I just wanted to jump in and say that everyone here has given you really solid advice! One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're still having trouble getting through to your caseworker after trying all the usual methods, you can also file a complaint with the county's CalWORKs program manager. Sometimes that lights a fire under them to respond more quickly. Also, when you do get those documents together, I'd recommend submitting them in multiple ways if possible - email AND mail AND drop off in person if you can. The county offices can be notorious for "losing" paperwork, especially when deadlines are tight. The fact that this income was from 2022 and you didn't apply until late 2023 is your ace in the hole here. Make sure that's the FIRST thing you mention in any communication - put it right at the top so they can't miss it. You're going to get through this! The system is designed to be intimidating but you know your rights now thanks to everyone here sharing their experiences.

Hey Dylan! I'm so sorry you're going through this stress - IEVS reports are honestly one of the most anxiety-inducing things about being on CalWORKs. I went through something similar about a year ago and felt like I was going to have a panic attack when I got that letter! The good news is that everyone here has given you excellent advice, and since your job was in 2022 but you didn't apply for benefits until late 2023, you should definitely be in the clear for any overpayment issues. That timeline is crucial - make sure you lead with that information in ALL your communications with the county. A couple additional tips from my experience: - When you call your old employer, mention it's for "government benefit verification" - that usually gets you transferred to the right department faster - If you used any tax prep software like TurboTax or H&R Block in 2022, you might still be able to log in and download your documents from there - Consider sending a brief email or letter TODAY just acknowledging you received the notice and are working to gather the requested documents - it shows good faith effort The 10-day deadline feels impossible but it's really just meant to get you to respond, not necessarily have everything perfect. You've got a whole community here rooting for you! Keep us posted on how it goes! 💪

As someone who's been helping families navigate CalWORKs for years, I want to emphasize what others have said - ALWAYS include your paystubs with the SAR 7, even when income hasn't changed. The state regulations are very clear that verification is required for the report month regardless of changes. I've seen too many families lose benefits because they assumed "no change" meant "no verification needed." Also, pro tip: if you submit by mail, send it certified with return receipt so you have proof DPSS received it. And if you're ever unsure about what to include, it's always better to over-document than under-document. The appeal process for discontinued benefits is lengthy and stressful - much easier to just include everything upfront!

I'm new to this community and CalWORKs, and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I just received my first SAR 7 form last week and was completely confused about what documentation I needed to include. Reading everyone's experiences - especially the stories about benefits getting discontinued for missing paystubs - has really opened my eyes to how strict these requirements are. I'll definitely be including all my paystubs from the report month, even though my income has been steady. It's reassuring to know there's such a supportive community here willing to share their knowledge and help newcomers like me avoid costly mistakes. Thank you all for taking the time to explain these requirements so clearly!

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm bookmarking it for future reference. @Kendrick Webb thanks for sharing the exact steps - I had no idea BenefitsCal had that feature either. It's crazy how many useful tools are buried in these systems that nobody tells us about. For anyone else dealing with tight deadlines like this, another tip is to screenshot or save a copy of your verification letter once you download it. I learned this the hard way when I needed to reprint mine a few months later and the website was down for maintenance. Having that backup saved me from having to scramble again. Also want to echo what @Dylan Baskin said about trying during off-peak hours. The difference in website performance is night and day! Early morning around 6-7am seems to work really well in my experience. Hope your kid enjoys the after-school program! 😊

Just wanted to jump in and share another option that worked for me recently! If you have the CalWIN mobile app installed on your phone, you can sometimes access benefit verification letters there too. I discovered this by accident when I was trying to check my benefit balance and saw a "Documents" section. The mobile app interface is actually easier to navigate than the full website in my opinion, and it seems to have fewer technical issues. Plus you can do it right from your phone without needing to find a computer. @Kendrick Webb so glad you got everything sorted out! Your step-by-step breakdown is going to help so many parents in the same situation. It's really frustrating how these helpful features aren't more obviously advertised - like why don't they mention this during orientation or send out reminders that online verification is available? Anyway, hope this adds one more tool to the toolbox for anyone else who might need it! 📱

This is such a great resource thread! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. It's frustrating that we can't just print these documents ourselves from BenefitsCal, but at least now I know about the emergency housing verification option and the Claimyr service. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and solutions - this community is so helpful for navigating all the bureaucratic hurdles we face with these benefit systems.

As someone who's been on CalWORKs for about 6 months now, I can't believe how backward this system is when it comes to basic document access. Like seriously, in 2025 we can order food, pay bills, and do banking all online instantly, but we can't print a simple income verification letter from our benefits portal? It's like they designed the system to make our lives harder on purpose. I'm really glad this thread exists though because I had no idea about the emergency housing verification option or that Claimyr service. Definitely going to remember these tips for when I inevitably need proof of income again. It's sad that we have to rely on third-party services and community knowledge just to access our own benefit information, but I'm grateful for everyone sharing these workarounds. The bureaucracy is exhausting enough without having to figure everything out from scratch every time.

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?