CalWORKs callback appointments - do workers actually call back or should I have stayed on hold?

Callbacks are hit or miss tbh. I've had them call back within 20 minutes and other times they never called at all. If your SAR7 is due this week, don't wait for them - try calling again tomorrow morning. If you can't get through, just submit your SAR7 with all the verification documents anyway and write a note explaining your income changes. You can always call afterward to discuss it, but the most important thing is submitting on time.

They NEVER call back in my experience!!! Total waste of time giving them your number. I've been on CalWORKs for 3 years and they've promised callbacks at least 10 times and maybe actually called ONCE. The system is broken and they don't care about us at all.

The callback system depends a lot on your county and how busy they are that day. In my experience working with clients, I've found some best practices that can help: 1. Call early in the morning (like you did) but on Tuesdays-Thursdays. Mondays and Fridays are typically the busiest days. 2. For your SAR7 with income changes, make sure you include copies of all your pay stubs for the report month. If you don't have them all, include what you have and a written note explaining any missing ones with your best estimate of amounts. 3. Be sure to indicate your new job on the income section and complete the employment information completely. 4. Submit your SAR7 on time even if you can't talk to someone. It's better to submit an imperfect report than miss the deadline. The most important thing is having your SAR7 submitted by the deadline. You can always call afterward to provide more information or corrections.

Going in person is definitely an option if you can't reach them by phone. Many county offices take walk-ins for submitting paperwork and some can even process it while you wait if they're not too busy. Just be prepared to potentially wait a while. Another option is to try submitting through the BenefitsCal website if your county uses it. You can upload your SAR7 and paystubs there and there's a section for notes where you can explain your situation.

my worker alwayz calls back but it takes like all day sometimes... did u make sure they had the right phone #??? one time they had my old # and i sat around waitin all day for nothin lol

I had the exact same problem last month trying to report my new job! I tried for THREE DAYS with the callback system and never got a call. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that someone in another thread recommended. It kept my place in line without me having to stay on hold. Took about 40 minutes but I finally got through to a real person who helped me with my SAR7. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. So much better than waiting for a callback that never comes!

For your SAR7 with a new job, here's what you need to include: 1. All pay stubs from the report month (if you don't have them all, include a written statement with the missing dates and amounts) 2. The start date of your employment 3. Your employer's complete information (name, address, phone) 4. Your work schedule and whether it's a temporary or permanent position 5. How often you get paid (weekly, bi-weekly, etc.) Remember that starting work won't automatically make you ineligible! CalWORKs has earned income disregards that allow you to keep working while gradually reducing your benefits. The first $500 of earned income doesn't even count against your grant amount. If you're worried about WTW (Welfare to Work) requirements, your new job hours will count toward your participation hours, which is a good thing!

And make sure you keep COPIES of EVERYTHING you submit!!! I learned that the hard way when they claimed they "never received" my SAR7 even though I dropped it off in person. Now I take pictures of everything and get receipts. The system is designed to kick people off.

Hi! I use to work for Sacramento County human assistance. Callbacks are scheduled based on estimated wait times, but when things get really busy, those estimated times can become completely inaccurate. The workers are scheduled for so many cases per day, and if they're spending longer on each case, then the callbacks get pushed back further and further. Sometimes they end up having to reschedule callbacks for the next day. Always try to submit your SAR7 by the deadline regardless. If you miss the deadline, you'll have to reapply and potentially have a gap in benefits. Even if you submit incomplete info, you can always supplement it later.

I'm new to CalWORKs and this is really helpful to read everyone's experiences! I have my initial appointment coming up next week and I was planning to just wait on hold, but now I'm wondering if I should try the callback option. It sounds like it's really hit or miss depending on your county. @Anastasia Popov - I hope you were able to get through and submit your SAR7 on time! Starting a new job while on benefits is stressful enough without having to worry about reporting it correctly. The advice about the $500 earned income disregard that @Luca Ferrari mentioned is really good to know. Does anyone know if there are certain counties that are better about callbacks than others? I'm in Orange County if that helps.

