One more thing I forgot to mention - make sure you're clear with the county that you need both the identity theft resolved AND immediate aid. These are two separate issues, and sometimes workers conflate them. The fraud investigation can proceed on its own timeline, but they can't deny you emergency benefits if you qualify right now based on your current situation. Request what's called a "presumptive eligibility determination" - this is when they approve you for benefits based on the assumption that you'll be determined eligible once the investigation concludes. If you have kids and no income, you should qualify. They'll likely issue one month of aid while continuing to investigate. Did you apply for regular Unemployment Insurance too? That won't affect your CalWORKs eligibility, and you should be able to receive both since you were working before losing your job.

I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare! Identity theft with benefits is unfortunately becoming more common. A few additional things that might help: 1. Contact your local Legal Aid office - they often have attorneys who specialize in benefits cases and can advocate for you for free. They know exactly which forms to file and how to pressure the county to act faster. 2. If you're in immediate crisis, look into your county's General Relief program. It's separate from CalWORKs and can provide emergency cash assistance while you're waiting for this to resolve. 3. Document EVERYTHING in writing. After every phone call, send a follow-up email to your caseworker summarizing what was discussed and any promises made. This creates a paper trail that's crucial if you need to escalate. 4. Contact your county Board of Supervisors office - they often have constituent services that can help cut through red tape when residents are getting the runaround from county departments. Stay strong and don't give up! The system is designed to be frustrating, but you have rights and there are people who can help you navigate this. Your kids need you to keep fighting for what you're entitled to.

Once you submit your SAR-7 and paystubs online, I'd recommend taking a screenshot or printing the confirmation page. In my experience working with benefit programs, having proof of submission can be crucial if there's any dispute later about whether you submitted on time. Also, don't forget to include information about any changes in your household composition, housing costs, or other income sources - not just your new job. The SAR-7 requires reporting all changes that occurred during the report month.

Hassan, definitely get that moving expense and rent change reported along with your Target paystubs! Since you moved to a cheaper place, that could actually help your case since lower housing costs might mean you qualify for more benefits. When you're filling out the SAR-7 online, there should be a section for housing expenses where you can update your new rent amount. Also, if you have any receipts from your move (truck rental, deposits, etc.) keep those handy in case they ask for verification. The combination of new job income + lower rent might actually work out better for your benefit amount than you think!

Great to hear you got it sorted out! Just a heads up - make sure to keep copies of all your court documents and maybe take a photo of your plane tickets/hotel receipts too. Some workers are more thorough than others when you get back, so having everything documented makes the whole process smoother. Hope your court case goes well!

Just wanted to add - if you're using cash aid for hotel expenses, try to stay somewhere that accepts EBT for payment or has an ATM nearby. Some smaller hotels in rural areas might not have easy ATM access. Also, I'd recommend withdrawing some cash before you leave California just in case you run into any issues with your card while you're in Georgia. Better safe than sorry, especially when you're dealing with court stress on top of everything else.

Update: I tried that Claimyr service and IT WORKED!!! Got through to a person in 20 minutes after trying for a week on my own. Turns out they needed verification of my new job's pay stubs because the format looks different from my old ones. They're giving me 10 days to submit them and said my benefits won't stop if I get them in. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for the help!

I'm so glad you got through and figured it out! This whole thread is such a perfect example of how broken the communication system is. Like seriously, how hard would it be for them to just include a checklist in the notice that says "Missing: new paystub format verification" instead of just "incomplete"?? For anyone else reading this - definitely save Claimyr and that assembly member tip for future reference. And @Javier Torres thanks for explaining the 30-day restoration rule - I had no idea that existed and it could save people so much stress and reapplication hassle! It's crazy that we have to crowdsource this basic information because the actual system is so hard to navigate. But at least we're all helping each other out! 💪

I'm so sorry you went through all that stress and confusion! As someone who's been navigating CalWORKs for a while, I can tell you that your original worker was definitely giving you incorrect information. It's unfortunately pretty common for workers to misunderstand policies, especially around housing situations. Just wanted to add a couple things that might help others in similar situations: 1. If you're staying somewhere for free, the county might assess it as "in-kind income" but they have to use fair market value calculations - they can't just make you pick a random rent amount. And even if they do count some in-kind income, it usually only reduces your grant slightly, not eliminates it entirely. 2. For documentation, keep records of all your conversations with workers - dates, times, what was said. This really helps when you need to escalate or clarify conflicting information later. 3. The CalWORKs All County Letter (ACL) system has all the official policy guidance. You can actually look these up online if you want to verify what workers are telling you. It sounds like you did everything right by pushing back and asking for a supervisor. That takes courage, especially when you're dealing with pregnancy stress on top of everything else. Hope your case gets resolved smoothly from here!

I'm so glad you were able to get this resolved by speaking with a supervisor! Your story is a perfect example of why it's so important to question things when workers give you information that doesn't sound right. As someone who's helped family members navigate CalWORKs, I can confirm that your original worker was completely wrong on multiple points. You should never be told to make up a rent amount you're not actually paying - that's literally asking you to commit fraud! And the idea that free housing automatically disqualifies you from CalWORKs is just not true. For anyone else reading this who might face similar issues: document everything, don't be afraid to ask for supervisors, and remember that you have the right to understand exactly which policies apply to your situation. Workers sometimes get overwhelmed or confused about complex rules, but that doesn't mean you have to accept incorrect information that could harm your benefits. The address situation you mentioned is also really common - definitely get that other person to update their information ASAP to avoid fraud investigations for everyone involved. Thanks for sharing your experience and the resolution! Stories like this help other community members know what to expect and how to advocate for themselves.