One more thing I forgot to mention - if you end up needing to apply for an exemption from cooperation (like if there's domestic violence involved), that process can take longer. But if you're just providing the information they need, it should be relatively quick to lift the penalty. Just make sure when you call that you get confirmation they've received everything they need. The LCSA and CalWORKs don't always communicate well with each other, so you might need to follow up with both offices to make sure the information gets where it needs to go.

Just checking back - were you able to get through to your worker? Did they give you any timeline for fixing this?

wait i didnt even know this was a thing!!! my daughter is 2 and ive been on calworks for a year… does anyone know if theres a form on benefitscal for this or do u have to call?

I just went through this exact same situation last month! I have a 15-month-old and was shocked to find out I'd been missing out on $30/month for over a year. When I called my worker, she said the diaper benefit should have been added automatically when my case started, but there was some kind of system glitch. The good news is they gave me all the backpay from when my daughter was born - it was like getting a $360 check! Definitely call ASAP because the longer you wait, the more money you're missing out on. And don't let them tell you it's "per family" - I had one worker try to tell me that but it's absolutely per child under 3. Pro tip: when you call, ask them to email or mail you a summary of what they added to your case so you have it in writing. That way if there are any issues later, you have proof of what was discussed.

Wow, reading through all these experiences really shows how much we all rely on each other to figure out this system! I'm also pretty new to CalWORKs and had never heard of the cure period before finding this thread. It's honestly shocking that they don't explain these important rights more clearly in their notices. Like, they could easily add a box that says "MISSED YOUR DEADLINE? You may have 30 days to submit documents without reapplying - contact your worker immediately." Instead we're all here piecing together information from our individual struggles. I'm taking notes on all these tips - the early morning calling strategy, keeping documentation of everything, knowing about the ombudsperson option, and that Claimyr service sounds really helpful for actually reaching someone. It's ridiculous that we need these workarounds just to access basic support, but I'm so grateful this community exists to share real knowledge. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories, especially those who took the time to explain the details. You're literally helping families keep their benefits and housing - that's huge!

This thread is incredible - I wish I had found something like this when I first started receiving CalWORKs benefits! I'm still pretty new to the system (about 4 months now) and honestly had no idea about the cure period or most of these strategies everyone's sharing. The most frustrating part for me has been how the official notices and websites use such confusing language. Like, they'll send you a form that says "failure to provide verification may result in discontinuance" but they don't clearly explain what happens if you miss the deadline or what your options are. It's like they assume everyone already knows all the rules and procedures. I'm definitely saving all these tips - calling right when offices open, keeping copies of everything, specifically using the term "cure period" when talking to workers, and that Claimyr service sounds like a game changer for actually reaching someone by phone. It's sad that we need these workarounds, but I'm so grateful this community exists to share real practical knowledge. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences here, especially the detailed explanations about the 30-day rule and ombudsperson contacts. You're helping so many families navigate this confusing system and keep their benefits - that makes a real difference in people's lives!

glad u got it fixed! this happens way too often tbh. i always take pictures of every paper i give them now and ask for receipt numbers for everything. ive been on calworks for 3 years and learned the hard way lol

This entire thread is incredibly valuable - thank you to everyone who shared their experiences! I'm experiencing something similar where my payment hasn't come through this month despite having an active case. Reading through all the responses, it's clear that missing verification requests (that we never received) are a huge part of the problem. The fact that they can just stop payments without proper notification is really unfair to families who depend on this assistance. I'm going to try several of the strategies mentioned here: - Calling right at 8am when they open - Checking if there are any unreceived verification requests - Using the BenefitsCal app to upload documents instead of email - Keeping a detailed log of all my attempts to contact them - Looking into my county's legal aid resources It's frustrating that we have to become experts at navigating their broken system, but I'm so grateful for communities like this where people actually help each other with real solutions. The mutual support here is exactly what we need when the official system fails us. Hoping everyone gets their payment issues resolved quickly! We shouldn't have to choose between rent and food because of their administrative failures.

I went through something similar earlier this year and it turned out to be a data entry error on their end. My caseworker had accidentally entered the wrong income amount during my last review, which triggered an automatic benefit calculation that zeroed out my payments. Even though I was still "active" in the system, the payment amount was wrong. What saved me was going to the office with all my recent pay stubs and bank statements to prove my actual income hadn't changed. They were able to see the error immediately and fixed it that same day. My back payment came through within 48 hours. Since you mentioned your income hasn't changed and you haven't missed any reporting deadlines, this sounds like it could be a similar data error. When you do get through to someone, ask them to specifically review what income information they have on file for you - sometimes workers accidentally transpose numbers or enter data in the wrong fields during routine updates.

I've been following this thread and wanted to share something that might help - I had a very similar situation happen to me about 3 months ago. My benefits suddenly showed $0 for the month but I was still active, and like you, I had no changes in income or household size. What ended up happening was that during a routine system update, my case got flagged for "manual review" even though nothing actually needed to be reviewed. The system automatically held my payment while this fake review was pending, but nobody bothered to tell me about it! I finally got through using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above (it really does work - got me through in about 15 minutes after I'd been trying for days). The worker was able to see immediately that my case had been flagged in error and released the hold right away. My payment was on my EBT card the next business day. The frustrating part is that this could have been avoided if they had just sent me a simple notice saying "your case is under routine review, payment may be delayed." But apparently they don't always do that for administrative holds. Keep trying to get through - this really sounds like a system error that will be easily fixed once you reach the right person!