CalWORKs customer service line wait time - been on hold for 45+ minutes. Is this normal?
I'm trying to reach someone at CalWORKs about my Cash Aid payment issue but I've been on hold for 45 minutes now. Do they actually answer the phone? Anyone know if their call center is even open today? My SAR7 was due last week and I submitted it on time through BenefitsCal, but my payment is still showing as pending in the system. I'm getting worried because my rent is due in 3 days and I need that money. Is there a better time to call or a different number I should try?
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Hailey O'Leary
lol welcome to the club. i was on hold for 2 HOURS yesterday and then they hung up on me right when someone picked up!!! its ridiculous how they treat us
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Marcus Marsh
•Seriously?? 2 hours and then they hung up? That's so frustrating. Did you ever get through to anyone?
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Cedric Chung
The county call centers are seriously understaffed right now. Your best bet is to call right when they open (usually 8:00 AM) or try right after lunch (around 1:30 PM). Those tend to be the times with slightly shorter wait times. Also, make sure you're calling the right number for your specific county - some counties have different lines for CalWORKs vs. CalFresh, while others use the same number for all benefits. If your SAR7 was submitted online through BenefitsCal, you should have received a confirmation number. If your payment is still pending, it might be because they need additional verification documents that weren't included with your SAR7.
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Marcus Marsh
•Thank you for the tips! I'll try calling first thing tomorrow morning. I did get a confirmation number when I submitted through BenefitsCal, but maybe they're missing something. Just wish they would tell me what instead of making me guess.
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Talia Klein
I had this EXACT same issue last month!!! Waited forever on hold and couldn't get anyone. Turns out on my SAR7 I forgot to check one tiny box about child support cooperation and they held up my whole payment without even telling me. Check your BenefitsCal account messages - sometimes they send notices there but don't bother calling you. The system is DESIGNED to make us fail I swear.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
•I don't think they're deliberately trying to make us fail, but the communication is definitely awful. I've had workers tell me they're so overloaded with cases they can't possibly call everyone who has issues. Not making excuses for them, but that's why checking your BenefitsCal messages daily is super important now.
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PaulineW
have u tried going in person? sometimes thats faster lol
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Marcus Marsh
•I would but I work during the day and can't miss any hours right now. That's why I was trying to call on my lunch break but 45 mins wasn't enough time apparently 🙄
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Annabel Kimball
Try using Claimyr.com - it's a service that waits on hold for you with CalWORKs and then calls you when a real person picks up. Saved me hours of hold time last month when I had an issue with my Welfare to Work hours not being recorded correctly. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE I was skeptical at first but it actually worked and got me through to someone in about 30 minutes (while I was doing other things instead of sitting on hold).
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Hailey O'Leary
•does it cost money tho? seems weird to pay just to talk to somone who we should be able to reach anyway??
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Annabel Kimball
•Yeah it does cost, but for me it was worth it because I was about to lose my childcare benefits due to a mistake with my WTW hours. Would have cost me way more to pay for childcare out of pocket while they fixed the issue. But I get it's not ideal to have to pay anything just to reach someone.
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Chris Elmeda
this is why i always tell people to take pictures of EVERYTHING you submit to calworks even if you do it online. i had a similar thing happen where they said they never got my proof of rent increase even tho i uploaded it to benefitscal. when i finally got thru to someone they were like "oh we see it now" like magic lol
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Cedric Chung
•This is excellent advice. Screenshots of confirmation pages and documents submitted through BenefitsCal can save you so much trouble. Also, if you visit an office in person, always get a receipt for any documents you provide. I recommend keeping a dedicated folder (physical or digital) with all your CalWORKs documentation organized by date.
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Talia Klein
Check if your county has an email address for the CalWORKs department! Mine does and sometimes they actually respond faster that way than by phone. Or try calling your assigned worker directly if you have their extension number.
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Marcus Marsh
•Update: Finally got through after 1 hour and 20 minutes on hold! Turns out they needed verification of my new work hours since I mentioned on my SAR7 that my schedule changed. Why they couldn't just send me a notice about this is beyond me. They're sending me a form to fill out and said my payment should process within 3 business days after they receive it. Cutting it close for rent but at least I know what's happening now.
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