I'm dealing with the exact same callback frustration! I've been on CalWORKs for about 6 months now and the callback system is so unreliable. Sometimes they call back the same day, other times never at all. What I've learned is to always have a backup plan - if they don't call back within their estimated time, call again the next morning and just stay on hold. For your SAR7 with the new job, definitely submit it on time even if you can't talk to someone first. I made that mistake once and almost lost my benefits. You can always call after submitting to clarify anything. The workers are usually pretty understanding about income changes, especially when you're trying to transition to work. Also, if you're really stuck, try going to your local office right when they open. I've found that sometimes works better than the phone system, even though it means taking time off work or finding childcare.

I've been on CalWORKs for about 8 months now and the callback system has been super inconsistent for me too. I've had them call back within an hour sometimes, and other times I've waited days with no call at all. What I learned is that if it's anything time-sensitive like your SAR7, don't rely on the callback - just stay on hold or try multiple times. For reporting new employment, I went through the same stress when I started my part-time job. The good news is that having income from work actually helps your case in the long run because it shows you're working toward self-sufficiency. Just make sure you report it accurately and on time. The workers I've dealt with have generally been supportive when they see you're trying to work. If you can't get through by phone tomorrow, definitely try going in person or submitting online through BenefitsCal if your county has it set up. Missing the deadline is way worse than submitting an imperfect report that you can clarify later.

I'm also new to CalWORKs and this whole thread has been incredibly informative! The callback system sounds so frustrating and unreliable. I have my first appointment next week and was planning to use the callback option, but after reading everyone's experiences, I think I'll just plan to stay on hold. @Anastasia Popov - I really hope you were able to get your SAR7 submitted on time! The advice everyone gave about the $500 earned income disregard and submitting even if you can't talk to someone first seems really solid. It's encouraging to see how supportive this community is. One thing I'm wondering - for those who have successfully transitioned from CalWORKs to work, how long did it typically take before your benefits were completely phased out? I'm hoping to start looking for work soon and want to understand the timeline better.

I'm really sorry to hear about your callback frustration! As someone who's also dealt with the unreliable callback system, I can totally relate to that anxiety when you have time-sensitive paperwork due. From reading through all the great advice here, it sounds like you got some solid guidance about submitting your SAR7 on time even if you can't speak to someone first. The information about the $500 earned income disregard is really reassuring - it shows that the system is actually designed to support people who are working toward self-sufficiency like you are. I hope you were able to get everything submitted by your Friday deadline! Starting a part-time job while managing CalWORKs paperwork is stressful enough without having to worry about missed callbacks. Your proactive approach of trying to report your income changes properly really shows you're doing everything right. For future reference, the advice about calling mid-week mornings and having backup plans (going in person, submitting online) seems really practical. This whole thread has been incredibly helpful for those of us navigating the system!

I'm new to this community and CalWORKs, but this thread has been incredibly helpful! The callback system sounds really frustrating and unreliable based on everyone's experiences. It seems like the consensus is to not rely on callbacks for anything time-sensitive. @Anastasia Popov - I hope you were able to get your SAR7 submitted on time! The advice about the $500 earned income disregard was news to me too - that's such important information that should be more clearly communicated to people starting work while on benefits. For anyone else dealing with similar issues, it sounds like the key takeaways are: call mid-week mornings when possible, always have a backup plan (going in person or submitting online), and submit paperwork by the deadline even if you can't talk to someone first. You can always clarify details later, but missing deadlines can cause much bigger problems. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice - this is exactly the kind of real-world knowledge that helps newcomers like me navigate the system!

I'm new to both this community and CalWORKs, but this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening! The callback system sounds so unreliable and stressful, especially when you're dealing with important deadlines like SAR7 submissions. @Anastasia Popov - I really hope you were able to get your paperwork submitted on time! It's so frustrating that you had to deal with that kind of anxiety when you're already taking the positive step of starting work. The advice everyone shared about the $500 earned income disregard is something I had no idea about - it seems like crucial information that should be explained more clearly upfront. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that having multiple backup plans is essential when dealing with the system. The insider tip from @Ethan Wilson about mid-week mornings being less busy is particularly valuable, and the consensus about submitting paperwork on time even if it's not perfect makes a lot of sense. As someone just starting to navigate all of this, I'm really grateful for communities like this where people share honest, practical advice based on real experiences. It's reassuring to see how supportive everyone is, especially when the official systems can be so unreliable. Definitely bookmarking this thread for future reference!