Thank you so much for posting this! I'm a new community member and currently going through my first CalWORKs application process. My application has been pending for about 2 weeks now and I was starting to panic thinking I did something wrong. After reading your experience and all these comments, I realize this is a widespread system issue, not something I messed up. I'm going to follow the advice here and mail physical copies of all my documents tomorrow, even though BenefitsCal shows everything as "received." It's really disappointing that families in need have to navigate around a broken system, but I'm so grateful this community exists to share real solutions. I'll definitely be taking screenshots of everything and keeping detailed records like everyone suggests. Fingers crossed my application moves forward soon!

As someone who just joined this community, I'm shocked to learn how widespread these BenefitsCal issues are! I submitted my CalWORKs application 2 weeks ago and everything showed as "received" online, so I thought I was all set. After reading everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going to mail physical copies of all my documents tomorrow with tracking. It's really frustrating that families who are already struggling have to work around a broken system, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing these real-world solutions. The tip about taking screenshots with timestamps is brilliant - I'm going to start doing that immediately. Thank you Alexander for sharing your story and everyone else for the practical advice! I'll update once I hear back on my application.

This thread is incredibly helpful! I'm about 4 months into CalWORKs and just realized I've been making the same mistake - trusting that "received" status on BenefitsCal means everything is being handled. I actually submitted some verification documents about 10 days ago and have just been waiting patiently, thinking they were processing them. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm calling tomorrow morning to check on the status. The tracking systems everyone has shared are amazing - taking screenshots, setting 5-day follow-up reminders, keeping notes of every conversation, and asking for ticket numbers. I'm going to implement all of these strategies going forward. It's honestly shocking that we need such elaborate systems just to ensure the county processes our paperwork, but clearly it's necessary. Lena, I'm so glad you got your CalFresh sorted out and that you'll receive the full month's benefits! Your experience (and everyone's advice) is going to save so many people from this same stressful situation. This community is truly invaluable for learning how the system actually works versus how it's supposed to work.

This whole thread has been such an eye-opener! I'm only about 3 weeks into my CalWORKs journey and I had completely bought into the idea that BenefitsCal was this amazing automated system that would handle everything seamlessly. Reading everyone's experiences makes it clear that it's basically just a glorified file upload tool that still requires all the same phone follow-ups as the old paper system. I submitted my initial verification documents through BenefitsCal about a week ago and have just been sitting here waiting for them to process everything, thinking no news was good news. After reading this thread, I'm definitely calling tomorrow to make sure they actually received everything and that it's being reviewed. The strategies everyone has shared are incredibly valuable - the screenshot documentation, 5-day follow-up rule, keeping conversation logs, and asking for ticket numbers. I'm going to start implementing all of these right away. It's frustrating that we need such detailed tracking systems just to ensure basic government services work correctly, but clearly it's essential for protecting ourselves. Lena, thank you so much for sharing your experience and the positive update! It's reassuring to know that once you actually got through to someone, they were able to resolve it quickly and give you the full benefits retroactively. This community is amazing for learning the real-world realities of navigating this system!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! As someone who recently went through a similar experience, I completely understand your confusion about the IRT rules. The explanation everyone gave about IRT being a "reporting schedule threshold" rather than a "benefit protection threshold" is spot on. I made the same assumption you did initially - that staying under the IRT meant my benefits would remain stable. It's really misleading how this gets communicated (or not communicated) during the application process. Since you're working IHSS, make sure when you request that hearing that you specifically ask about any special income disregards or exemptions that might apply to caregiving income. I've heard there can be additional protections for IHSS providers that don't always get applied correctly. Also, don't feel discouraged about working even though your cash aid decreased. You're gaining valuable work experience in healthcare/caregiving, which could lead to better opportunities down the road. Plus, you should still have your Medi-Cal coverage, and you might qualify for other working family benefits like childcare assistance or transportation help that weren't available when you weren't working. Hang in there - the transition period is always the hardest part, but you're taking the right steps by asking questions and advocating for yourself!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said - this is such a valuable discussion for anyone navigating CalWORKs while working! The distinction between CalFresh and CalWORKs rules around the IRT is something I wish was explained better upfront. @Emily Parker, I'd encourage you to definitely request that hearing. Even if the calculation ends up being correct, you'll get a detailed explanation of how they processed your IHSS income and what disregards were applied. I've seen several people in this thread mention finding calculation errors that led to backpay, so it's worth checking. One thing I'd add is to make sure you understand all the work-related benefits you might now qualify for. Since you're working IHSS, you should maintain your Medi-Cal coverage, and depending on your situation, you might be eligible for CalWORKs childcare, transportation assistance, or other supportive services that can actually be worth more than the cash aid reduction. Sometimes the county workers don't automatically tell you about these additional benefits when your situation changes. The IHSS work experience is also really valuable - it's specialized healthcare work that looks great on applications for other caregiving positions, CNAs programs, or healthcare jobs that typically pay much better than minimum wage. You're building toward something even if it doesn't feel like it right now. Good luck with the hearing process, and thanks for starting this discussion - I'm sure it's helping a lot of people understand these confusing rules better!

