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Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I FINALLY got through to someone at my county office this morning. Turns out there was an issue with my address that was causing the delay. My stimulus payment should be on my Emerald card within 3-5 business days. For anyone else still waiting, definitely double-check that all your information is updated in the system. And I might try that Claimyr service next time I need to call in - sounds way better than waiting on hold for hours!
glad u got it figured out! i'm still waiting on mine... ugh this system is the worst
Im having a similar problem but with my regular calworks payment not the stimulus. My february payment never showed up on my card and now its march and im about to be homeless with my 3 kids. Does anyone know if the welfare office has emergency payments they can issue? My worker never answers the phone
LunarLegend
•Yes, CalWORKs does have emergency procedures for immediate need and emergency payments when regular benefits are delayed or missing. You should request an "Immediate Need" payment, which they can typically process within 3 business days. Also, ask about Homeless Assistance if you're at risk of eviction - this is separate from your regular Cash Aid and can provide temporary shelter payments or move-in costs. Document everything and be persistent about reaching your worker - supervisors can override and issue emergency payments when necessary.
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Haley Stokes
Update: I called this morning and finally got through after an hour on hold. The worker confirmed my recertification interview is on the 23rd of THIS month (thank goodness). The May 1st appointment is actually a mandatory WTW orientation because my youngest just turned 2 and I'm no longer exempt. Wish they would've explained that clearly! Thanks everyone for your help - at least now I know what's going on.
Thanks for updating us! I'm glad you got it sorted out. Make sure to prepare for that WTW orientation - bring copies of your ID, social security card, and any education credentials you have. They'll go over your participation requirements and possible exemptions if you're in school or have other qualifying activities. Good luck!
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Amara Okafor
Does anyone know if they're ever bringing back any of those pandemic increases? My Cash Aid is $213 less now than it was during COVID and with inflation everything costs so much more. I'm having to work extra shifts just to make up the difference and my childcare costs are eating all that extra money anyway!!! The system is so broken.
Unfortunately, all the pandemic-related benefit increases have ended and there are no plans to bring them back. However, CalWORKs did have a standard grant increase in October 2024 (though it was relatively small). Since you mentioned childcare costs - make sure you're enrolled in the CalWORKs childcare program if you're working. They should cover most or all of your childcare expenses while you're working or in an approved Welfare to Work activity. Many people don't realize they qualify for this benefit!
Carmen Vega
Update: I finally got through to my worker today. Turns out during the pandemic they weren't counting my husband's disability income the same way, and now they are. She explained that it wasn't actually about emergency allotments (I had that wrong), but about special income calculation rules during COVID. She also said I definitely should submit a SAR 3 for the rent increase. I filled it out today and dropped it off at the office with proof of the new rent amount. Thanks everyone for your help sorting this out!
Mei Chen
•glad u got it figured out! hope the rent increase helps u get more benefits
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Isabel Vega
One more important thing - when you go to the office tomorrow, ask specifically about a \
Thank you! I'll specifically ask about reopening rather than reapplying - that would save so much time. And we're definitely prepared for the WTW requirements. My husband is already job searching every day and would be happy to document everything. He just needs something to tide us over until he finds a new job, which hopefully won't take more than a couple months.
Paolo Esposito
When my husband got that construction job last summer our benefits just automatically stopped the month after his big check. I didn't report anything. Nobody ever said anything about overpayment. Maybe they just figured it out through the system? But maybe I just got lucky idk
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Yara Khalil
•You probably did get lucky. The county has data matching with EDD (unemployment) so they can sometimes catch income changes automatically through wage reporting. But relying on that is risky - if the system misses it and catches it months later, you could end up with a large overpayment claim.
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LunarEclipse
Thanks everyone for the helpful replies! I'm going to fill out a Mid-Period Report form explaining that my husband's income will exceed our IRT but only temporarily due to holiday overtime. I'll make sure to still submit our SAR7 next month too. Better safe than sorry! Really appreciate all the guidance - the CalFresh rules can be so confusing sometimes.
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