Did you get the discontinuance notice in the mail? Sometimes those notices cross in the mail with your submission. Since you submitted the SAR7 before the end of the month, they should be able to rescind the discontinuance and restore your benefits. You might not get them on your normal payment date, but you should still get December benefits eventually after they process your form. Definitely call and keep trying to reach someone. If you can't get through by phone, go in person and bring proof that you submitted the form on BenefitsCal. They can see the timestamp of when you uploaded it.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at the office! For anyone who has this problem in the future: 1. They confirmed my SAR7 was in their system but hadn't been processed yet 2. The worker did a "rescission" right while I was on the phone 3. My December benefits will be released but will be delayed about 3-5 days from my usual payment date 4. They noted in my file that I submitted before the end of the month so my case stays open Such a relief! The worker said they're really backed up processing forms right now, so anyone who uploads anything should always call to make sure it gets processed quickly, especially if it's something time-sensitive like a SAR7.

i switched counties last year (from riverside to alameda) and was so confused when my payment dates all changed! no one explained the calwin vs calsaws thing to me and i thought they had reduced my benefits or something cuz the payment was "late" compared to what i was used to. ended up having to take out a payday loan because i didnt know when the money was coming 😓

my worker told me its supposed to be the 15th every month but if that falls on weekend it goes to monday. but then sometimes its saturday?? makes no sense tbh

One more thing - since your application was submitted in 2024, your eligibility and benefit amounts will be calculated using the new 2025 payment standards, which are slightly higher than last year. For a family of 3 (you plus twins) in most counties, the maximum monthly grant should be around $1,052. Since you applied on November 28th, if approved, you should receive prorated benefits for the days remaining in November (3 days), plus December and January in full, assuming February is when your regular monthly payments begin. Make sure all of this is accounted for in your retroactive payment.Lastly, don't forget to apply for CalFresh (food stamps) if you haven't already, plus WIC which is especially helpful for families with infants.

Thank you for all this detailed information! I really appreciate knowing the exact amount I should expect. I did apply for CalFresh and WIC at the same time. CalFresh was approved pretty quickly but still waiting on the WIC appointment. It's just the CalWORKs that seems to be taking forever.

The county offices are TERRIBLE about following their own rules. They just want to kick as many people off as possible to save money! Your sister should absolutely file for a fair hearing IMMEDIATELY. Don't wait! And document EVERYTHING. Take screenshots, save emails, write down names and times when she talks to workers. The system is designed to frustrate you until you give up. I was wrongfully denied CalFresh TWICE before I finally got a fair hearing and won. The judge was shocked at how badly they messed up my case.

One more important thing: if your sister gets her CalFresh reinstated (which she should!), she might qualify for a higher amount than before. When someone receives both CalWORKs and CalFresh, their CalFresh amount is typically lower because Cash Aid counts as income. Now that she's not getting Cash Aid, her CalFresh should actually INCREASE to help compensate for that lost income, assuming her other income and expenses remain the same.

Just to clarify something important that people often misunderstand: The guideline calculator DOES consider the father's obligation to support children from other relationships, including both biological and adopted children. However, it does NOT consider his voluntary support of stepchildren. So in your case, only his one other biological child will be factored in as a hardship deduction, not the 5 stepchildren. This is clearly stated in California Family Code Section 4071. If you go to DCSS, they will handle all aspects of your case including income verification, establishing the appropriate support amount, enforcing payment, and collecting arrears. The timeline varies but typically takes 60-90 days to get established with the first payments.

I want to thank everyone for the advice. I'm going to contact DCSS tomorrow morning and get this process started. I feel much better knowing the stepchildren won't factor into the calculation like he's been claiming all these years. I also appreciate knowing that going directly to DCSS rather than CalWORKs means I'll get the full amount of child support. I'll update once I get things moving with DCSS!