CalWORKs application timeline - 10 days with no response, normal or should I worry?
I submitted my CalWORKs application through BenefitsCal on March 15th (so about 10 days ago) and haven't heard anything back yet. No calls, no letters, nothing in my BenefitsCal account either. This is my first time applying and I'm getting nervous because my rent is due next week and I've got 2 kids to feed. Is this normal wait time or should I have heard something by now? Do they at least send some kind of confirmation that they got my application? I uploaded all the verification docs they asked for (birth certificates, pay stubs, rent agreement) so I thought that would speed things up. Anyone know the typical timeline? Should I be calling them?
18 comments
Emma Wilson
The county has 30 days to process your CalWORKs application from the date you submitted it. So technically they're still within their timeframe, but they should have at least contacted you to schedule an interview by now. Did you check your junk mail folder? Sometimes their emails end up there. Also check your mail carefully - the eligibility worker appointment letters can look like junk mail.
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Javier Torres
•Nothing in my junk mail or regular mail. I checked everywhere. Should I just keep waiting or should I call them?
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QuantumLeap
youll def need to do an interview b4 approval. they might be backed up right now. my sister applied in february and it took like 2 weeks before she got the call for interview. but once she did the interview she got approved like 3 days later and the EBT card came after that
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Malik Johnson
You need to CALL THEM NOW!!! Don't wait for them to contact you! The system is designed to make people give up. I applied last year and never got ANY notification about my interview. When I finally called, they said I missed my interview appointment (that they never told me about) and had to start the whole process over! The county workers don't care if your application gets denied because they've got hundreds more to process. BE PERSISTENT!!
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Javier Torres
•Omg that's scary. I'll definitely call tomorrow morning. I can't afford to start over with the application process.
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Isabella Santos
Yeah you should of got a letter by now with your interview date. Make sure your address is right on BenefitsCal. Also sometimes they text instead of call now for interviews so make sure your phone number is updated too.
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Ravi Sharma
I had the exact same issue when I applied in January. Spent days trying to get through on the county phone line with no luck - constant busy signals and disconnections. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a live person at the CalWORKs office. They have this system where they wait on hold for you and call you back when they reach a worker. Their video explains it better than I can: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE When I finally got through, turned out they had scheduled my interview but sent the notice to my old address even though I had updated it online. The worker was able to schedule a new interview on the spot and I got approved the following week.
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Javier Torres
•Thank you for this! I've been calling for the past hour and can't get through - just automated messages saying call volume is too high. I'll check out that service.
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Freya Larsen
According to CalWORKs regulations, they need to make an eligibility determination within 45 days of your application submission. However, they should have contacted you by now to schedule the required interview. They cannot approve your benefits without conducting an interview first, even if you uploaded all your verification documents. Make sure to call the county office first thing in the morning (right when they open at 8am usually) as that's when wait times are shortest. Ask specifically if your application was received and if an interview has been scheduled. Also request an expedited processing if you're in an emergency situation with no income and bills due. One important note: If you applied for both CalFresh and CalWORKs together, your CalFresh application should be processed within 30 days (sometimes sooner with expedited service), and you might hear about that approval first. The CalWORKs determination often takes the full 45 days.
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Omar Hassan
•I agree with calling right at 8am. But in my county they always say to call on tuesday or wednesday. monday and friday are the worst days to get through cause everyone calls then.
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QuantumLeap
whats ur county? some counties r better than others with processing times. LA county is sooooo slow ugh
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Javier Torres
•I'm in Sacramento County. Not sure if they're known for being fast or slow.
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Emma Wilson
Just to give you some peace of mind - if you do qualify for CalWORKs, the benefits are retroactive to your application date. So even if it takes them a while to process your application, you'll still get the full amount you're entitled to from March 15th. Make sure to document all your attempts to contact them too, in case there are any issues later.
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Javier Torres
•That's really good to know about the retroactive benefits. I didn't realize that. I'll start keeping a log of my calls and contacts with them.
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Omar Hassan
I had almost the exact same situation last year. Applied online, uploaded everything, then crickets for like 2 weeks. Turns out they had tried calling me but my phone was blocking unknown numbers! Check your phone settings and make sure you're accepting all calls right now. When I finally got through to them, I found out they had been trying to reach me multiple times. After my interview, I got approved within a week and the EBT card came a few days after that. Oh and once you do get through, make sure to ask about the diaper stipend if your kids are under 3 years old. It's an extra $30 per month per child but they don't always tell you about it unless you specifically ask.
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Javier Torres
•Oh wow, I do have unknown numbers blocked! I'm going to change that setting right now. And thanks for the tip about the diaper stipend - my youngest is 2 so that would be really helpful.
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Malik Johnson
Did you apply just for CalWORKs or did you also apply for CalFresh and Medi-Cal? If you applied for all three, sometimes they process them separately and you might hear about one before the others. Also, make sure you check your BenefitsCal messages daily - sometimes they request additional verification through there instead of calling. The system is so broken and frustrating!!
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Javier Torres
•I applied for all three programs. I've been checking BenefitsCal daily but there's nothing new there. No messages or status updates at all.
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