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my sister had this EXACT same problem with child support last year!!! they fixed it at the hearing and she got back payments too. bring all ur paperwork!!!
To answer your question about phone vs. in-person hearings - I did mine by phone and it worked fine. The advantage was I could be in my own home where I felt comfortable. I put the call on speaker and had all my documents spread out on my table where I could see everything. As for timing, I got the decision in about 3 weeks. The regulation says they have to decide within 60 days of your hearing request, but it's usually faster. If they rule in your favor, the county has 30 days to comply and issue any retroactive benefits. One more tip - during the hearing, if you don't understand something the judge or county says, don't be afraid to ask them to explain. The judges are generally patient and want to make sure you understand what's happening.
What about if your kid is in pull-ups not actual diapers? My worker is saying my 4yr old doesn't qualify because she's in pull-ups not "diapers" which is total BS. The CalWORKS handbook doesn't say anything about what TYPE of diapers. Has anyone dealt with this?
Your worker is incorrect. The CalWORKs Diaper Benefit applies to ANY child under 6 who is on CalWORKs, regardless of whether they use diapers, pull-ups, or are fully potty trained. The benefit is calculated based solely on the child's age, not their diapering status. It's an additional support for families with young children - not a reimbursement that requires proof of diaper purchases. If your worker continues to give you this incorrect information, ask to speak with a supervisor or file for a state hearing.
Update: Called my caseworker and confirmed this IS the diaper benefit! She said they processed several months at once because there was a delay implementing it in our region. Both my girls qualify since they're under 6. Thanks everyone for your help!
UPDATE: My benefits just posted at 4:32pm! From what the worker told me, they had a major system update that went wrong last night and it affected the automatic payment processing. Everyone should get their benefits by tonight, but if you don't see them by tomorrow morning, you should definitely call your county office.
FINAL UPDATE: My benefits FINALLY posted at 7:15pm! Nearly a whole day late, but at least they're there. The maintenance on MyCAlWIN is over too - the system is back up. Thanks everyone for confirming it wasn't just me having problems. This forum is seriously a lifesaver sometimes.
THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST US!!! they make it impossible to reach anyone when u have questions then suddenly cut ur benefits with barely any notice. i was working my butt off in their stupid wtw program for YEARS and they still cut me off at 48 months even tho i was doing everything they asked!!
While the system definitely has problems, your WTW participation should have created some exemptions from the time limit if you were meeting the federal standards (generally 30+ hours per week for a single parent). It's possible your case wasn't coded correctly. You might want to request a TOA review and possibly a state hearing if you believe you should have received exemptions for those months.
Wow thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I had no idea about the exemptions or that months when my daughter was under 1 might not count. I'm definitely going to try to reach someone to get my Time on Aid calculation and see if I qualify for any extensions. It's a relief to know my daughter will still get benefits even after I time out. I'm going to start planning for that reduced amount now. Appreciate all the advice!
Aisha Hussain
That's amazing news! Thank you for updating. I'm going to try the same approach tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed!
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Aisha Hussain
UPDATE FROM OP: I finally got through using the Claimyr service someone mentioned here. My worker confirmed my SAR 7 was processed but said my benefits will be delayed until the 10th. At least I know now! She also said I need to be on time next month or I could risk discontinuance. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!
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