What an incredible thread to read through! As someone who's been on CalFresh for about 8 months now, I wish I had found this community earlier. Mei, your story perfectly captures that heart-stopping moment when you realize you might have made a mistake on something so important. I had a similar panic moment a few months ago when I wasn't sure if I had reported my work-study income correctly (turns out I had, but the anxiety was real!). Reading about your methodical approach - trying multiple contact methods, documenting everything, and being completely honest with the worker - is exactly the roadmap I would have wanted during my own stress spiral. The outcome you achieved really demonstrates what several people mentioned about good faith efforts making all the difference. A $42 monthly reduction for voluntarily reporting $160 in additional monthly income is honestly better than I would have expected, and it shows the system can work fairly when you approach it with transparency. Thanks for sharing both the scary parts and the resolution - knowing that honest mistakes can be corrected without devastating consequences takes away so much of the fear around these applications. This thread is going to be incredibly helpful for anyone facing similar situations!

This has been such an incredibly valuable thread to read through! As someone who just submitted my CalFresh application last week, I was already feeling anxious about whether I filled everything out correctly. Seeing Mei's story unfold from the initial panic to the successful resolution has been so reassuring and educational. What really strikes me is how this demonstrates that the county workers are human beings who understand that these applications are complex and mistakes happen. The fact that your voluntary reporting and documented good faith efforts resulted in just a reasonable benefit adjustment rather than penalties or fraud accusations shows the system can work fairly when you approach it honestly. The practical advice throughout this thread has been incredible - from documenting all contact attempts to using call services to get through busy phone lines, to the importance of being upfront about honest mistakes. I'm definitely bookmarking all of these tips for reference. Thank you, Mei, for being willing to share both your initial fear and the positive outcome. And thanks to everyone else who contributed their experiences and professional insights. This is exactly the kind of community support that makes navigating these complex systems feel manageable rather than overwhelming. Stories like this give me so much more confidence in handling my own CalFresh journey!

Emma, I'm so glad to see your update and that everything worked out! As a newcomer to this community, I've been following your journey and it really shows how important it is to be persistent with this system. The fact that your approval was sitting there for a week while you were stressing about utilities and your kids' needs is just infuriating - these communication breakdowns shouldn't happen when families are already struggling. Your decision to go in person despite the challenges with transportation and waiting 2.5 hours with kids was exactly the right call. It's unfortunate that we have to go to such lengths just to get answers, but your experience proves that sometimes face-to-face contact is the only way to get results when phone lines don't work. This entire thread has been incredibly valuable for someone like me who's new to navigating CalWORKs. Learning about the 45-day processing timeline, emergency assistance options, and the importance of documenting everything will definitely help me if I ever need to go through this process. It's sad that we need to become experts in bureaucracy just to access basic support, but having communities like this where people share real experiences makes such a difference. Thank you for taking the time to update us with your success - it gives hope to everyone who might be going through similar waiting periods. I hope your EBT card arrives quickly and things get much easier for you and your family from here!

Emma, I'm so relieved to see your positive update! As someone completely new to this community and the CalWORKs system, following your journey has been both stressful and incredibly educational. It's absolutely infuriating that your approval was processed a week ago but you had no idea due to a mail issue - I can't imagine the unnecessary stress and worry you went through while concerned about utilities and your children's needs. Your persistence in going to the office despite the transportation challenges and having to wait 2.5 hours with kids really demonstrates the kind of advocacy we sometimes have to do for our families. It's unfortunate that the phone system failed you completely, but your face-to-face approach got immediate results. This entire thread has been like a masterclass for newcomers like me - learning about the 45-day processing timeline, emergency assistance options, documentation importance, and how in-person visits can be more effective than endless phone calls. It's disheartening that accessing basic support requires becoming an expert in bureaucratic navigation, but communities like this where people share real experiences and genuinely support each other make such a difference. Thank you for taking the time to update everyone with your success story - it gives so much hope to those of us who are just starting to understand this system. I hope your EBT card arrives quickly and everything gets much easier for your family from here! This community's support has been amazing to witness.