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i dont understand why they even bother with such small amounts?? like why not just give people an actual helpful amount that makes a difference? $36 doesnt even fill my gas tank ONE time to get to work. the whole system makes no sense sometimes.
The small cash grant is basically a gateway to the more valuable benefits like childcare, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal. The program is designed with work incentives in mind - as you earn more, the cash grant decreases, but you maintain eligibility for the support services that help you stay employed (like childcare). It's not a perfect system for sure, but understanding how to maximize all the connected benefits is key.
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THEY ALWAYS DO THIS!!!! The system is designed to make things as difficult as possible. They approve you but then make it impossible to get your benefits. I had a similar issue last year and ended up having to make FOUR trips to the county office before I finally got my card. Each time they told me something different. Make sure you bring EVERY document you can think of - ID, social security cards, birth certificates, approval letters, everything. Otherwise they'll just send you home to get whatever document they suddenly decide they need.
I understand your frustration, but in most counties, you only need your photo ID to pick up an EBT card at the office if you're already approved. They should be able to look up your case in their system. Bringing your approval notice can help, but they shouldn't need birth certificates or social security cards just to issue a card for an already-approved case.
Maybe in YOUR county! In Riverside they made me bring everything plus proof of address. Then they said my lease wasn't good enough and I needed a utility bill too. Everyone's experience is different and better to be over-prepared than waste a trip!
UPDATE: We went to the county office this morning and got our EBT card! You all were right - there was an issue with our address in the system. They had our old apartment number even though we submitted the correct address on our application. The case worker was able to issue us a card on the spot and the benefits were already loaded on it. They also confirmed we'll be getting retroactive payments from our application date, which is a huge relief. Thanks everyone for your help!
Thanks for the reminder about the SAR7! The worker mentioned that but there's been so much information to take in. Is there a way to submit that online through BenefitsCal or do we have to mail it in?
Yes, you can submit the SAR7 through BenefitsCal now! It's much easier than mailing it. You can upload any required verification documents right there too. I always take screenshots of my confirmation page as proof that I submitted it, just in case.
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Does anyone know if they count unemployment benefits as income for CalWORKs? My husband just got laid off and will be getting UI while looking for a new job. We have 4 kids so we'd be a family of 6. Sorry to piggyback on your post OP but figured it's related to income questions!
Yes, unemployment benefits do count as unearned income for CalWORKs eligibility. Unlike earned income (from a job), unearned income doesn't get the same disregards. However, with your husband losing his job, you're much more likely to qualify now. You should definitely apply if you haven't already. With a family of 6 and only one income plus unemployment, you're likely within the limits.
Update: I went ahead and applied through BenefitsCal yesterday! It took about an hour to complete the application. Thankfully I had all our documents ready (pay stubs, birth certificates, etc). The system estimated we might be eligible for both CalWORKs and CalFresh. I have an interview scheduled for next week. Thanks everyone for your help and encouragement!
That's great news! For your interview, make sure to mention any childcare costs, housing costs, and medical expenses. All of these can impact your eligibility and benefit amount. Also, be sure to ask about the CalWORKs Welfare to Work program - since you mentioned you both work part-time, your current employment might already satisfy the WTW requirements. Good luck, and let us know how it goes!
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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.
Great idea! I'll write everything up tonight. I do have the worker's name from when she called late - it was written on the document checklist she gave me. Should I also bring a copy of my phone records showing they never called on the actual interview date?
Yes, absolutely bring those phone records! That's perfect evidence. Also, if you still have the original notice showing the phone interview date, bring that too. The more documentation you have showing the contradiction, the stronger your case.
Mohammed Khan
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.
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Victoria Scott
•This explanation is so helpful - I've always wondered why these systems seem so disconnected. Makes sense why electronic submission is faster. I switched to submitting everything through BenefitsCal and haven't had issues since.
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Ezra Collins
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!
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Ella Russell
•thats awesome! glad it worked out for u! the system is so broken but at least u got ur money on time!
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