CalWORKs prorated my benefits after THEIR paperwork delay - is this right? Also confused about Work Study income counting

this exact thing happened to me last yr!! they "lost" my SAR7 that i turned in personally at the office & had a receipt for. when they finally fixed it they only gave me half month benefits. i called 100 times and supervisor finally told me that if ur benefits get cut off and then turned back on in the middle of the month they only pay u for the days left in the month. its complete BS because it was their fault but thats how they do it. 😡

I can help clarify both issues: 1) About the prorated benefits: Unfortunately, they're following policy correctly. When benefits are restored after being discontinued, they're prorated from the date of restoration, not retroactively for the full month - even when it's the county's error. However, you may be eligible for a "restoration of lost benefits" because it was their mistake. File a formal complaint using the "Request for State Hearing" form (ask for one at the office). 2) About Work Study: Federal Work Study income is EXEMPT from being counted for CalWORKs and CalFresh. This is Federal law. Your worker made a significant error. Ask to speak with a supervisor and bring documentation showing it's Work Study. Cite the CalWORKs Eligibility and Assistance Standards (EAS) Manual section 44-111.24 which specifically exempts work study income. Document everything: get names, dates, and confirmation numbers for all interactions.

They pulled the same garbage on me too!!! sat on my SAR7 for 2 weeks then said oh sorry we're backed up and only gave me partial benefits. i asked for a supervisor and they just kept saying "policy is policy" but wouldn't show me where it says they can punish ME for THEIR slowness. the whole system is designed to make us give up fighting. then when I finally got someone on the phone they hung up on me after putting me on hold for 40 mins. i hate how they treat us.

i think ur work study shouldn't count. i'm in school 2 and nobody counts my work study because its suppose to be for ur education. show them the financial aid papers that say FEDERAL WORK STUDY on it. they probably just saw income and counted it without looking at what type it is lol typical

Regarding the proration issue - while it's technically correct that benefits are prorated from the restoration date, you absolutely have the right to request a restoration of lost benefits through a state hearing when the delay was caused by the county's error. For your Work Study income, print out MPP Section 44-111.24 which states: "Educational loans, grants, and scholarships...administered under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (including Federal Work Study) shall be EXEMPT as income and resources." Bring this to your worker. If they still don't fix it, immediately request a state hearing. CalWORKs regulations are complex, and workers sometimes make mistakes. Don't give up on advocating for yourself. If you want to ensure proper handling of your case, I recommend: 1. Always keep proof of submission (receipts, confirmation numbers) 2. Document all communications with the office (dates, names, what was discussed) 3. Request written explanations of decisions that affect your benefits 4. Know that you have 90 days to request a hearing for most issues

I had this happen 2 months ago but with my verification docs that i uploaded on BenefitsCal. They claimed they never received them even tho i had the confirmation email!!! So frustrating. The only way i finally got it fixed was calling using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it got me through to a actual person at the county after i spent days getting hung up on by the regular line. Got to talk to a supervisor who restored my full benefits within 24 hours after i explained what happened. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE - might help since your having so much trouble reaching anyone

Quick update on the Work Study issue - I double-checked the regulations and want to emphasize: Federal Work Study is 100% exempt from being counted as income for BOTH CalWORKs and CalFresh. This is not at the county's discretion - it's federal law under the Higher Education Act. I've seen this mistake happen several times where a worker confuses regular employment with Federal Work Study. The difference in your benefits indicates they're incorrectly counting thousands in annual income that should be exempt. When you speak with your worker or supervisor, be very specific: "My Federal Work Study income is exempt under CalWORKs MPP Section 44-111.24 and for CalFresh under 7 CFR 273.9(c)(3)(ii)." Having the exact regulations helps tremendously.

UPDATE: I finally reached a supervisor today! She reviewed my case and admitted TWO errors: 1. They DID wrongly count my Work Study income (showed her my award letter and she immediately recognized the mistake) 2. Since it was their error with "losing" my SAR7 (which was submitted on time), I qualify for restored benefits for the missing half of the month! They're fixing both issues and I should get the correct benefits in 3-5 business days. She also gave me her direct line in case there are any more problems. THANK YOU everyone for your advice and support - especially about knowing the specific regulations! It made a huge difference when I could quote the exact policies. Will update when the money actually comes through.

YES!! This is exactly how it should work when you know your rights and can back them up with actual policy! So happy you got both issues resolved. Your story is going to help so many other people who face the same problems - saving this thread for future reference. It's crazy how many workers don't know the Work Study exemption rule, but having that award letter as proof makes all the difference. Hope your payment comes through quickly and you can get caught up on rent! 🙌