Can't reach CalWorks? Claimyr connects you to a live DSS agent in minutes.
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the DSS
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the DSS drops your call
If I could give 10 stars I would
If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
Really made a difference
Really made a difference, save me time and energy from going to a local office for making the call.
Worth not wasting your time calling for hours.
Was a bit nervous or untrusting at first, but my calls went thru. First time the wait was a bit long but their customer chat line on their page was helpful and put me at ease that I would receive my call. Today my call dropped because of EDD and Claimyr heard my concern on the same chat and another call was made within the hour.
An incredibly helpful service
An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
Consistent,frustration free, quality Service.
Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
IT WORKS!! Not a scam!
I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Join the conversation
Join the conversation
Since you're pregnant, make sure you're also on WIC if you're not already. It won't replace Cash Aid, but it provides nutritional support during pregnancy and after baby arrives. Also look into the Pregnancy Special Needs payment through CalWORKs which gives you a small additional amount each month while pregnant. After reporting your change in living situation, if your benefits are reduced significantly, ask your worker about what will happen after the baby arrives. Once the baby is born, you'll need to provide verification (birth certificate, hospital documents) to add the child to your case within 10 days. At that point, the situation changes again because you and your boyfriend will share a child, which affects how they consider your household composition.
Yes I'm on WIC already! It's been really helpful. I'll definitely ask about what happens after baby comes too. So much to keep track of with all these different programs and rules.
Congratulations on your pregnancy! I went through something similar when I was expecting my second child. Here's what I learned from my experience: You definitely need to report the address change within 10 days - that's a firm requirement regardless of how it affects your benefits. When you call, be very specific about your living arrangement. Tell them: - You're pregnant with your boyfriend's child (due July) - Who's on the lease - Exactly how much each of you pays toward rent/utilities - That you're not married Since you're pregnant with his child, they may treat this differently than if you were just roommates. Ask specifically about: 1. The Pregnancy Special Needs payment ($47/month) 2. How they'll calculate any "in-kind income" from shared housing costs 3. What happens to your case after the baby is born One tip: if possible, try to contribute something toward the rent from your Cash Aid (even if it's just $50-100) and document it. This shows you're using your benefits for housing costs, which can sometimes work in your favor during their calculations. The rules change again once baby arrives since you'll share a child together, so ask them to explain both scenarios. Getting everything in writing helps too - workers sometimes give different info and having documentation protects you. Good luck mama! The system is confusing but being proactive and honest is always the best approach.
This is such thorough advice, thank you! The tip about contributing something to rent from my Cash Aid is really smart - I hadn't thought about that. I'm definitely going to ask for everything in writing too since everyone seems to get different answers from different workers. It's reassuring to hear from someone who went through this successfully. Did you find that having documentation of what you paid toward expenses made a big difference in how they calculated your benefits?
Join the conversation
I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My CalWORKs cash aid shows up when I check my balance, but every ATM I try gives me a "transaction declined" message. It's so stressful when you need the money for bills and can't access it. Reading through all these responses has been really helpful though - I had no idea about the cash back option at stores. I'm going to try that tomorrow at my local grocery store. Also going to look into that Claimyr service to try to reach my caseworker faster. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this and that there are workarounds while we get it sorted out with the county!
I totally understand how stressful this is! I went through the same thing last year and it turned out to be a system glitch on their end that took about 3 days to resolve. The cash back method at stores really is a lifesaver - I've used it so many times since then. Just a heads up, some stores like CVS and Walgreens also do cash back with EBT purchases, so you have lots of options. Also, when you do get through to your caseworker (whether through Claimyr or regular calling), ask them to make a note in your file about this issue. Sometimes it helps prevent it from happening again. Hang in there - this community is amazing for support and practical solutions!
Hey is anyone still having trouble withdrawing cash from the ATMs or is it just me only?
I'm still having issues too! It's been going on for about a week now. The cash back method at stores is working though - that's how I've been getting my money. Try that while you're waiting to get through to your caseworker. Walmart, Target, and most grocery stores will let you do cash back when you buy something with your EBT card. Hope this helps!
Join the conversation
So glad to hear everyone's payments came through! This is exactly why I love this community - we all help each other through these stressful situations. For anyone who might face this in the future, it's worth noting that EBT system delays are more common during the first few days of the month when most benefits are distributed. I always try to keep a small emergency buffer when possible, but I know that's not always realistic for everyone. The EBT customer service number that Fatima shared is definitely worth saving in your contacts!
