my friend works for the county (not saying which one lol) and she said they changed their interview policy in February but the automated systems and letters didnt get updated until late March. so basically everyone who applied in that gap period got messed up notices. its not your fault at all, they should fix this without making you reapply!

One more thing I forgot to mention - when you go to the office, bring a written statement explaining exactly what happened with dates and times. Include: 1. Date you applied 2. Date and time of scheduled phone interview 3. Date and time they actually called (2 days late) 4. Name of the worker who called (if you have it) 5. Date you submitted all verification documents 6. Date you received the denial notice Hand this to the supervisor directly along with copies (not originals) of any documentation. This creates a paper trail they can't ignore. Always get the name and ID number of anyone you speak with.

Let me just add a technical explanation of why this happens, as I work adjacent to these systems (not for DPSS directly). The SAR 7 reminder emails are generated by an automated system that pulls from a database of due dates. However, there's often a 7-10 day lag between when a document is received/processed and when that information is updated in the email notification system. This is especially true for mailed documents. When you submit your SAR 7, it goes through several steps: 1. Physical mail receipt (1-3 days) 2. Document scanning (1-2 days) 3. Assignment to a worker queue (1-2 days) 4. Worker review and processing (1-5 days depending on workload) 5. System update (1-2 days) The email system often triggers based on the original schedule, not the actual processing status. It's why I always recommend electronic submission through BenefitsCal when possible, as it eliminates several of these steps. For peace of mind, checking your benefit deposit on Sunday is your best bet to confirm everything processed correctly.

UPDATE: My cash aid DID deposit this morning! So glad I didn't panic too much. Seems like everyone was right about it being a system glitch with the emails. Thanks to everyone who responded and helped calm me down. I'm definitely going to start submitting my SAR 7 through BenefitsCal from now on to avoid this stress!

The county ALWAYS tries to cut people off their benefits!!! They look for ANY reason!! One month over and they act like you're rich forever. My sister had the EXACT same thing happen and they cut her off completely and she had to reapply and it took MONTHS to get back on!!! The system is BROKEN!!!

After reading all the comments, I want to summarize the correct steps for the OP: 1. Report the income change immediately (even though it's late, better late than never) 2. Clearly explain it was a one-time project and provide documentation of regular income 3. Specifically request "income averaging" or "anticipatory budgeting" 4. Bring the past 3 months of pay stubs to show the normal income pattern 5. If they still calculate benefits incorrectly, request a hearing Your benefits may be reduced for the month the $5,000 was received, but should return to normal levels after that if your husband's income returns to normal.

Last time I called they told me LIES!!!! Said my check would be $624 but then when it came it was only $512. When I called back they said something about an "overpayment adjustment" that nobody told me about!!! Always double check what they tell you and GET NAMES of who you talk to!!!

btw if u have the ebb app on ur phone sometimes it shows ur next month payment b4 the worker can even c it lol. saved me from having to call so many times

my sister got her card skimmed and they took her money the samw day she got it. she went to the office and told them she needs this money for her kids and they gave her some kind of emergency payment while they processed the claim. it wasn't the full amount but it was something. maybe ask about that? not sure what its called tho

Update: I just found out my neighbor's benefits were stolen too! Same day as mine. We think there might be a skimmer at the corner store where we both shop. BE CAREFUL everyone and maybe only use ATMs inside actual banks if possible.