold music!

One more important thing - make sure you keep documentation of when your child turned 6. The system sometimes doesn't update properly, and you could potentially get an overpayment notice months later if they realize they've been paying the higher under-6 rate too long. If you get a Notice of Action about the decrease, keep it for your records. If you don't get one within the next month, I'd recommend reporting the age change in writing (keep a copy) to protect yourself from potential overpayment issues down the road.

I used Claimyr on a Friday evening once and yes, they connected me to the after-hours emergency services for CalWORKs! They can't solve everything on weekends, but emergency benefit theft actually does qualify for urgent response in many counties. It depends on your county though. When I used it, I got through to someone who could flag my account for urgent review first thing Monday morning, which meant I got help immediately when the offices opened instead of waiting all day. They also issued a temporary emergency voucher that I could use at certain stores until my new card arrived.

One more thing I forgot to mention - while you're waiting for your Cash Aid to be replaced, make sure to call your landlord ASAP and explain the situation. Ask if they can give you a few days extension without late fees. Some landlords will work with you if you're proactive about communicating the problem. Also, bring a printout of your EBT transaction history showing the suspicious transactions when you meet with your worker on Monday. The more documentation you have, the faster they can process your claim. And definitely mention your immediate need for rent money - they can sometimes process emergency assistance within 3 business days for housing emergencies.

You're actually in a good position! When I had my WTW orientation, they told me they WANT people to get education that leads to better jobs. Make sure you bring your enrollment papers tomorrow and ask about the Ancillary Support Services. That's what pays for books, supplies, transportation, etc. for approved activities. I got almost $300 for my CNA program supplies last year. They weren't mad at all that I had already enrolled - the worker said it showed initiative. Just explain that you're motivated to get your GED but need their support to be successful. The GED hours should count toward your WTW participation as long as they approve it in your plan. Good luck!

One thing nobody mentioned - if your GED program doesn't meet your full WTW hours requirement (which depends on your family situation, usually 20-35 hours/week), you can ask about "study time" hours to supplement. Many counties allow you to count supervised study time toward your required hours. For your appointment tomorrow, be prepared with: 1. Class schedule with days/times 2. Program information showing it leads to employment 3. List of required materials with costs 4. Childcare needs if applicable Also, ask about transportation assistance! Many don't realize CalWORKs can provide bus passes or mileage reimbursement for approved WTW activities. Good for you taking this step to improve your situation!

When I added my teenager back to my case last year, I had to specifically ask for the teen forms. They gave me a bunch of papers about school attendance requirements and how they check with the school district. Maybe they just forgot to give you those forms? It's worth calling to ask what happened.

I just want to add that when you call about adding your 17-year-old to your case, specifically request that they add her retroactively to the date you initially requested to add all your children. Since this appears to be their error (not giving you the proper forms or instructions for your older child), they should correct it back to the original request date. Make sure to document everything - who you speak with, date and time, what they tell you. If they say they can't add her retroactively, ask to speak with a supervisor and explain that you were never informed about different requirements for your 17-year-old.

I had the same question last month!!! I ended up going IN PERSON to my county office (hate doing that but nothing else worked) and they printed out the current benefit chart for me. Turns out my family of 4 WAS getting the correct amount. If BenefitsCal isn't working for you and phone calls are useless, sometimes physically going there is the only way to get answers. Bring something to do though because the wait times are ridiculous.

To clarify what others have said: 1. COVID emergency allotments were for CalFresh only and ended in March 2023 2. CalWORKs has regular annual cost-of-living adjustments (usually small increases) 3. The most recent CalWORKs increase was in July 2024 4. Los Angeles is a Region 1 county (higher payment standard) Aside from checking BenefitsCal, you should have received a Notice of Action about 30 days before any change to your grant amount. The notice explains the change, when it happens, and shows the calculation. If you didn't get one, that could be a problem with your contact information on file. Also, while your SAR7 is due next month, remember that updates to CalWORKs payment standards don't require any action from you - they're automatic. You only need to report changes to your income, household composition, or other circumstances on the SAR7.