Just a quick update for everyone in this thread - I spoke with my CalWORKs worker yesterday about this exact issue. The county has officially shifted to a new deposit schedule using an automated system that processes payments throughout the night rather than during the standard 9-5 workday. This is actually good news as it means funds are available earlier than before. Your benefits won't disappear if you don't withdraw them immediately - they remain on your card until you use them (though remember unused benefits don't affect your eligibility or future payment amounts).

UPDATE: I waited until morning and my money was still there! Didn't have to go out in the rain at 6am after all. Thanks everyone for the advice and peace of mind! The closest 7-11 ATM worked with no fees too.

When my exemption ended, I just filled out a WTW2 form showing my work hours and brought in my pay stubs. I was already working 32 hours so didn't need anything else. But my friend who worked 22 hours had to do job search workshops for the rest. The most important thing is DON'T MISS ORIENTATION even if you're working! They can sanction you for that. Also make sure you're reporting your income correctly on your SAR7 forms. Sometimes people think having a job means they can't get CalWORKs anymore but that's not true - they just adjust your grant amount based on earnings.

No one answrd the part about keeping ur kid with u. I was in same boat. You can ask for "reasonable accommodations" for your WTW plan based on your childcare needs. Put it in WRITING to your worker. They can be flexible with the type of activities but not really with the total hours. Be super clear that u need activities u can do while watching ur kid or from home because of childcare issues. They have online options for some of the extra hours. Worst case u could do like 1 day of activities without ur kid if u have someone who can watch them just for that day each week. Good luck!

UPDATE: I just called my county office to ask about this situation (I work with CalWORKs recipients). The worker explained that California recently implemented an expanded educational support program for teens in alternative education programs like Independent Studies. The payments include: - Basic educational support: $600 for 16-17 year olds - Enhanced educational support: $1,200+ for 18-19 year olds still completing high school requirements - Additional incentives for maintaining good grades (like your daughters' 4.0 GPAs) This is still being rolled out county by county, which is why some people haven't heard about it. You should still verify with your specific worker, but it sounds like this may be legitimate!

idk but i wouldnt question free money lol just spend it quick before they figure out if its a mistake 😂

Honestly depends on whether the worker actually submits the paperwork when they say they will... my sister had to wait 3 MONTHS because her worker "forgot" to process it even though she signed everything. When the worker finally did it, the benefits were backdated but that didn't help her when she needed money for those 3 months! The system is a joke sometimes.

One important thing to remember: once you're added to the case, you'll need to meet your WTW hours consistently. Make sure you understand exactly how to document your job search activities and your work hours. Each county has specific forms and procedures for this. For job search documentation, generally you need to show: - Names and contact information of places you applied - Dates of applications/interviews - Follow-up actions - Time spent on each activity Keep detailed records of everything. If your worker determines you aren't meeting the requirements, they can issue a sanction, which would remove your portion of the grant (though not affect your mom's or brother's portions).

just wanna say im sorry this happened to u. when my benefits got stolen last yr i had to feed my kids ramen for a week before they replaced the money. the system totally sucks and they treat us like were liars. hope u get ur money back quick

ALSO make sure your mailing address is up to date with the county!! A lot of benefit theft happens because people are stealing cards right out of mailboxes when they get sent out. If you've moved or aren't getting mail reliably, you can have your EBT card held at the county office for pickup instead of mailed.