CalWORKs phone recertification process & timing - what to expect?

I did mine by phone in December. Took about 40 mins total. Have your pay stubs, rent receipt, and utility bills handy. They'll ask questions from the SAWS 2 even if you already sent it in.

Phone recertifications are actually much more efficient than the old way! I've been on CalWORKs for almost 4 years and have done it both ways. For the phone interview: 1. Have your most recent 30 days of pay stubs ready 2. Any childcare receipts if you're claiming that 3. Proof of rent/mortgage 4. Utility bills (especially if you get the utility allowance) 5. Any changes to your household you need to report The interview itself usually takes 30-45 minutes depending on your case complexity. They'll verify your income, assets, housing costs, and make sure you're meeting your Welfare to Work hours if required. If you have everything ready, it goes quickly. They can usually approve you on the spot if all verification is provided. One tip: write down any questions you have beforehand so you don't forget to ask!

phone interviews r the worst!!! i did mine in january and the worker kept asking me the same questions over and over. took almost an hour and a half!!! and then they still didnt process my benefits for another 2 weeks. had to call like 5 times to get it fixed. make sure u get the workers name and a reference # for your interview!

If you're having trouble getting through to schedule your recertification interview, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). It helped me get through after trying for days on my own. They basically call and wait on hold for you, then connect you when a worker picks up. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE As for the interview itself, mine took about 35 minutes last month. Have your SAWS 2 form in front of you because they'll go through it section by section. Also have all your income verification ready - they'll want to know exact dates and amounts from your pay stubs.

why u even need to recertify? I thought they were doing automatic renewals now cuz of the pandemic stuff??? my sister didnt have to do no interview they just kept giving her cash aid

My recertification interview took 25 minutes, but my husband's took almost 2 hours because he has a more complicated case (self-employment income). Depends on your worker too honestly. I got a really efficient lady who had already reviewed my packet beforehand. My husband got someone who seemed new and had to keep putting him on hold to ask questions. BTW make sure you ask about the increased childcare rates for 2025 if you use childcare services! My worker didn't mention it until I specifically asked, and I was eligible for almost $170 more per month for childcare reimbursement.

I just did my phone recertification two weeks ago. The actual interview only took about 25 minutes BUT I spent 3 HOURS on hold waiting for someone to pick up!!! It was awful - I kept getting bounced between departments because apparently my case had a "special indicator" whatever that means. During the interview they asked me: - If my income changed (how much exactly per pay period) - Household composition changes - Address/rent verification - Childcare expenses - School enrollment for the kids - My bank account balance They also asked about my Welfare to Work participation and made me verify my hours again even though I submit those monthly anyway. The whole system is so redundant!

my worker told me phone is actually faster than in person. for my last one they asked me everything from the SAWS2 even tho i already sent it in. took like 45 min and it was approved a week later. just have ur paperwork with u and dont lie about anything cuz they can see all ur info in the system anyway.

One more important tip: If you have a semi-annual report (SAR 7) due around the same time as your recertification, you generally don't need to submit both. The recertification replaces the SAR 7 requirement for that period. However, it's always good to confirm this with your worker during the interview. Also, ask your worker to review your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) during the interview and make sure you understand when you need to report income changes outside of the regular reporting periods. Many people miss this and end up with overpayments they have to pay back.

I just completed my phone recertification last week and it went smoother than expected! Took about 35 minutes total. Here's what really helped me prepare: - I created a simple checklist beforehand with all my documents organized by category (income, housing, childcare, etc.) - Had my SAWS 2 form filled out completely and in front of me during the call - Made sure to have exact dollar amounts and dates ready from my pay stubs - Asked for email confirmation of my interview completion at the end The worker was actually really patient and walked me through each section methodically. One thing that surprised me was they asked about any gifts or loans I might have received in the past 12 months - I hadn't thought to prepare for that question but luckily didn't have any to report. My benefits were approved and processed within 10 days. Good luck with yours! The key is just being organized and having everything at your fingertips.

Just wanted to add my experience from last month - my phone recertification took about 30 minutes and went pretty smoothly. One thing I wish I had known beforehand is that they ask very specific questions about your work schedule, not just your income. They wanted to know my exact days and hours worked, not just my total weekly hours. Also, if you have any medical expenses or transportation costs related to work, have those receipts ready too - my worker asked about those even though I hadn't claimed them on my SAWS 2. The worker also reminded me that if my work hours change significantly before my next recertification, I need to report that within 10 days. Overall though, having everything organized like others mentioned really does make the process much faster. Hope your interview goes well!

I had my phone recertification about 3 weeks ago and it took roughly 45 minutes. A few things that really helped me prepare: 1. I called right at 8 AM when they opened - only waited about 15 minutes to get through 2. Had all my documents spread out on my kitchen table so I could grab anything quickly 3. Made sure my phone was fully charged and used a landline as backup 4. Kept a pen and paper handy to write down any important info or reference numbers They asked me pretty much everything that was on the SAWS 2, but also some additional questions about my living situation and whether anyone else contributes to household expenses. One thing that caught me off guard was they wanted to know about any cash I had on hand that day - apparently that counts toward your asset limit. My case was approved the same day and my EBT card was loaded within 3 business days. The worker was actually really nice and explained everything clearly. Just make sure you speak up if you can't hear them well - the phone quality isn't always great. You got this!