Update us after you call them! I'm curious what they say. I've had different answers from different workers about the same situations so many times.

UPDATE: I finally got through to my worker this morning! She confirmed that my SAR 7 was processed and approved without needing the interview because all my info was complete and unchanged from previous months. She said the interview was just scheduled as standard procedure but wasn't actually required in my case. My Cash Aid and CalFresh benefits will continue without interruption. So relieved! Thanks everyone for your help and advice.

did you submitted it through BenefitsCal or did you mail it? i always take mine to the office in person and get a receipt cause one time they claimed they never got mine when i mailed it and my benefits got cut off for a whole month. never trust the system to work right fr

Just wanted to follow up - have you heard anything back yet? If it's been more than 10 business days now, I would definitely call. Remember that even if your worker doesn't process it immediately, as long as you submitted it before the deadline, your benefits will continue. They can't discontinue benefits if you met the reporting deadline.

i had this happen and it was bc i didnt submit some paper they wanted but they never told me they wanted it lol. maybe check ur mail really good to see if they sent anything? sometimes they send letters that look like junk mail

Just checking back - were you able to get this resolved? If they're still giving you the runaround, ask specifically for a "Cash Aid Emergency Payment Request" form. This is a specific process for when benefits show approved but weren't issued correctly. The county has 3 business days to respond to emergency requests.

Update: I finally got through to my worker! Turns out it was TWO different issues. I missed a WTW orientation appointment that was in that letter I didn't read carefully (my bad), which caused the CalWORKs sanction. And separately, they sent a verification request for my rent that I never received, which affected my CalFresh. They're helping me cure the sanction (have to attend the next orientation and sign some forms) and I submitted my rent verification through BenefitsCal just now. Worker said my CalFresh should be restored within 3 days and I'll get the back benefits too. For CalWORKs, I'll get the full amount next month if I complete the WTW requirements. Lesson learned: read EVERY letter they send completely and check BenefitsCal more often!

Glad you got it figured out! Just an FYI for the future (this happened to me) - even if you fix the WTW sanction now, they might not restore the lost amount from this month. That $71 instead of your full grant might just be gone. It sucks but that's how they do it with sanctions. At least your CalFresh back-payment will help make up for it somewhat.

BE CAREFUL!!! If your aunt pays any portion of rent or bills, you NEED to report that as contribution to the household on your SAR7!!! My cousin got in huge trouble for not reporting that her mom (on SSI) was paying $200/month toward bills. They counted it as unreported income and she had to pay back like $4,000!!!!

I have worked as an eligibility worker in the past. Let me clarify a few things: 1) SSI and CalWORKs are entirely separate programs 2) An individual cannot receive both SSI and CalWORKs simultaneously 3) SSI recipients are excluded from the CalWORKs household/Assistance Unit 4) The income of an SSI recipient is exempt/not counted for CalWORKs purposes 5) Just make sure you're correctly reporting your household composition If your aunt receives SSI and is properly reported as living in your home but not part of your CalWORKs AU (Assistance Unit), then any changes to CalWORKs will not affect her SSI benefits whatsoever. Don't worry about rumors you hear from others. Always verify information directly with your eligibility worker.

There's another important aspect to consider: the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). If you qualify for CalWORKs, you likely qualify for EITC when filing taxes, which could be worth more than what your ex is offering to give you. By letting him claim the children, you're potentially losing out on tax credits that would benefit you more than his offer. Additionally, there's a specific question on the Semi-Annual Report (SAR7) about whether anyone else has claimed your child as a dependent. If you answer no but someone else has, that's considered misrepresentation.

wat if ur not on the lease where u live? can they still check if kids live with u?

Make sure you apply for CalFRESH not CalWORKS which is diferent. Sometimes when u reapply they ask for more verifications than before so have all ur pay stubs and ID and bills ready. I had to submit utility bills the second time I applied but not the first time?? The system makes no sense!!! Also worth driving to the office in person if you can because sometimes they'll help u faster if they see ur face.

Update: I applied online last night and checked the expedited services box since we definitely meet those criteria. I also called this morning and actually got through to a real person! They said they'd try to process it as expedited and that I made the right choice by reapplying immediately. They're reviewing my hospital documentation as possible good cause for missing the verification deadline. Fingers crossed! Thanks everyone for the quick responses.

Regarding your missing paystub - you should include a note explaining the situation, but they really do need verification of ALL income. Ask your employer if they can provide some kind of printout or even an email confirming your hours and pay for that missing week. Also, make sure you're reporting your income correctly. On the SAR7, you need to report the income you RECEIVED in the report month, not necessarily what you EARNED. So if your paycheck for work done in late April wasn't given to you until May 3rd, that counts as May income, not April income. This trips up a lot of people.

Just to clarify about the paystubs - if you absolutely cannot get the missing paystub by the deadline, submit what you have with a detailed note explaining: 1. The exact dates you worked 2. How many hours each day 3. Your hourly rate 4. Why the paystub is missing 5. When you expect to receive it Then CALL your worker right after submitting to explain the situation. This shows good faith effort to report properly. When you get the missing paystub, submit it immediately as an update. Also - don't forget that if your new income puts you above the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) for your household size, you must report it within 10 days, even outside of your regular SAR7 period. Your IRT amount should be listed on your last approval notice.

This happened to my cousin and they made her reapply for the whole program from scratch! She lost like 6 weeks of benefits even though she was in the hospital for legitimate reasons. The CalWORKs system is totally broken. They expect people who are literally in medical crisis to somehow still meet all these ridiculous paperwork deadlines. It's inhumane!

Final update: Just wanted to let everyone know that my benefits were reinstated today! My doctor filled out the CW 61 form verifying my 3-week hospitalization, and the county accepted it as good cause for missing the WTW orientation. They're depositing this month's payment tomorrow, and I didn't have to reapply. Thank you all again for your advice - it really helped me navigate this scary situation.

I got that middle class refund and didnt report it on my SAR7 last jan. no one said anything and my caseworker renewed my benefits like normal. i think they dont even look at that tbh

this reminds me i still need to submit my SAR7 this month!!! when is the deadline again??? i always forget and then they threaten to cut me off lol