I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare! Identity theft with benefits is unfortunately becoming more common. A few additional things that might help: 1. Contact your local Legal Aid office - they often have attorneys who specialize in benefits cases and can advocate for you for free. They know exactly which forms to file and how to pressure the county to act faster. 2. If you're in immediate crisis, look into your county's General Relief program. It's separate from CalWORKs and can provide emergency cash assistance while you're waiting for this to resolve. 3. Document EVERYTHING in writing. After every phone call, send a follow-up email to your caseworker summarizing what was discussed and any promises made. This creates a paper trail that's crucial if you need to escalate. 4. Contact your county Board of Supervisors office - they often have constituent services that can help cut through red tape when residents are getting the runaround from county departments. Stay strong and don't give up! The system is designed to be frustrating, but you have rights and there are people who can help you navigate this. Your kids need you to keep fighting for what you're entitled to.

I'm new to this community but had to jump in because your situation sounds terrifying and all too familiar. My neighbor went through something similar last year - someone had been collecting her CalWORKs benefits for 8 months while she was working, and she only found out when she tried to reapply after losing her job. A few things that really helped her case move faster: 1. She got her Assembly member's office involved early (not just as a last resort). They have dedicated staff for constituent services who can pressure county offices to prioritize cases. Don't wait weeks - contact them now. 2. She documented everything with timestamps and photos - screenshots of her BenefitsCal account showing the unauthorized changes, photos of her mail from the correct address during the time period in question, anything that proved she wasn't at the fraudulent address. 3. Most importantly - she found out there's something called a "hardship exception" that allows them to issue emergency benefits even during fraud investigations if you have minor children. The key phrase to use is "my children are facing immediate harm due to no fault of my own." The whole thing is so stressful, especially when you're already dealing with job loss. Don't let them make you feel like you did something wrong - you're the victim here! Keep pushing and use every resource people have mentioned. You've got this!

That's awesome that you took the job! I'm so glad it worked out. For anyone else reading this who might be in a similar situation, I want to add that it's also worth asking your worker about the CalWORKs WTW (Welfare-to-Work) program if you haven't already. They can sometimes provide additional support like help with work clothes, tools, or even gas cards for transportation to work. Also, don't be discouraged if your first few benefit calculations seem confusing or if there are delays in processing your income changes. The system can be slow to adjust, but as long as you report everything on time with your SAR forms, they'll make any necessary corrections and backdate them. One more thing - if you ever get a raise or your hours increase, don't panic about losing benefits immediately. The income disregards mean you can actually earn quite a bit more before you completely phase out of assistance. Good luck with your new job!

This whole thread is so encouraging to read! As someone who's been on CalWORKs for about 8 months now, I've been terrified to even look for work because I thought it would just mean losing all my benefits immediately. Seeing how it actually works with the income disregards and transitional benefits makes me feel like there's actually a path forward. I'm curious - for those of you who have made this transition, how did you handle explaining gaps in employment during job interviews? I've been out of work for over a year now taking care of my son, and I'm worried employers will see that as a red flag. Did anyone find that employers were understanding about the CalWORKs situation, or is it better to just say you were a stay-at-home parent? Also, @Layla Mendes, congratulations again on the job! It's really inspiring to see someone take that leap and have it work out well.

Update: My sister was able to withdraw her application! She used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and got through to a caseworker in about 20 minutes. They took her withdrawal over the phone but also told her to send an email confirmation to the general county email with her case number and personal info. They said she'll get a confirmation letter in about a week. Thanks everyone for your help!

That's awesome that your sister got it sorted out! I'm dealing with something similar - applied for CalWORKs but then my hours got increased at my part-time job and now I might not qualify anymore. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like I should probably call to withdraw too rather than risk getting approved and then having overpayment issues later. The written confirmation step seems super important based on what everyone's saying. Thanks for sharing the update!

I went through this exact same confusion when I first got approved! The random small payments followed by what seemed like a tiny regular amount had me so worried. But based on everything you've shared, you're definitely approved - that payment pattern is totally normal for mid-month approvals. Since you're working part-time, your $120 monthly grant actually makes sense mathematically. CalWORKs subtracts a percentage of your earnings after the first $450 is disregarded. With 15 hours at minimum wage, you're probably earning around $1000+ monthly, so after they do the calculations, $120 sounds about right for your situation. The key thing now is making sure you stay compliant with all the Welfare to Work requirements they'll send you. Don't skip any appointments or orientations because that can result in sanctions that reduce your benefits even further. And definitely keep reporting any changes in your work hours within 10 days - even small changes can affect your grant amount. You should be getting your regular payment on the same date each month going forward. Hang in there with trying to reach your worker for that benefit calculation worksheet - it's frustrating but totally worth getting that documentation!

I'm so glad you found this thread helpful! As someone who's been through the CalWORKs system, I can tell you that the initial confusion around payments and approval status is incredibly common. The system really doesn't do a great job of communicating what's happening, especially for first-time applicants. Your experience is textbook for a mid-month approval with part-time income. That $100 prorated payment followed by the $120 regular grant is exactly how it should work. The math on your benefit amount checks out too - with 15 hours at minimum wage, after the income disregards and calculations, $120 is actually right in line with what you'd expect. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here is to make sure you understand your reporting requirements going forward. You'll need to report any changes in income, work hours, or living situation within 10 days. Even if you pick up an extra shift or your hours get cut, let them know. It's better to over-communicate than risk any compliance issues. Also, once you do connect with your worker, ask about the Earned Income Disregard and any work-related expense deductions you might qualify for. Sometimes there are transportation or other work expenses that can be deducted from your countable income, which could increase your grant amount slightly. You're doing everything right by trying to get that benefit calculation worksheet - that documentation is really important to have for your records. Keep being persistent with contacting your worker, and don't let the initial communication difficulties discourage you. You've successfully navigated the hardest part, which is getting approved in the first place!

I'm really grateful for all the detailed explanations everyone has shared here! As someone who's still learning about how different benefit programs work, this conversation has been incredibly helpful. I had no idea that SSI and CalWORKs were completely separate systems - I probably would have had the same concerns as Giovanni if I were in that situation. What really stands out to me is how much confusion can come from well-meaning but inaccurate information shared in casual settings. It's such a good reminder to always double-check things we hear, especially when it comes to benefits our families depend on. The stress of potentially losing support when you're already struggling financially must be overwhelming. Thank you to all the community members who took the time to share their knowledge and experience - particularly those who have worked in the system or navigated it personally. Having access to accurate, reliable information like this makes such a difference when you're trying to understand complex eligibility rules and program interactions. This is exactly the kind of supportive community that helps people get through challenging times!

This thread has been so informative! I'm relatively new to navigating benefits myself and had similar confusion about how different programs might affect each other. It's really reassuring to see how many knowledgeable people are here to help clear up these kinds of concerns. What struck me most is how a simple rumor overheard at the grocery store can cause so much worry when you're already dealing with financial stress. I can completely understand Giovanni's anxiety about potentially losing benefits that the family depends on. It's such a relief when you find out that your fears were unfounded, but the emotional toll of that uncertainty is real. I really appreciate all the former eligibility workers and experienced community members who took the time to explain the distinction between SSI and CalWORKs so clearly. It's helpful to know that these are completely separate systems with different funding sources and that changes to one don't affect the other. I'll definitely keep this information in mind if I ever hear similar rumors floating around. Thanks for creating such a supportive space where people can get accurate information instead of having to worry based on secondhand gossip!