Reading through this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm a single mom with twin 6-year-olds and I've been on CalWORKs for about 8 months now after my ex stopped paying child support. I just got offered a part-time position at a local credit union - 28 hours a week at $18.50/hour, which would be about $2,146 monthly gross. I was honestly terrified to even consider it because I thought I'd lose everything immediately, but seeing everyone's real experiences and the detailed breakdown of the income disregard has completely changed my perspective. The fact that @Vincent confirmed everything as accurate from a case worker's view is especially reassuring. My biggest concern is childcare for twins - that's double the cost! But hearing about the Stage 1 Child Care program and that it's completely covered while working gives me so much hope. Does anyone know if there are any special considerations for twins or multiple children when it comes to childcare assistance? I'm definitely going to call my worker this week and ask for that budget projection everyone mentioned. This community is amazing - thank you all for sharing your journeys and making this transition feel less scary!

This thread has been so helpful! I'm a single dad with a 3-year-old daughter, currently receiving CalWORKs benefits, and I've been offered a position at a warehouse that would be $15.75/hour for about 32 hours a week (roughly $2,016 monthly gross). Reading everyone's experiences has given me the confidence to seriously consider this job. I was especially relieved to learn about the income disregard calculation - I had no idea they don't count all your earnings against your benefits! And knowing that childcare assistance is available is huge since my daughter would need daycare while I'm working. One question I have is about the timing of everything - how quickly do the benefit changes take effect after you report your new job? I want to make sure I understand the timeline so I can budget properly during the transition period. Also, does anyone have experience with warehouse work specifically while on CalWORKs? I'm wondering if the physical demands or potential overtime opportunities create any special considerations I should be aware of when reporting to my worker. Thank you all for sharing your stories - it's made such a difference knowing that taking this job could actually improve our financial situation rather than hurt it!

I've been dealing with BenefitsCal issues for months now and this thread is so validating - at least I know it's not just me! I wanted to add one more tip that helped me: if you're having trouble uploading documents, try reducing the file size of your photos/scans. Sometimes the site times out with larger files. You can use your phone's photo editing to compress images or there are free apps that do it. Also, for anyone who gets their benefits discontinued due to these tech issues, don't give up! You can request a state hearing to get your benefits restored. I had to do this last year when my cash aid got cut off because BenefitsCal "lost" my SAR7 form (even though I had screenshots proving I submitted it). The hearing officer ruled in my favor and I got back pay for the month I missed. It's frustrating that we have to jump through so many hoops just to access the benefits we're entitled to, but knowing your rights and keeping documentation really does help protect you when the system fails.

This whole thread is incredibly helpful! I'm a newer CalWORKs recipient and had no idea about so many of these workarounds and rights. The BenefitsCal system has been such a source of stress for me - I thought I was doing something wrong when it kept glitching out. Reading about the state hearing process and "good cause" extensions is really eye-opening. I wish this information was easier to find when you first get on CalWORKs. It feels like they expect you to just magically know all these backup plans and legal protections. I'm definitely going to start documenting everything with screenshots and keeping both digital and physical copies of all my documents. Better to be overprepared than lose benefits over technical issues that aren't even my fault. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is such a lifeline when dealing with these complicated systems!

Hey everyone! I'm fairly new here but wanted to jump in because this conversation is so important. As someone who works with families navigating benefits, I see this confusion about CalWORKs income limits ALL the time. @Yara Khoury - you're definitely not alone in this! The $6k vs $3k confusion happens because different programs have wildly different income limits. It's honestly ridiculous how complicated they make it. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if your income varies month to month (like with freelance work), make sure your worker is calculating your eligibility correctly. They should be looking at your actual monthly income, not projecting based on one high-earning month. Also, if you just started earning more, there might be a grace period or transition benefits available. The system really does set families up to fail with these benefit cliffs. You shouldn't have to choose between earning enough to survive and keeping assistance that helps your family. Have you looked into any local emergency assistance programs while you figure this out? Many counties have short-term help for families transitioning off CalWORKs.

I'm new to this community but going through something very similar right now! I have 5 kids and just got my CalWORKs discontinued last month after my work hours increased. Like you, I was so confused about the income limits - my caseworker had told me different numbers at different times and I couldn't figure out what was accurate. What really helped me was going to my local legal aid office. They have advocates who specialize in benefits and they helped me understand that CalWORKs uses something called "prospective budgeting" - meaning they estimate your future income based on recent earnings. If you have irregular income, they're supposed to average it over a reasonable period, not just use your highest month. The legal aid advocate also helped me file an appeal and request a "continuing benefits pending" hearing, which means you can keep getting benefits while the appeal is being decided. You might still have time to do this if it hasn't been too long since your benefits stopped. I know how overwhelming this all is, especially when you're trying to take care of 7 people. The income limits really are impossibly low for California's cost of living. Hang in there and definitely try to get some advocacy help if you can - it made all the difference for me!

Just wanted to add something that helped me when I went through this with my nephew - keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit. The county has a habit of "losing" paperwork, and having your own copies saved me from having to restart the process multiple times. Also, when you get that school letter, ask them to include the date she enrolled at your address. That creates a clear timeline showing when she moved in with you. Some schools will also note in the letter that she's been attending regularly, which shows stability. One more tip - if your worker seems confused about the caretaker relative rules or gives you wrong information, don't be afraid to ask to speak with a supervisor. Not all workers are familiar with these situations, but supervisors usually know the policy better. You have every right to include your sister on your case as long as she's living with you full-time.

I work with families in similar situations and wanted to share some additional resources that might help. The California Department of Social Services has a specific handbook section (MPP 82-823) that covers adding household members who are caretaker relatives - you can reference this if your worker seems uncertain about the process. One thing I'd recommend is asking your sister if she has her birth certificate or any medical records that show your family relationship. While not always required, having documentation that proves you're siblings can make the process smoother. Also, don't worry too much about your mom's current benefit status. When you add your sister to your case, the county's computer system will automatically check for duplicate enrollment across cases. If there's an overlap, they'll work with you to resolve it - it's not something that will get you in trouble. The most important thing is that you're providing a stable home for your sister during a difficult family time. The CalWORKs program is designed to support exactly these kinds of situations. Make sure to emphasize on your SAR7 that this is a long-term living arrangement, not just temporary babysitting.

I just went through this exact same situation last month! What saved me was setting up text alerts through my bank app - I got notified the moment my deposit hit at like 2am on my payment day. Also, if you're really stressed about making rent on time, some landlords will accept a screenshot of your pending deposit as proof that payment is coming. Mine did when I explained the CalWORKs timing situation. And definitely look into that hardship exception Oliver mentioned - I had no idea that was even possible! The whole system would be so much easier if they just gave us exact dates upfront instead of making us guess.

I completely understand the stress of not knowing exact payment dates - I've been there too! One thing that really helped me was calling the EBT customer service line (1-877-328-9677) instead of trying to reach my caseworker directly. They can actually tell you the specific date your payment will be deposited based on your case number and any holidays that month. The wait times are usually shorter than calling your local office, and they have access to the payment calendar. Also, I started keeping a little notebook where I write down the actual date my payment hits each month - after a few months you start to see the pattern more clearly. For this month specifically, if your case number ends in 5 and there are no system delays, you should get it on the second working day. Hope this helps reduce some of that rent anxiety!