Can't reach CalWorks? Claimyr connects you to a live DSS agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the DSS drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
Anna, I really hope your interview went well today! I've been following this thread as a newcomer to this community, and I'm absolutely amazed by the incredible support and detailed advice everyone has given you. This is exactly the kind of community help that makes such a difference for families going through tough times. As someone who's also navigated the benefits system with a young child, I can tell you that you went into that interview more prepared than probably anyone else they'll see this week! The advice about bringing organized documents, a notepad for taking notes, snacks, and even the tip about writing down key points about your situation - you had it all covered. Your circumstances with a 6-week-old baby, being on maternity leave with disability payments, and your boyfriend's temporary job loss is exactly what CalWORKs exists to help with. These are the real-life situations that require temporary assistance, and there's absolutely nothing to feel bad about in seeking help when your family needs it. I'm really hoping you got approved today and that the caseworker was understanding and helpful. Even if you need to wait for processing or provide any additional documentation, you should feel so proud of how thoroughly you prepared and advocated for your little one. This whole thread has been such an inspiring example of community members supporting each other. Please update us when you're ready - we're all invested in your success now! Sending you and your baby lots of positive thoughts! 💕🍀
Anna, I hope your interview went amazingly today! I've been reading through this entire thread and I'm just blown away by how this community came together to help you prepare. As someone who's currently going through my own struggles with a newborn and trying to navigate the system, seeing all this support gives me so much hope. Your situation is exactly what I'm dealing with too - new baby, financial stress, trying to figure out all these programs while sleep-deprived. The advice everyone gave you about bringing organized documents, taking notes, and being honest about your situation is so valuable. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread for when I have my own interview next month! I really hope you got approved today and that the caseworker was understanding. Your preparation was incredible thanks to everyone here, and your attitude throughout this whole thread shows what an amazing advocate you are for your family. There's no shame in needing help during major life transitions - that's exactly what these safety nets are for. Please update us when you can! I know I'm not the only one who's been rooting for you. This community is truly special and you deserve all the support. Sending lots of positive vibes to you and your little one! 💙✨
Anna, I hope your interview went well today too! As someone who's also new to this community and currently preparing for my own CalWORKs application, this entire thread has been incredibly helpful to read through. Seeing how everyone came together to support you with such detailed advice really shows what an amazing resource this community is. Your situation with the newborn, maternity leave, and temporary job loss sounds so similar to what many of us face during these major life transitions. The fact that you were so proactive about preparing and asking questions ahead of time really demonstrates what a great advocate you are for your family. I've been taking notes from all the advice people gave you - especially about bringing organized documents, having a notepad ready, and being honest about everything. It's given me so much more confidence about my own upcoming interview. Really hoping you received good news today and that everything went smoothly! Please update us when you get a chance - I know many of us are eager to hear how it turned out. You've got such a supportive community here cheering you on! 🤞💕
Join the conversation
OMG I LOVE when people find out they're actually eligible for MORE benefits than they thought! Fill out that SAR7 TODAY and get it submitted. Don't wait until the deadline because processing can take a few days. And once your cash aid is back, make sure to ask about the diaper benefit and childcare assistance - those are HUGE helps when you have a toddler. The CalWORKs childcare benefit alone can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars if you're working or in school!
I just filled out the SAR7 and uploaded it through the BenefitsCal app! Fingers crossed my cash aid comes back soon. And I'll definitely ask about childcare - I've been wanting to look for part-time work but daycare costs are insane. Thank you all so much for the help!
Great job figuring this out! Just wanted to add that when you do start looking for work, make sure to let your CalWORKs worker know - they have programs that can help with job search, training, and even transportation assistance. And the childcare benefit through CalWORKs can cover daycare costs while you're working OR looking for work, which is amazing. Also, with a child under 2, you're in the "young child exemption" category, so you won't have strict work requirements right away. Take advantage of this time to get stable housing, finish any education/training you want to do, and plan for when those requirements kick in after your daughter turns 2. You're doing great advocating for yourself and your little one!
