CalWORKs benefits still pending 6 days after approval - caseworker's voicemail full & no EBT funds

A few things you can try: 1. Call the main CalWORKs office number (not just your worker) and explain that your benefits were approved but haven't been issued. Ask to speak with a supervisor if needed. 2. If you have access to your county's CalWORKs portal (some counties use BenefitsCal, others have their own systems), check if there are any messages or tasks showing. 3. The "pending" status could mean they're still processing your verification documents even though you were verbally approved. Sometimes workers say you're approved but there are still back-end steps that need to happen. 4. If you're truly in an emergency situation with no food, ask about Emergency CalFresh - they can sometimes issue benefits within 3 days if you qualify. Whatever you do, make sure to document everything - who you talked to, dates, times, what was said. This helps if you need to file a complaint or request a state hearing later.

same thing happened 2 me last yr! the system is so messed up, they tell u ur approved then nothing happens. try going in person, thats what worked 4 me. the online doesnt show whats really going on sometimes.

This doesn't sound right. When you're approved after reapplying, benefits should be issued within 3 business days maximum. Since it's been 6 days including a weekend, something's definitely wrong. First, I would recommend calling the main CalWORKs Customer Service number for your county (not your specific worker) as early in the morning as possible - like right when they open. Ask to speak with a supervisor and explain that you were approved but no benefits have been issued. If that doesn't work, try Claimyr.com - I used them when I couldn't get through to anyone about my Cash Aid issue. They basically wait on hold for you with the county and call you when they get a real person. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE Worst case scenario, you can request an emergency hearing if your benefits have been unreasonably delayed. There should be a "Fair Hearing Request" option on the BenefitsCal website under the Appeals section.

When you get approved at an interview they sometimes say "approved" but what they REALLY mean is "your application looks good but we still need to process it officially." This happened with my renewal last month - worker said approved but then benefits didn't come for another 8 days! 😡 The SAR 7 situation could be complicating things too. When I missed mine once, they had to process it as a restoration of benefits rather than just a normal approval. That takes longer. BTW make sure you're checking for both CalWORKs AND CalFresh separately. Sometimes one processes faster than the other.

You need to go in person if your worker's voicemail is full. This happened to me TWO TIMES and nobody called me back. The online system shows "pending" forever even when there are problems they need to fix. When I finally went in, turns out they needed ONE MORE DOCUMENT they never told me about!!! So frustrating!!! And my kids were hungry the whole time waiting.

There could be a technical issue with your EBT card too - have you tried calling the EBT customer service number on the back of your card? Sometimes benefits are actually loaded but not showing up when you check your balance the usual way. Also, if you're in a real emergency situation, ask about the CalWORKs Immediate Need payment. If you qualify, they can issue up to $200 while your regular benefits are being processed. You'd have to request this specifically though - they won't usually offer it unless you ask. I know how stressful this is. When you're counting on those benefits for essential needs and they don't come through on time, it feels like your whole world is crashing down. Hang in there and be persistent!

For Immediate Need, you can request it at the front desk of your local office - you don't need to reach your specific worker. Just tell them you're requesting Immediate Need due to emergency circumstances and no benefits showing up after approval. You'll need to fill out a form. Also, have you tried emailing your worker? Some counties now allow email communication with workers. Look at any paperwork you received - there might be an email address listed.

i tried Claimyr last month when i had a similar problem with my MediCal and CalWORKs. it actually worked! i was shocked because i had been trying to get through for WEEKS. they connected me with someone at the county in about 30 minutes when i had been getting disconnected every time i tried calling myself. found out my case was held up because they needed verification of my work hours for WTW but never sent me the notice. got it fixed that same day and my benefits came through 2 days later. just sharing since someone mentioned it above.

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone today! Turns out when I reapplied, they created a duplicate case in the system which was causing the delay. The worker I spoke with said she'll fix it and my benefits should be processed within 48 hours. I also asked about Immediate Need and they're processing that for me today - should get $200 emergency funds by tomorrow! Thank you all for your help and suggestions. This has been so stressful but I feel relieved now that I know what was happening.