Hey Bruno, congrats on your new baby! 🎊 This is definitely a processing error - your CalWORKs cash aid should have increased automatically just like your CalFresh did. I had the exact same thing happen when my son was born last year. What likely happened is your worker updated one system but missed the other. It's frustratingly common! Here's what worked for me: call RIGHT at 8am when they open (much better chance of getting through), and if that fails, go to the office in person with your birth certificate and EBT statements showing the CalFresh increase as proof. When you get someone, ask them to verify your CalWORKs household size includes your baby and request they recalculate your grant amount immediately. Also make sure they add the $30/month diaper allowance - it should be automatic but nothing seems to be with these county offices! The silver lining is you should get retroactive payments once it's fixed. In my case, it was almost $250 in backpay that showed up within a week of them correcting the mistake. Don't give up mama - you and your little one deserve every benefit you're entitled to! Keep us posted on how it goes! 💪

Congratulations on your new baby! 🍼 This is definitely not normal and sounds like a processing error. Your CalWORKs cash aid should have automatically increased when you added your newborn, just like your CalFresh did. I'm a caseworker and see this happen unfortunately often - usually what occurs is the worker updates one system but forgets to process the household size change for the other program. Sometimes different staff handle CalFresh vs CalWORKs updates and things fall through the cracks. Here's what you should do: Call first thing at 8am when the office opens for your best chance of getting through. If you can't reach anyone by phone, go to the office in person with your birth certificate and your EBT card/statements showing the CalFresh increase as proof that they partially processed your case. When you speak with someone, specifically ask them to: 1. Verify your CalWORKs household size includes your newborn 2. Recalculate your grant amount based on the correct household size 3. Apply the $30/month diaper allowance (should be automatic for kids under 3) 4. Process any retroactive payments you're owed Don't let them brush you off - this should have been automatic and you deserve the full benefits you're eligible for. The retroactive payments should cover any months they missed since you reported the birth. Keep pushing until it's fixed!

This is a really good thread with lots of helpful info! I'm new to CalWORKs and had no idea about the "excluded member" rule before reading this. It actually makes sense when you think about it - they're trying to help as many family members as possible rather than denying the whole family. One thing I wanted to add is that you should also make sure your worker is using the most current income limits. The limits did increase at the beginning of 2025, so if your case was processed using old limits, you might want to ask for a redetermination. Also, if your income changes (like if you get a raise or your hours get cut), make sure to report it because it could affect whether you're excluded or not. It sounds like you're asking all the right questions though - definitely get that income calculation worksheet and double-check their math!

I'm new to this community but this discussion has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently going through the CalWORKs application process and was totally confused when my caseworker mentioned something about "assistance units" and excluding family members. Reading everyone's experiences here makes so much more sense than the brief explanation I got at the office. I wanted to ask - for those who have been through this excluded member situation, how long did it take for your benefits to actually start once they figured out the correct calculation? My worker said it could take a few weeks but I'm hoping it's faster than that since we really need the help. Also, does anyone know if being excluded from CalWORKs affects eligibility for emergency assistance programs? We might need help with utilities while we're waiting for the regular benefits to kick in. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories and advice - this community is amazing for getting real information that actually makes sense!

One more tip - when you reapply, you can actually request a reasonable accommodation based on your disability. This means they can give you extra time to submit documents, help you fill out forms, or even do a phone interview instead of requiring you to come in person if your back injury makes it difficult to travel. Just be sure to mention your need for accommodation when you apply.

I just went through this exact situation 6 months ago! Definitely reapply - don't waste time with an appeal. Since your income changed due to becoming disabled, that's a completely new circumstance and appeals won't help you here. When you reapply, make sure to bring your SDI award letter as proof of your new income level. Also ask about expedited processing since you have a young child and are dealing with a disability. In my county they processed my reapplication in about 10 days once I had all the right paperwork. Pro tip: Since you're now on disability, you'll likely qualify for the disability exemption from work requirements, which means you won't have to do job search or training activities while you're recovering. This is a huge relief when you're already dealing with health issues! Good luck - you've got this! Your situation is exactly what these programs are designed to help with.

Good news! Just got both my February and March transportation payments today on my EBT card! Check yours if you haven't already - looks like they're fixing the issue now.

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm also missing my February transportation payment and was starting to panic. I'm in Orange County and my WTW worker finally called me back today after I left multiple messages. She confirmed it's the same system issue affecting multiple counties. She said they're processing the back payments in waves and mine should show up by Friday. In the meantime, she told me to keep all my receipts for any transportation costs I had to pay out of pocket - gas, bus passes, etc. - and they can potentially reimburse those too. It's frustrating but at least now I know it's not just me and there's an actual fix coming. Hang in there everyone!

As someone who's dealt with this exact situation multiple times, I can confirm everything others have shared here. The fraud protection system is actually pretty sensitive - I've had my card blocked just for using it at a different grocery store chain than usual, even within California! One thing I'd add is that when you call EBT customer service, be prepared with your full SSN, card number, and be able to verify some recent transactions. They ask a lot of security questions before they'll remove the block. Also, if you're planning to be out of state for more than a few days, ask them how long the "travel authorization" lasts - sometimes it's only good for 30 days and you might need to call again for longer trips. The whole system definitely needs better upfront communication, but at least the protection has gotten better since the skimming got so bad. I lost $400 in cash aid to skimmers at a gas station ATM last year and it took 3 weeks to get it replaced. So while the travel blocks are annoying, I'd rather deal with a phone call than lose all my benefits again.

I'm really glad this worked out for you! This whole thread has been incredibly educational - I had no idea about the travel notification requirements either. It's honestly shocking that this information isn't clearly communicated when you receive your EBT card. For anyone else reading this who might travel frequently, it sounds like calling ahead before your trip might be the smartest approach to avoid getting stuck without access to your benefits. The fraud protection makes total sense given all the skimming horror stories, but the lack of clear guidance from the state is really problematic. Also want to echo what others said about keeping that EBT customer service number (1-877-328-9677) saved in your phone and having all your card info ready when you call. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical knowledge that helps families navigate these systems successfully!