This is such helpful advice! I had no idea CalWORKs had so many different programs beyond just the cash assistance. The young child exemption sounds like a relief - I was worried they'd pressure me to work immediately when my daughter still needs so much attention at this age. Do you know if there's a specific person I should ask for when I call about the childcare and job training programs, or should I just ask my regular eligibility worker?
Join the conversation
So glad you got everything sorted out! Your thoroughness definitely paid off - doing all those steps ensures there's no chance of missing important communications. Thanks for sharing the update, it's really helpful to see what actually worked. I'm sure other people will benefit from your experience, especially about the SAR 7 form requirement that not everyone knows about. Good luck with your redetermination interview!
This is such a helpful thread! I'm new to CalWORKs and had no idea there were so many different ways to update contact info. I bookmarked this whole conversation because I know I'll probably need to reference it later. It's really reassuring to see that even when the system seems confusing, there are people in this community who know the ins and outs and are willing to help. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge here!
This is such a comprehensive thread! As someone who's had to navigate these systems before, I really appreciate seeing all the different approaches laid out clearly. The combination of updating online AND submitting the SAR 7 form is definitely the way to go - I learned that lesson the hard way when I only did the online update and my worker didn't get the memo. One small tip to add: if you're using a prepaid phone that might change numbers frequently, consider getting a Google Voice number that forwards to your actual phone. That way you can give CalWORKs the stable Google Voice number and just update where it forwards to without having to go through this whole process every time. It's been a lifesaver for me since I switch between different phone plans sometimes. Great job being so thorough with your updates, @Clay - that's exactly the right approach to avoid any issues with your benefits!
That Google Voice tip is brilliant! I never thought of that but it makes so much sense, especially for people who might need to change phones frequently due to financial reasons or other circumstances. I'm definitely going to look into setting that up as a backup plan. It would save so much hassle compared to going through all these update steps every time. Thanks for sharing that practical solution!
@Ana that Google Voice suggestion is amazing! I had no idea you could do that. I've been stressing about potentially having to change my number again soon because my current phone plan is getting too expensive. This would solve so many problems - not just with CalWORKs but also with keeping consistent contact info for job applications and everything else. Do you know if there are any downsides to using Google Voice for official government stuff like this?
Join the conversation
I'm brand new to this community and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! As someone who just started the CalFresh application process last week, I had no idea that calling early for interviews was even a possibility. I've been really worried about potential scheduling conflicts since I work as a home health aide with clients whose needs can change suddenly. Reading @Annabel Kimball's success story and seeing how understanding the worker was really gives me hope. @Charity Cohan, thank you so much for sharing that specific regulation information about MPP Section 63-300.46 - it's incredibly empowering to know that reasonable accommodation isn't just a favor but actually required by policy. This community is already proving to be such a supportive resource where real experiences and practical knowledge get shared to help people like me navigate these systems more effectively. I feel much more confident now about advocating for myself if I need scheduling flexibility!
Welcome to the community @Javier Morales! Your work as a home health aide sounds incredibly important but also challenging with those sudden schedule changes - that's exactly the kind of unpredictable situation where having flexibility with interview times becomes essential. I'm also new here and this thread has been such an amazing learning experience. It's wonderful to see how @Annabel Kimball s'positive outcome and @Charity Cohan s policy'expertise have given so many of us the confidence and knowledge we need to advocate for ourselves effectively. The fact that you re already'thinking proactively about potential scheduling conflicts shows great preparation. This community really seems to understand that we all have different work situations and life circumstances that require understanding from the system. Good luck with your CalFresh application - with all this great advice, you re definitely'well-equipped to handle any scheduling challenges that might come up!
As a newcomer to this community, this thread has been absolutely incredible to read! I'm currently in the middle of my first CalFresh application and was genuinely terrified about the interview scheduling since I work as a freelance tutor with sessions that can get booked last-minute by parents. Reading through @Annabel Kimball's success story and seeing how accommodating the worker was really gives me so much hope that the system can actually work with us rather than against us. @Charity Cohan, I cannot thank you enough for sharing that specific MPP regulation information - knowing that MPP Section 63-300.46 actually requires them to accommodate household needs completely changes how I'll approach any scheduling issues. It's so empowering to know this isn't just about getting lucky with a nice worker, but that there's actual policy backing our right to reasonable accommodations. This community is already showing me how valuable it is to have a space where people share real experiences and practical knowledge that actually helps us navigate these systems successfully. Thank you everyone for being so generous with your advice and experiences!
