CalWORKs interview tomorrow - what should I expect after reapplying?

I just went through this in February! The reapplication interview is pretty much the same as when you first applied. They'll ask about everyone in your household, income, resources, housing costs, etc. Even though you were on before, they need updated verification for everything: - ID for you (if expired they'll need new copy) - Birth certificates for the kids - Proof of your income (last 4 pay stubs) - Rent receipt or lease - Any childcare expenses They WILL ask why your benefits got discontinued before, but just be honest about missing the SAR7 deadline. They're mainly checking if you understand the reporting requirements now. Make sure to mention your part-time job income right away since it affects your grant amount.

they gonna want to kno why u got cut off b4. just say u didnt get the SAR7 in mail or somethin. they should still have all ur old info like birth certificates in the system but bring em anyway. they r super strict about the job stuff now. they'll sign u up for WTW orientation even tho ur working cuz 25 hrs probly not enough hours

I reapplied last month after being off for almost a year. The interview took FOREVER - like almost 2 hours because the worker kept putting me on hold to check things. Make sure you have all your paperwork ready because if anything is missing they'll give you a 10-day notice to provide it which just delays everything. For the Welfare to Work part, since you're working 25 hours at $17/hr, they'll calculate if that meets your participation requirement, which is usually 30-35 hours depending on your situation. So you might need to do a few more hours of some approved activity. They also asked me a bunch of questions about child support from my kids' dad and whether I'd help them collect from him. You can still get benefits if you don't want to help with that, but they reduce your grant amount.

I had my CalWORKs recertification interview last week... completely different than reapplication but the worker was SO NICE. I was expecting to get lectured but she was super helpful. I think it depends on who you get honestly.

Just a heads up that these phone interviews often start with 30+ minutes on hold, and sometimes they don't even call at your scheduled time. I got disconnected twice during my reapplication interview last month and had to use Claimyr.com to actually get through to someone after waiting for hours on the regular line. You can watch how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE It saved me from having to reschedule the whole interview. The worker told me they're understaffed right now so the phone system is completely overwhelmed. If you do get disconnected or they don't call, it's worth trying instead of waiting on hold for hours.

Since you're reapplying after a discontinuance, here's what you should expect: 1. The interview will cover household composition, income, resources, and expenses - just like your initial application. 2. For verification documents, they'll need: - ID for all adults - Birth certificates/proof of citizenship for children - Income verification (all paystubs from the last 30 days) - Rent/mortgage proof - Utility bills if you're requesting the utility allowance - School enrollment for school-age children 3. For your part-time job: Since you're working 25 hours at $17/hour, they'll calculate if this meets your WTW requirements. The minimum is 20 hours for single parents with a child under 6, so you're meeting that, but they'll still likely refer you to a WTW orientation to determine if you need additional activities to reach 30 hours. 4. Regarding the previous discontinuance: They'll document the reason but won't penalize you if it was simply a missed deadline rather than fraud. 5. They'll explain the Semi-Annual Reporting (SAR) requirements and emphasize the importance of submitting the SAR7 form on time. 6. If approved, benefits would typically begin from the application date, not retroactively from when you were discontinued. Be completely honest about your situation - accuracy is more important than telling them what you think they want to hear.

To answer your follow-up question: You don't need to bring physical documents to a phone interview, but you do need to submit them. You can upload them through BenefitsCal, fax them, mail them, or drop them off at your local office. If the interview goes well and you have all your verification documents ready, you could be approved within 3-5 business days. However, if they request additional documentation, it could take up to 30 days from your application date for final approval. Regarding WTW requirements: Since you have a child under 6 and you're working 25 hours per week, you're meeting the minimum core requirement. However, they might still require you to attend an orientation to explain the program and discuss your employment goals.

they made me wait 45 DAYS after my interview before approving me!!! kept saying they needed more verification for this and that. hope yours goes better!!

UPDATE: Had my interview this morning and it went way better than expected! The worker was actually really nice and didn't lecture me about missing the SAR7 before. She just reminded me about reporting deadlines and the Income Reporting Threshold (which I guess is higher now in 2025?). She said since I'm already working, I still need to attend WTW orientation but it can be done online now. The only issue is they need verification of my kids' school enrollment and my landlord needs to fill out a housing form. They said I should get a notice within 7-10 days. Thanks everyone for your help! I feel so much more prepared than I was yesterday.

Congratulations on getting through your interview! That's such a relief when it goes better than expected. Quick tip about the housing form - make sure your landlord fills it out completely and signs it. I had to get mine redone twice because my landlord left some sections blank the first time. Also, for the school enrollment verification, you can usually get that same day from the school office or sometimes even print it from the parent portal online if your school district has one. Getting those documents in quickly will definitely help speed up your approval!