This thread has been absolutely amazing to read! As someone who's been hesitant to look for work while on CalWORKs, seeing Miguel's question and all these detailed responses has been like finding a goldmine of information. I had no idea about the income disregard calculation or that you could actually end up with MORE money by working even with reduced cash aid. The fact that you keep Medi-Cal for 12 months and maintain childcare assistance really addresses the two biggest fears I had about transitioning to work. And hearing from people like Paolo and Javier who've actually been through this successfully makes it feel so much less scary. Miguel, congratulations on taking that leap! Your question has probably helped more people than you realize. I'm definitely feeling more motivated to start my own job search now. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge - this community is incredible!

As someone completely new to this community, I just wanted to say how incredible this entire discussion has been! Miguel, your question was exactly what so many of us needed to hear answered, and the responses from everyone have been absolutely life-changing. I've been on CalWORKs for about 3 months now and have been terrified to even look for work because I thought it would mean losing everything immediately. Reading through all the detailed explanations about income disregards, transitional benefits, and hearing real success stories from people who've made this transition has completely shifted my perspective. The breakdown of how you can actually end up with MORE total income by working (even with reduced cash aid) was mind-blowing. And knowing about the 12-month Medi-Cal protection and continued childcare assistance removes the two biggest barriers I had in my mind. Miguel, congratulations on your job offer and thank you for having the courage to ask what we were all scared to ask! Your decision to take that job is going to inspire so many of us. And to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - you've literally changed lives with this information. This is exactly the kind of supportive community that makes all the difference when you're facing these big transitions. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread and feeling much more confident about starting my own job search now!

I'm new here but going through something similar! Just got approved for CalWORKs this week and been stressing about how it'll affect my CalFresh. Reading through everyone's responses is so helpful - sounds like the reduction isn't as scary as I thought it would be. I'm in Orange County and my worker mentioned something about the changes happening "within the benefit month" but wasn't super clear about timing. Has anyone dealt with OC specifically? Also wondering if anyone has tips for explaining this to kids? My 8-year-old has been worried about our food situation since I lost my job, and I want to reassure him that we'll still have enough groceries even with the CalFresh reduction. Thanks for sharing all your experiences - this community is amazing!

Just want to add that if you're worried about the timing of when changes happen, you can actually call and ask them to process the CalFresh reduction at the same time as your first CalWORKs payment so you're not caught off guard. When I got approved, my worker offered to coordinate the timing so I wouldn't have a month where I was expecting my full CalFresh amount but it got reduced mid-month. Also, don't forget that CalWORKs comes with other benefits too - like if you have school-age kids, they might be eligible for free school meals automatically now, which can help stretch your food budget even further. The whole system is confusing at first but you'll figure out what works best for your family!

Hey Lourdes! I just wanted to chime in as someone who's been navigating CalWORKs for about a year now. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like you've gotten some really solid advice from people who've been there. One thing I didn't see mentioned that might help - when you do your interview, ask about the "Individual Development Account" (IDA) program if it's available in your county. It's a matched savings program where they'll match money you save toward goals like education or starting a business. Since your boyfriend has construction experience, he might be able to use it toward getting certified in new construction technologies or even starting his own small contracting business eventually. Also, I noticed you mentioned working 25 hours at retail - definitely ask about the "Earned Income Disregard" that someone mentioned earlier, but also ask about any retail-specific training programs they might have partnerships with. Some counties have programs with major retailers for management training that could help you advance to full-time or supervisory positions. The mental health support everyone's talking about is real - my partner was also dealing with depression when we applied, and having access to free counseling made all the difference. It took a few months, but he's doing so much better now and actually just started a new job. You're being so smart by researching all this ahead of time. That extra $150-200 monthly really will make a difference, and it sounds like you've got a great plan for making the WTW requirements work for both of you. Wishing your family all the best! 💕

