UPDATE: I finally got through! For anyone else with this problem - my worker said there was a system glitch during SAR7 processing that affected several diaper allowances. She fixed it and I'll get both February and March's diaper money with my April payment. She apologized for not answering my calls - apparently they're super understaffed right now.

So glad you got it resolved! This is exactly why I always tell people to keep calling even when it seems hopeless. The SAR7 system glitches are becoming way too common - I've heard this same story from at least 5 other parents in my area. It's frustrating that we have to chase them down for benefits we're legally entitled to, but at least you're getting the back pay. Thanks for updating us with the resolution!

One last tip - if your sister has trouble getting through to the CalWORKs office to ask questions about this (which is super common), I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually reach a real person. They call the office for you and wait on hold, then call you when someone answers. Saved me literally hours of frustration when I was dealing with my child support cooperation issues. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. Much better than being stuck on hold all day trying to get answers.

Just want to add one more reassuring point - I work with families applying for benefits and see this situation ALL the time. Counties process thousands of applications where parents genuinely don't have complete father information. Your sister's case is very normal and routine for them. The caseworkers have seen every possible scenario and won't be suspicious of her for lacking details about someone who was never involved. Focus on being completely honest about what she does know (his name, last city, approximate age if she knows it) and emphasize her willingness to cooperate with any locate efforts. The key is showing up to appointments and being transparent - that's all "cooperation" really means in these cases.

I've been on CalWORKs for about 8 months now and this exact thing happened to me twice. The first time I was absolutely panicking like you were, calling everyone and checking my account every few minutes. Turns out it was just a processing delay on the county's end - something about their payment system being updated. The second time I stayed calm and sure enough, it showed up around 9:30am. What I learned is that if your case shows active on BenefitsCal and you've submitted all your paperwork on time, it's almost always just a timing issue. The county processes thousands of payments and sometimes there are delays. I keep a small emergency fund now (even just $20-30 when possible) specifically for situations like this where bills might auto-draft before the payment hits. Glad yours came through! It's such a relief when you see that deposit finally appear.

Same for me in Santa Cruz county

just make sure you get EVERYTHING in writing!!! my worker told me verbal my GED program was approved then tried to sanction me 2 months later saying i never got official approval. had to file for a fair hearing and everything. such a headache.

I'm in a similar situation - no diploma and feeling really anxious about starting WTW. Reading everyone's experiences here is both encouraging and scary! It sounds like the key is being upfront about wanting education first and not letting them push you into just any job. I'm definitely going to ask about GED programs during my orientation. Has anyone had experience with specific counties that are particularly good or bad with the program? I'm in Riverside County if that helps.

Any update? Were you able to get through to someone at the county office? I'm curious what happened with your case.

So glad you got it sorted out! A system-wide data migration explains everything - that's exactly the kind of technical issue that would make cases temporarily disappear from BenefitsCal while still being active in the county system. Thanks for updating us with the resolution! This will definitely help other people who might run into the same scary situation. It's such a relief when what seems like a major crisis turns out to be just a technical glitch. Hope your deposit comes through on Tuesday as expected! 🙏