I've been following this thread and wanted to share something that might help - I had a very similar situation happen to me about 3 months ago. My benefits suddenly showed $0 for the month but I was still active, and like you, I had no changes in income or household size. What ended up happening was that during a routine system update, my case got flagged for "manual review" even though nothing actually needed to be reviewed. The system automatically held my payment while this fake review was pending, but nobody bothered to tell me about it! I finally got through using that Claimyr service someone mentioned above (it really does work - got me through in about 15 minutes after I'd been trying for days). The worker was able to see immediately that my case had been flagged in error and released the hold right away. My payment was on my EBT card the next business day. The frustrating part is that this could have been avoided if they had just sent me a simple notice saying "your case is under routine review, payment may be delayed." But apparently they don't always do that for administrative holds. Keep trying to get through - this really sounds like a system error that will be easily fixed once you reach the right person!

I'm really sorry you're going through this stress! This sounds so similar to what happened to me about 8 months ago. I was showing as active but had $0 benefits for the month with absolutely no explanation or notice. I was terrified because I had no idea what was going on. After reading through all these responses, it really does seem like system errors and administrative holds are more common than we realize. In my case, it turned out my caseworker had left a note in my file about needing to "verify something" but never actually contacted me about it. The system automatically held my payment until this mysterious verification was completed. What finally worked for me was going to the office first thing in the morning and asking to speak with a supervisor instead of just any available worker. The supervisor was able to look at my case history and see that the hold was unnecessary - they cleared it immediately and I had my benefits within 24 hours. I know it's scary when you have bills due, but based on everything you've described, this really sounds like an administrative error rather than an actual problem with your case. The fact that you're still showing as active is definitely a good sign! Keep us posted on what you find out - these threads help so many people who face the same confusing situations.

Great news! This is very typical - the system updates overnight and payments process early morning on the scheduled date. Glad everything worked out!

So glad to hear your payment came through on time! This is exactly why I always tell people not to panic if the pending deposit doesn't show up right away. The EBT system is notorious for not displaying pending amounts until literally hours before they hit your account. I've been on CalWORKs for 3 years now and have learned that as long as your case status shows "active" after submitting your SAR, you're almost always good to go. The anxiety is real though - I totally get how stressful it is when rent is due and you're waiting on that deposit!

This is such a helpful thread! I just want to add that if you're having trouble reaching your eligibility worker by phone, you can also try sending them a secure message through your county's online portal if they have one. Some counties have gotten better about responding to those within 24-48 hours. Also, when you do get through to your worker, ask them to explain what verification documents you need to submit on a regular basis and when they're due. I started keeping a calendar reminder for all my CalWORKs deadlines after going through this same cash aid hold situation twice! It's so much less stressful when you know what's coming up and can stay ahead of the deadlines. The fact that your CalFresh still works is actually a good sign - it means your case isn't closed, just temporarily held for that specific verification. Once you get that school attendance form processed, everything should go back to normal!

I'm dealing with something similar right now! My EBT card works perfectly for CalFresh but I haven't been able to access my Cash Aid for almost a week. Reading through all these responses is making me realize I probably have a verification hold too. I think I remember getting a letter about needing to submit some kind of income verification, but honestly I get so many letters from the county that I sometimes lose track of what needs to be turned in when. Does anyone know if they give you a specific deadline on those verification requests, or is it just "submit as soon as possible"? Also, I'm curious - if your Cash Aid gets put on hold like this, do you still accrue the benefits for those days, or do you lose that money completely? Like if it takes a week to get the hold removed, will I get that week's worth of benefits or is it just gone? Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it's really helpful to know this is a common issue and not something more serious with my case!

UPDATE: I finally got through to my worker! Went to the police station this morning and filed a report, then called CalWORKs about 20 times until I finally got through. My worker sent me the CW 2215 form and I filled it out right away. She said they have to investigate but should replace the benefits within 10 business days. I'm still stressed about making rent, but she referred me to an emergency assistance program that might help with that. Thanks everyone for your advice - will update again when I hear about my replacement benefits!

I'm so glad you were able to get through to your worker and file all the paperwork! That's the hardest part. For future reference (and for anyone else reading this), here are some tips to protect your EBT card from skimming: - Cover your PIN when entering it at ATMs - Use ATMs inside banks or stores rather than standalone ones when possible - Check your balance regularly through the app or by calling the number - If an ATM seems suspicious or your card gets "stuck," don't use it The skimming devices are getting more sophisticated, so this can happen to anyone. You did everything right by acting quickly once you noticed. Hoping your replacement benefits come through soon and you can get that emergency rent assistance sorted out!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! The confusing part is that CalWORKs and CalFresh are processed by different departments even though they use the same SAR-7 form. What probably happened is CalFresh processed your missed report first and cut you off, but CalWORKs hasn't gotten to it yet in their system. The February payment you got might actually be legitimate if it was issued before they processed the discontinuance, but you're definitely at risk of them demanding it back as an overpayment. I'd recommend calling your worker and being upfront about the situation - explain that you thought the SAR-7 only affected CalFresh and that's why you didn't realize the urgency. Most workers appreciate honesty and might work with you on avoiding penalties. Also, keep detailed records of when you submit everything and any conversations you have with county staff. If they do try to collect an overpayment later, having documentation of your good faith efforts to fix the mistake can really help your case. Don't panic, but definitely don't delay getting that form submitted!

I'm so glad to see this community helping each other out! As someone who's been receiving CalWORKs for over 2 years, I can tell you that missing SAR-7s is unfortunately pretty common and the system definitely doesn't make it easy to understand. What happened to you is exactly what I've seen happen to friends - CalFresh gets cut immediately but CalWORKs sometimes takes longer to process the discontinuance. The good news is that you acted quickly once you realized what was happening! I've learned to set phone reminders for the 1st of every report month so I never forget again. One tip that's helped me: if you're ever unsure about reporting requirements, you can usually find your current SAR-7 due date printed on your most recent CalWORKs payment stub. It sounds like you're doing everything right by submitting the form with an explanation. Even if there are some hiccups getting everything restored, you're way better off than if you had just ignored it completely. Keep us posted on how it goes - your experience will definitely help other people in similar situations!