Hi Lourdes! I'm so glad you're asking these questions before applying - it shows you're really thinking this through carefully. I went through a very similar situation with my partner and our toddler about 8 months ago, and I can tell you that adding him to our case was absolutely the right decision despite my initial worries. A few things that might help you feel more confident: **The financial benefit is real** - We got an additional $190/month when we added my partner, which honestly saved us from falling behind on rent. Every family's situation is different, but that extra support can be life-changing when you're struggling. **Construction workers have advantages** - Your boyfriend's construction background is actually a huge plus! Many counties have specific programs for people in the building trades. Our worker connected my partner with an OSHA 30-hour safety certification program that counted toward his WTW hours AND made him more employable. Way better than generic job search activities. **Mental health support is crucial** - Since you mentioned his depression, please don't hesitate to bring this up during your interview. The free mental health services we accessed through CalWORKs helped my partner more than anything else. Once he started feeling better emotionally, everything else - job searching, WTW compliance, motivation - all improved. **Start documenting now** - Gather his ID, Social Security card, and definitely that termination letter from his construction job. Also, if possible, get some documentation about his depression from a doctor - this could help with temporary WTW exemptions while he gets treatment. You're already working 25 hours which puts you in such a strong position. The workers really respect that level of commitment. With the combined 35-hour requirement for your household, he'd only need about 10 hours of activities weekly - very manageable! Feel free to reach out if you need any specific advice about the application process. You're going to navigate this successfully! 🙏

That's great news that it worked out! Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - if you ever have issues with Bank of America tellers not knowing about EBT Cash Aid withdrawals, you can ask to speak with a supervisor or show them that it's specifically mentioned in their EBT program guidelines. I've had a couple newer tellers who weren't familiar with the process, but once they checked with someone more experienced it was no problem. Also, keep your receipt from the teller withdrawal just like you would with an ATM transaction - it shows the withdrawal amount and remaining balance which is helpful for budgeting.

Welcome to CalWORKs and glad you found this thread helpful! Just wanted to add another tip - if you're ever in a situation where you need cash urgently but Bank of America branches are closed, you can also get cash back at many grocery stores when you buy something with your EBT card. Places like Safeway, Walmart, and some CVS locations let you get cash back from your Cash Aid account when you make a purchase. It's usually limited to like $50-100 depending on the store, but it's free and can be a lifesaver on weekends or after banking hours. The key is to make sure you're selecting "Cash" not "Food" when they ask which account to use at checkout.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! I've been trying to submit my SAR7 online through BenefitsCal for the past few days and keep getting that frustrating "nothing to do at this time" message. My caseworker in Sacramento County told me I could submit it online, but clearly that's not working out. After reading through everyone's experiences here, it's become really clear that there's a major disconnect between what workers are telling us and what's actually available in each county. It sounds like the online SAR7 submission feature is still being rolled out inconsistently, but workers aren't always aware of the current status for their specific areas. I really appreciate everyone sharing their solutions and warnings about getting proof of submission. I was getting so frustrated thinking I was doing something wrong on the website, but now I understand it's a system-wide issue. I'm definitely going to take the advice here and just fill out my paper SAR7 form and drop it off in person to get that receipt. It's such a relief to find this community and realize I'm not the only one struggling with this. The support and shared experiences here are way more helpful than anything I could get from calling the county office! Thank you all for taking the time to help each other navigate this confusing system.

I'm going through this exact same nightmare! Just joined this community because I'm having the identical issue in Kern County. My worker told me two weeks ago that I could submit my SAR7 online, but I've been getting that same "nothing to do at this time" message every single day since then. My deadline is in 8 days and I was starting to panic thinking I was doing something wrong on the website. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief - it's clear this is a widespread problem with the BenefitsCal system rollout and not user error on our part! It's really frustrating how many counties seem to be dealing with this disconnect between what workers are telling clients and what's actually available online. I've probably wasted 10+ hours over the past two weeks trying every possible section of that website. I'm definitely taking everyone's advice and going with the paper SAR7 form. I can't afford to risk my Cash Aid getting cut off because of their broken system. I'll fill it out and drop it off in person to get that receipt - everyone's emphasis on getting proof of submission really drives home how critical that is. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and solutions! This community support is incredible and way more helpful than trying to navigate the county phone system. At least now I know to always ask for documentation no matter which submission method I use in the future.