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.