I'm new to CalWORKs and this community, but reading through everyone's experiences here is so reassuring! I had no idea that EBT delays were somewhat common at the beginning of the month. As someone who just started receiving benefits, I would have been completely panicking if this happened to me. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and supporting each other - it really shows how helpful this community can be for navigating the system!
Join the conversation
I'm dealing with this same frustrating situation right now! Added my daughter to my CalWORKs case about 10 days ago after she moved in with me permanently, and BenefitsCal still shows the old household composition. My caseworker assured me everything was processed on their end, but seeing no changes on the portal was really stressing me out. Reading all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea that the eligibility system (CalSAWS) and BenefitsCal portal were separate systems that sync on different schedules! That explains why so many of us have experienced this same delay. I was starting to think there was an error with my case. I'm going to follow the advice here and call the EBT customer service line before my next payment date to verify the correct amount will be deposited. Also keeping an eye out for that Notice of Action in the mail since that seems to be the most reliable confirmation. It's such a relief to know this 1-2 week delay is completely normal and doesn't mean anything went wrong with the case processing!
I'm so glad this thread exists! I just went through the exact same thing when I added my stepdaughter to our case about a month ago. The waiting and uncertainty is really stressful, especially when you're trying to budget and plan for expenses like school supplies. The separation between CalSAWS and BenefitsCal really should be explained better to families - it would save so much worry! Calling the EBT customer service line beforehand is definitely the way to go. In my case, they were able to confirm the updated amount would be deposited even though BenefitsCal still showed old info. Your NOA should arrive soon and that will give you the peace of mind you need. Hang in there!
I went through this exact same situation when I added my younger brother to my case about 8 months ago! The BenefitsCal portal took almost 3 weeks to update, which had me really worried at first. But just like everyone else is saying, my payment came through with the correct increased amount even while the website still showed the old household info. What really helped me was setting a reminder to check my EBT balance on my usual payment day instead of constantly refreshing BenefitsCal. The money was there with the right amount for my brother included. I also kept my Notice of Action when it finally arrived - it's great to have that official documentation showing the household change was properly processed. The disconnect between the county's internal system and what we see online is definitely confusing and stressful when you're depending on those benefits for essentials like school supplies. But you did everything right by reporting the change immediately when your daughter moved in. The system is just slow to sync up the display side of things!
Natasha Romanova
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! 💪
0 coins
Natasha Kuznetsova
•Thank you Natasha! Your comment really helped calm my nerves. I love that you mentioned sending something today just to acknowledge I got the notice - that's such a smart move that I hadn't thought of. I'm definitely going to do that right after I finish reading all these responses. It's amazing how supportive this community is! I was feeling so alone and panicked when I posted this, but now I have an actual plan of action. Going to emphasize that 2022 vs late 2023 timeline in everything I send them. Really appreciate you and everyone else taking the time to help a stressed-out newcomer! 🙏
0 coins
Dylan Mitchell
Welcome to the community! I know dealing with IEVS reports feels overwhelming, but you've gotten some really excellent advice here. I just wanted to add one more resource that might help - if you're having trouble accessing your 2022 tax documents online, you can also request a "wage and income transcript" directly from the IRS by calling 1-800-908-9946. It's free and shows all the income that was reported to them for that tax year, including from that warehouse job. Also, don't be too hard on yourself for not keeping those old pay stubs - most people don't expect to need employment records from 2+ years ago! The system really should give clearer guidance about document retention, especially for people who move frequently or have unstable housing situations. Since this was clearly before you even applied for CalWORKs, you're dealing with what's basically a paperwork mismatch rather than any kind of fraud issue. The county just needs to verify that the income their computers flagged was legitimate and properly reported on your taxes. Once you can show them that timeline and provide any supporting docs (W-2, tax return, bank statements, etc.), this should get resolved pretty quickly. Hang in there - this community has your back! 💙
0 coins
Megan D'Acosta
•Thank you so much Dylan! That IRS transcript tip is incredibly helpful - I had no idea you could get that kind of documentation directly from them. I'm going to call that number tomorrow if I can't get through to my old employer. You're absolutely right that most people don't expect to need employment records from that far back, especially when you're moving around. It really should be clearer what to keep and for how long! I'm feeling so much more confident now knowing this is just a paperwork issue and not something that could really hurt me since the timeline is so clear. This community is amazing - I was honestly scared to even post about this but everyone has been so helpful and understanding. Thank you again! 🙏
0 coins