Welcome to the community @Brady Clean! Your freelance tutoring work sounds like it creates exactly the kind of unpredictable scheduling challenges that make interview flexibility so important. I'm also new here and have been blown away by how much practical wisdom gets shared in threads like this. It's incredible how @Annabel Kimball s'real success story combined with @Charity Cohan s policy'expertise has given all of us newcomers such valuable tools for advocating for ourselves. The fact that reasonable accommodations are actually required by regulation rather than just dependent on worker goodwill is such a game-changer! I love how this community creates a space where we can learn from each other s experiences'and feel more empowered to navigate these systems. Your freelance tutoring work serving families is so valuable, and it s great'that you re being'proactive about understanding your options before potential conflicts arise. Good luck with your CalFresh application!
Maya Patel
This whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening for me as someone who's been on CalWORKs for about a year. I haven't experienced a sudden reduction yet, but reading all these stories makes me realize how important it is to stay on top of monitoring my case. I had no idea about things like age-up calculations affecting payments or that system errors were so common. I'm definitely going to start checking my BenefitsCal account monthly and keeping better records of all my interactions with the county office. It's really concerning that so many people aren't receiving proper notices when their benefits change - that seems like such a basic requirement that shouldn't be failing this often. Thank you everyone for sharing the practical tips about Claimyr, calling early in the morning, and what specific questions to ask when you do get through to someone. This community knowledge is invaluable for helping us navigate such a complicated system!
0 coins
Jasmine Hancock
•I'm so glad you're being proactive about this even though you haven't experienced a reduction yet! That's really smart thinking. Reading through everyone's experiences here has definitely opened my eyes too - I had no idea there were so many potential pitfalls in the system. The age-up calculation thing especially caught me off guard since that seems like something they should automatically explain when it happens. Your plan to check BenefitsCal monthly is excellent - I'm going to start doing that too. It's really sad that we have to become experts in our own cases just to make sure we're getting what we're entitled to, but this thread shows how powerful it is when we share information and support each other. Hopefully by staying vigilant and using all these great tips everyone shared, we can catch any issues early before they become major problems!
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm a single mom who just started receiving CalWORKs 2 months ago and reading about all these potential issues with sudden benefit cuts is honestly both terrifying and educational. I had no idea there were so many reasons why payments could change without warning - the age-up calculations, system errors, income recalculations, missing notices, etc. I'm definitely going to start checking my BenefitsCal account regularly and keep detailed records like everyone suggested. It's really disappointing that the county doesn't provide clear explanations automatically when they make changes to our benefits. We're already dealing with so much stress just trying to get by, and then we have to become detectives to figure out our own cases! Thank you to everyone who shared the practical tips about Claimyr, calling early, and what specific questions to ask. This community support is exactly what new recipients like me need to navigate this confusing system. I'm bookmarking this thread for future reference!
0 coins
Sophia Carson
•Welcome to the community and to CalWORKs! I completely understand how overwhelming it can feel when you're new to the system and then read about all these potential issues. When I first started receiving benefits about 18 months ago, threads like this would have stressed me out too, but honestly they're so valuable for being prepared. One thing I wish someone had told me early on is to also keep a simple file with copies of everything - your original application, every SAR7 you submit, any letters from the county, even screenshots of your BenefitsCal account showing your benefit amounts each month. It might seem like overkill now, but if you ever do run into an issue, having that documentation makes resolving things so much faster. Also, don't be afraid to ask your eligibility worker questions during your regular check-ins - they should be able to explain how your benefits are calculated and what might cause changes. You're doing great by being proactive and seeking out this kind of information. This community really is amazing for support and practical advice!
0 coins