To summarize what everyone has shared (with accurate information): 1. Yes, you will need to provide current verification documents when reopening your CalWORKs case 2. For income: Most counties require the most recent 30 days of pay stubs 3. For resources: Bank statements showing current balances (usually last 30-60 days) 4. The resource limit is $10,000 (not $2,500 as some have incorrectly stated) 5. You can upload all documents through BenefitsCal online system 6. If your case closed less than 90 days ago, ask about expedited verification (they may need less documentation) Pro tip: When uploading documents to BenefitsCal, name each file clearly (like "January Pay Stubs" or "Chase Bank Statement") and make sure all pages are included. This prevents delays from workers requesting missing information.

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble getting electronic pay stubs from your employer, you can ask them for a "verification of employment" letter instead. It should include your hire date, hours worked, hourly rate, and gross pay for the last 30 days. Most HR departments can provide this pretty quickly and CalWORKs accepts it as income verification. I had to do this when my old job's payroll system was down and couldn't generate stubs. Also, don't stress too much about the bank account fluctuations - as long as your average balance stays well under that $10,000 limit, you should be fine. The workers understand that people need to save up for rent and bills. Good luck with your application!

I'm dealing with a similar issue right now! I submitted my direct deposit form in early January and it's been over a month with no progress. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like 2-3 months is unfortunately pretty normal, which is crazy. I'm definitely going to try some of the suggestions here - especially asking for the Fiscal Processing Unit when I call and checking with my bank to make sure they're not blocking anything. It's so frustrating that something this basic takes so long to process. The ATM fees really add up too! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips.

I'm going through the exact same thing! I submitted my direct deposit form in late November and here we are in late February with still no bank transfers. It's honestly ridiculous how broken this system is. I've tried calling multiple times and can never get through to a real person - just endless automated menus. My caseworker hasn't responded to any of my messages on BenefitsCal either. At this point I'm spending more on ATM fees than I would on gas driving to the office! Reading everyone's suggestions here is really helpful though. I'm definitely going to try asking specifically for the Fiscal Processing Unit next time I call, and I'll check with my bank too. The idea about submitting a formal complaint to the Civil Rights Office sounds promising - maybe that will actually get someone's attention. This whole situation makes me so frustrated because we shouldn't have to jump through all these hoops just to get our benefits deposited properly. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least now I know I'm not the only one dealing with this mess!

I'm also navigating this exact situation with my 2-year-old! After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm leaning heavily toward letting CalWORKs handle it. One thing that really helped me understand the decision was talking to a friend who works at the courthouse - she said she sees so many parents struggle with enforcement when they file independently, especially when the other parent has irregular income like construction work. She told me that even when people get orders for higher amounts, actually collecting the money is a whole different battle. The stability factor everyone mentioned really resonates with me. My daughter's father also works construction and can go from making $4,000 one month to nothing for the next two months. Having that guaranteed CalWORKs income while LCSA handles all the collection headaches seems way less stressful than gambling on whether he'll actually pay consistently. Plus like Amara mentioned, I didn't realize the $100 is ON TOP of your CalWORKs grant - that definitely changes the math in a positive way! Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences here. It's so much more helpful than trying to figure this out from the confusing pamphlets they give you at the CalWORKs office!

I'm going through this same situation right now with my 6-year-old son! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - way more informative than anything my CalWORKs worker explained to me. One thing I learned recently that might be useful: if your ex works construction and gets paid through different companies or sometimes under the table, LCSA has access to databases that can track employment history and income that you wouldn't be able to access on your own. They can also set up automatic wage garnishments that follow him from job to job, which is super important in construction where people move between employers a lot. My case worker also mentioned that even if he tries to hide income or work off the books, LCSA can use things like his lifestyle and spending patterns to establish what he's actually capable of paying. So if he claims he's only making minimum wage but he's posting pictures of new tools or truck payments on social media, they can factor that into the support calculation. The more I learn about what LCSA can do versus what I'd have to handle myself, the more convinced I am that letting CalWORKs manage everything is the right choice - at least initially while we see how reliable he actually is with payments. Plus having that guaranteed income every month while they handle all the enforcement stuff just seems so much less stressful than trying to chase him down myself!

Just wanted to add - if this happens again in the future, you can also try calling the main CalWORKs customer service line at 1-877-847-3663. They can sometimes patch you through directly to your worker or at least document that you were waiting for the call. Also, if you're in a county that uses the GetCalFresh portal, you can submit a complaint there about missed appointments. It creates a paper trail that can be helpful if you need to escalate later. Really glad you got it resolved though - system outages are unfortunately pretty common and it's not always the worker's fault!

So glad you got it resolved! This is actually really common - I work as a benefits advocate and see this happen to clients all the time. System outages, scheduling mix-ups, and worker overload are unfortunately just part of the reality with CalWORKs right now. For anyone reading this thread who might face this in the future: always call the same day if your worker doesn't call at the scheduled time. Don't wait! And definitely keep records like others mentioned - date, time, who you spoke with, what was said. I tell all my clients to treat these appointments like job interviews - be 10 minutes early, have all docs ready, and follow up immediately if something goes wrong. The system has flaws but most workers really are trying their best with impossible caseloads.

Hey Landon! Don't feel bad about asking these questions - this stuff is confusing and it's better to get the right info upfront. Everyone here has given you great advice already. Just to add one more thing about the application process - when you apply for CalFresh and General Assistance through BenefitsCal, you can actually start the application online and then schedule your interview appointment. This saves time because you don't have to wait in line at the county office just to pick up paperwork. Also, keep your confirmation numbers and take screenshots of everything when you submit documents online. Sometimes the system glitches and having proof that you submitted something on time can save you headaches later. The whole process can feel overwhelming but you've got this! Take it one step at a time and don't hesitate to ask questions if you get stuck.

Just want to echo what everyone else said about being careful with your EBT card! I work at a community center and we see benefit theft cases regularly. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you have a smartphone, download the ebtEDGE app right when you get your card. You can check your balance, see transaction history, and even temporarily lock your card if you think it might be compromised. Also, for the General Assistance application - different counties have different work requirements. Some make you do 20 hours of community service per month, others require job search activities. Call your county's social services office to ask specifically what they require before you apply so you're prepared. And don't worry about asking "dumb" questions - we've all been there! The benefits system is intentionally confusing sometimes. Better to ask and get it right the first time than mess up your application and have to wait even longer for help.