CalWORKs benefits during appeal - should Cash Aid continue while fighting discontinuance?

Yes, you have what's called "Aid Paid Pending" rights! But here's the important part - you need to request it WITHIN 10 DAYS of the date on your Notice of Action. If you filed your appeal within that 10-day window AND specifically asked for continued benefits, they MUST keep paying you until the hearing decision. If you didn't specifically request continued benefits when you filed the appeal, call the Appeals Unit immediately and tell them you want Aid Paid Pending. Just filing the appeal alone doesn't automatically continue your benefits - you have to ask for it.

i had this EXACT same thing happen to me last year!!! the county claimed they never got my employment verification even tho i uploaded it on benefitscal. definitely call and request aid paid pending if u didnt already. my hearing took like 2 months to happen but i still got benefits the whole time. bring all your proof to the hearing!

To directly answer your question: Yes, they are supposed to continue your CalWORKs benefits during the appeal process IF you requested Aid Paid Pending within 10 days of receiving the Notice of Action. The appeals process works like this: 1. You file a request for hearing (which you've done) 2. You specifically request continued benefits during the appeal (Aid Paid Pending) 3. You'll receive a hearing date notice in the mail (usually takes 3-6 weeks) 4. At the hearing, you present your evidence that you submitted the work verification 5. An Administrative Law Judge makes a decision Bring any proof you have that you submitted the documents - upload confirmation from BenefitsCal, fax confirmation, receipt from the office, etc. Also ask for a copy of your case file before the hearing so you can see what's in there.

when the same thing happened to me they still cut my benefits off even tho i asked for aid paid pending!!! had to borrow money from family for 2 weeks until they fixed it. the system is broken!!!

Have u tried calling ur eligibility worker? Maybe they can just fix the mistake if u show them proof u turned in the papers instead of going thru the whole appeal thing? Worth a try

I had trouble reaching anyone at CalWORKs when I filed my appeal last year too. Finally, I used Claimyr.com to get through to a real person. It basically places the call for you and calls you back when a worker is on the line. I watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE) and it worked exactly like they showed. Got connected to the Appeals Unit in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours or getting disconnected repeatedly. They confirmed my Aid Paid Pending was set up correctly and my benefits continued during my 7-week wait for a hearing (which I won, btw).

One important thing to remember about the appeals process: even if you get Aid Paid Pending, you still need to comply with all other CalWORKs requirements while waiting for your hearing. That means: - Submit your SAR7 report on time - Meet your Welfare to Work participation hours - Report any changes that would put you over the Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) I've seen people lose benefits during an appeal because they focused only on the appeal issue and forgot to keep up with regular requirements. Stay on top of everything!

also make sure u keep track of EXACTLY when u submitted those papers they say they lost. if u can prove they had them and still tried to cut u off u might get compensated for the stress or something. my cousin said thats a thing but idk

Just following up - were you able to confirm your Aid Paid Pending was set up correctly? If you're still having trouble connecting with someone at the county, I recommend asking for a supervisor or contacting your local legal aid office. They can sometimes help intervene when communication breaks down with the county office.

This is such a relief to hear that you got your Aid Paid Pending sorted out! I went through a similar situation about 6 months ago where the county claimed they never received my quarterly report (even though I hand-delivered it and got a receipt). The appeals process can be stressful, but having your benefits continue during the hearing really takes the pressure off. One tip for your March 18th hearing - if you have any receipts, confirmation numbers, or timestamps from when you submitted your work verification, bring multiple copies. I brought 3 copies of everything to my hearing: one for me, one for the judge, and one for the county representative. Also, if you submitted anything through BenefitsCal online, you can usually find a submission history in your account that shows the date and time. The Administrative Law Judges are usually pretty fair in my experience. Since you have proof you submitted the documents and they admitted their system didn't process your Aid Paid Pending correctly, it sounds like you have a strong case. Good luck!

I'm so glad to see this thread helped you get your Aid Paid Pending situation resolved! As someone new to this community, I'm really impressed by how supportive and knowledgeable everyone is here. For future reference (and for anyone else reading this), I wanted to add that you can also contact the State Hearings Division directly at 1-800-952-5253 if you're having trouble with your local county office regarding appeals. They oversee the entire appeals process and can sometimes help clarify if your Aid Paid Pending request was properly submitted. Also, if anyone is ever in doubt about their rights during the appeals process, the CalWORKs Program Guide (WIC Section 11320.3) specifically outlines the Aid Paid Pending provisions. It's helpful to reference the actual statute number when talking to workers - sometimes they need that reminder of the specific regulation. Best of luck with your March 18th hearing, AstroAlpha! It sounds like you're well-prepared and have great documentation.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really impressed by how helpful everyone has been in this thread! Reading through all these responses has taught me so much about the Aid Paid Pending process that I didn't know before. I wanted to share something that might help others in similar situations - if you're having trouble getting through to your county office or the Appeals Unit, you can also try calling first thing in the morning (around 8 AM) when the phone lines open. I learned this from a friend who works in eligibility - they get the most calls between 10 AM and 2 PM, so early morning and late afternoon tend to have shorter wait times. Also, for anyone keeping documentation like AstroAlpha mentioned, it's worth creating a simple folder (physical or digital) specifically for all your CalWORKs communications. Include dates, times, who you spoke with, and what was discussed. This has been a lifesaver for me when I needed to reference past conversations with my worker. Great job getting everything sorted out, AstroAlpha, and thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences. This community is such a valuable resource!

As someone new to this community, I'm really grateful to have found this thread! I've been dealing with CalWORKs for about 6 months now and had no idea about the Aid Paid Pending rights until reading everyone's responses here. I wanted to add one more resource that helped me when I was struggling with documentation issues - many counties have a CalWORKs Ombudsman who can help advocate for you if you're having ongoing problems with your case. You can usually find their contact info on your county's DPSS website or by asking at the front desk when you visit the office. Also, for anyone who might be in AstroAlpha's situation in the future, I learned that you can also request a copy of your entire case file before your hearing. This lets you see exactly what documents the county has on file and can help you identify what might be missing or incorrectly processed. There's usually a small copying fee, but it's worth it to know exactly what evidence they have. It's so encouraging to see how this community comes together to share knowledge and support each other through these complicated processes. The system can be overwhelming, but threads like this make it so much more manageable!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really moved by how supportive and knowledgeable everyone has been throughout this thread! Reading through all the responses has been incredibly educational for me as someone who's still learning to navigate the CalWORKs system. I wanted to add one more tip that might help others in similar appeals situations - if you're preparing for your hearing and need help organizing your evidence or understanding the process, many local libraries have free legal aid clinics or can connect you with pro bono attorneys who specialize in public benefits cases. I discovered this resource recently when I was struggling with my own case issues. Also, for anyone who might be dealing with language barriers during the appeals process, you have the right to request an interpreter for your hearing at no cost to you. This should be arranged when you file your appeal, but you can also request it later if needed. It's wonderful to see how AstroAlpha's situation worked out, and I'm sure their March 18th hearing will go well with all the preparation and documentation they've gathered. This thread is a perfect example of why community support matters so much when dealing with complex benefit systems. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - it's making a real difference for people like me who are still learning!