CalWORKs and EDD reporting confusion - do I need to report weekly unemployment income on SAR7?
So I've been laid off from my job and now get unemployment benefits (EDD) while also receiving CalWORKs Cash Aid for my kids. I'm super confused about reporting my income. When I fill out my weekly EDD certification, do I also need to report that same unemployment income on my SAR7 for CalWORKs? My worker wasn't clear about this and I'm worried about messing up my benefits. The last thing I need is to get discontinued because I reported wrong. Anyone deal with both CalWORKs and unemployment at the same time who can help?
22 comments
Join the conversation
Danielle Mays
Yes, you absolutely need to report your EDD/unemployment income on your SAR7 for CalWORKs! They are two completely different programs. EDD reporting is just for your unemployment benefits, while the SAR7 is for your Cash Aid. If you don't report that unemployment income on your SAR7, it will be considered unreported income and you could get an overpayment or even be discontinued for withholding information.
0 coins
Derek Olson
AuthorThanks! Do you know if I need to wait till I get all my EDD payments for the month before filling out the SAR7? Or should I just estimate what I'll get for the whole month?
0 coins
Roger Romero
I went thru this exact situation last year. You def need to report your unemployment on your SAR7. Keep in mind that unemployment income counts as UNEARNED income for CalWORKs purposes (not earned income like a job). There should be a specific box for unearned income on the form. Also make sure you're saving proof of all your EDD payments because they might ask for verification.
0 coins
Derek Olson
AuthorOh I didn't know it was unearned income! That's really good to know. I was putting it in the wrong section then. I'll fix that on my next report.
0 coins
Anna Kerber
you need 2 report both places!! EDD is seprate from cash aid. my friend didnt report her EDD and got a huge overpayment notice and now they take money from her cash aid every month to pay it back!!
0 coins
Niko Ramsey
This happened to my cousin too! She ended up owing like $2400 back to CalWORKs because she thought she didn't need to report unemployment income. They can even put fraud charges on you if they think you did it on purpose.
0 coins
Seraphina Delan
What's really important is that you report when your income goes OVER the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT). Your approval letter should tell you what your IRT amount is. If your EDD payments plus any other income goes above that amount during the SAR period, you have to report within 10 days even if it's not SAR7 time. Don't wait until your next regular report!
0 coins
Derek Olson
AuthorI completely forgot about the IRT! I need to check my approval letter to see what my amount is. Do they count the EDD income before or after taxes for the IRT limit?
0 coins
Jabari-Jo
Why r u getting both EDD and CalWORKs? When I applied for cash aid they told me I couldn't get both at same time and had to choose one or the other. Did the rules change or something?
0 coins
Danielle Mays
You can absolutely receive both CalWORKs and unemployment at the same time - whoever told you that was incorrect. However, your unemployment income will reduce your CalWORKs grant amount based on the income disregard rules. But they are separate programs with separate eligibility criteria, and receiving one doesn't automatically disqualify you from the other.
0 coins
Kristin Frank
Has anyone tried calling the CalWORKs office to get clarification on this? I had a similar issue last month and spent DAYS trying to get through to my worker. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a person at the county office in like 15 minutes. They have this video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. Solved my confusion about reporting income from multiple sources right away instead of stressing for days.
0 coins
Derek Olson
AuthorI've been trying to call for 3 days with no luck! Always get the 'high call volume' message and then it hangs up. I'll check this out because I need to talk to someone before my next report is due.
0 coins
Seraphina Delan
Another important thing to know: when you report your EDD income on the SAR7, make sure you're using the ACTUAL payment dates - not just the weeks the payment is for. CalWORKs counts income in the month you receive it, not when you earned it. So if you get an EDD payment on March 3rd for the previous week in February, it counts as March income for CalWORKs purposes.
0 coins
Derek Olson
AuthorThat makes sense! So I should be reporting based on when the money actually hits my EDD card, not the week the payment covers. Thanks for explaining!
0 coins
Anna Kerber
when i was on both i had so many problems!!!! the county kept saying i was over income but they were counting my EDD wrong. make sure ur worker knows the right dates & amounts cuz they mess up ALL THE TIME
0 coins
Niko Ramsey
Happened to me too! And then they expected ME to fix THEIR mistake! Like I'm supposed to be the expert on their complicated rules?? 🙄
0 coins
Danielle Mays
It's also important to know that once you start reporting your EDD income correctly, your Cash Aid amount will likely go down. For every dollar of unearned income (which includes unemployment), your CalWORKs grant is reduced dollar-for-dollar after a $90 disregard. So if you get $450/week in unemployment, that could significantly reduce your Cash Aid. Just be prepared for that change.
0 coins
Derek Olson
AuthorI think that's already happening. My Cash Aid went down last month after I started getting EDD. Is the $90 disregard per month or per payment? And does this mean I might become ineligible for CalWORKs if my EDD is too high?
0 coins
Seraphina Delan
The $90 disregard is per month, not per payment. And yes, if your unemployment benefits are high enough, you could become financially ineligible for Cash Aid. But even if that happens, you'll likely still be eligible for Medi-Cal and possibly CalFresh. And remember - if your EDD stops or decreases, report that right away so your Cash Aid can be adjusted back up if you're still eligible.
0 coins
Sara Unger
Just want to add - keep really good records of everything! I learned this the hard way. Save screenshots of your EDD payment history, keep copies of all your SAR7 forms, and document any phone calls with your worker (date, time, who you talked to, what was discussed). When I had issues with my case, having all that documentation saved me from a huge headache. Also, if your EDD gets delayed or you have weeks with no payment, make sure to report that too on your SAR7 - zero income is still income reporting! The key is being completely transparent about everything.
0 coins
Amara Eze
I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who responded! This has been so helpful. I was really stressed about messing up my benefits and now I feel like I have a much clearer understanding. The main takeaways I'm getting are: 1) Yes, I definitely need to report EDD income on SAR7 as unearned income, 2) Report based on actual payment dates not benefit weeks, 3) Keep detailed records of everything, 4) Watch out for the IRT threshold, and 5) My Cash Aid will probably go down but that's normal. I'm going to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned to get through to my worker and confirm my IRT amount. Really appreciate this community - you all probably saved me from a major overpayment situation!
0 coins
Andre Laurent
Welcome to the community! I'm new here too and just reading through this thread has been incredibly educational. I'm in a similar situation where I might need to apply for unemployment soon while already receiving CalWORKs, so this whole discussion has given me a roadmap of what to expect. It's really reassuring to see people helping each other navigate these complicated systems. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's clear that proper reporting is crucial and the consequences of getting it wrong can be really serious. Good luck with getting through to your worker!
0 coins