CalWORKs reapplication - will my old EBT card still work or do I get a new one?
I let my CalWORKs case close about 3 months ago because I found a job, but it didn't work out (got laid off last week). I reapplied through BenefitsCal yesterday and already got scheduled for my interview next week. I still have my old EBT card from before - will they just reload benefits on that same card when I'm approved or will they send me a completely new one? My landlord is already asking about rent and I'm worried about how long I'll have to wait before I can access any benefits once approved. I still have my card but it has $0 on it right now.
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GalacticGladiator
Good news - you can use your same EBT card! As long as your old card isn't damaged or expired, the county will just reload your CalWORKs benefits onto that same card once you're approved. Make sure you tell your worker during the interview that you still have your card. Since you're reapplying within 3 months of closing, you might qualify for expedited Cash Aid too. Be sure to mention your urgent rent situation during your interview.
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Freya Larsen
•Thank you! That's a relief. Do you know how long after the interview it usually takes for benefits to load onto the card? My interview is Tuesday but rent is due Friday...
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Omar Zaki
It depends on your county tbh. I had to reapply last october and my old card worked fine, but my sister-in-law had to get a new 1 when she reapplied even tho she still had her old card. I think it depends if they closed your EBT account completely or just zeroed it out.
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Chloe Taylor
•Yea this happened to me too! They closed my whole account and I had to wait like 10 days for a new card to come in the mail. So annoying. Call your EBT customer service number on the back of your card and see if your account is still active.
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Diego Flores
my caseworker told me that if u still have ur card they just reload it but if u lost it or its been TOO long since u used it then they send a new one. probly differ by county tho.
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Anastasia Ivanova
•THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING! Why can't they just have ONE CONSISTENT POLICY?!? Every time I call the CalWORKs office I get different answers. My benefits got discontinued last month because they claimed I didn't turn in my SAR7 (I DID and have proof I uploaded it to BenefitsCal) and I've been calling for TWO WEEKS with no response. Now I have to reapply all over again and I'm scared I'll lose my apartment. The whole system is broken!!!
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Sean Murphy
ive had to reapply 3 times in the last 2 years and they always just reactivated my old card, never had to get a new one. but make sure you tell them during your interview that you still have your card. i think if its been more than a year they might issue a new one. also they might make you wait the full 30 days for approval since you voluntarily closed your case before, just fyi.
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StarStrider
•That's not accurate about the 30 days. Since OP was laid off (not voluntary quit) and has a housing emergency, they should qualify for expedited processing. The county is required to process applications with immediate need within 3 working days if you request it. You need to specifically ask for "immediate need" payment during your interview and explain your rent situation. They can issue emergency Cash Aid even before your full application is processed. Make sure to have documentation of your layoff and current rent situation. Also, regarding the EBT card - if your case closed within the last 12 months, they almost always reuse the same card. If you can't wait for your interview, call the EBT customer service number and check if your card is still active. If it says your card is active (even with $0 balance), that means your account is still open and they'll use the same card.
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Zara Malik
i had something similar happen last year but it was with calfresh not calworks. anyway my old card still worked but i had to wait almost 2 weeks after approval for the money to load on it. hopefully yours is faster since you need rent money!
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Anastasia Ivanova
Have you been able to reach anyone by phone? I've been calling my county office for THREE DAYS and can't get through - keeps saying "all representatives are busy" and then disconnects me after 45 minutes on hold! So frustrating when you need answers quickly about your benefits.
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Omar Zaki
•Try using Claimyr.com - it's the only way I can ever get through to my CalWORKs worker these days. They basically hold your place in the phone queue and call you back when a real person answers. Saved me hours of waiting on hold. Check out their demo video at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE to see how it works. I used it last month when I needed to confirm my WTW hours and got through in about 20 minutes instead of waiting forever.
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Diego Flores
u got ur interview already???!! i reapplied 2 weeks ago and still waiting for them to call me. did u do something special??
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Freya Larsen
•I didn't do anything special, just applied through BenefitsCal and got an email with my interview appointment the next day. Maybe it's different in your county? I'm in Los Angeles County.
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GalacticGladiator
To answer your question about timing - if you're approved at your interview (which often happens with reapplications), benefits typically load onto your EBT card within 2-3 business days. However, if you request an immediate need payment during your interview due to your rent situation, they can sometimes issue emergency funds the same day. Make sure to bring these documents to your interview: 1. ID 2. Final paystub showing termination 3. Any layoff notice or unemployment application 4. Current rent agreement/statement 5. Bank statements showing your current financial situation Let them know exactly when your rent is due and that you're facing possible eviction. This should qualify you for expedited processing.
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Freya Larsen
•Thank you! This is super helpful. I'll bring all those documents and definitely ask about immediate need payment. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly.
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Emma Morales
Hey! I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago. My old EBT card worked fine - they just reloaded it once I was approved. The key thing is to mention during your interview that you still have your card and that you need immediate help with rent. Since you were laid off (not voluntary quit) and have a housing emergency, you should definitely qualify for expedited processing. Don't be afraid to really emphasize how urgent your situation is - they can issue emergency cash aid sometimes within 24-48 hours if you make it clear you're about to lose housing. Also, call the EBT customer service number on the back of your card right now to check if your account is still active. If it says active (even with $0), that confirms they'll use the same card. Good luck with your interview!
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Giovanni Greco
•This is really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the same thing! I'm definitely going to call the EBT customer service number today to check if my account is still active. That's a great tip about the 24-48 hour emergency cash aid - I had no idea that was even possible. I'll make sure to really stress the urgency of my rent situation during the interview. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
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NebulaKnight
Just wanted to add that when you call the EBT customer service number, if your account shows as "active" but with a zero balance, that's actually a good sign - it means your case worker will just reload benefits onto your existing card once you're approved. But if it says "inactive" or "closed," then you'll probably need to wait for a new card to be mailed. Also, since your interview is Tuesday and rent is due Friday, make sure to explicitly say "I am requesting immediate need assistance due to housing emergency" during your interview. Those exact words can trigger faster processing. Some counties can even do same-day emergency payments if you have all your documents ready and clearly explain the timeline. Don't just mention it in passing - really emphasize that you need help before Friday to avoid eviction. Your situation sounds like a textbook case for expedited benefits since you were involuntarily terminated and have immediate housing needs. Stay positive!
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Giovanni Martello
•This is such helpful advice! I never knew those specific words ("immediate need assistance due to housing emergency") could make such a difference in processing speed. I'm definitely going to write that down and use exactly that phrase during my interview. It's good to know that same-day emergency payments are actually possible - gives me hope that I might be able to get something before my rent is due Friday. I'll call the EBT number today to check my account status and make sure I have all my layoff documentation organized. Thanks for taking the time to explain all of this!
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Anastasia Sokolov
I just went through this same situation last month! Your old EBT card should work fine - they'll just reload it once you're approved. Since it's only been 3 months, your account is probably still active even with a $0 balance. Given your tight timeline with rent due Friday and interview Tuesday, make sure to specifically ask for "expedited processing due to immediate housing need" during your interview. Bring documentation of your layoff and current rent situation. Some counties can issue emergency cash within 1-2 business days for urgent housing situations like yours. You can also call the EBT customer service number on your card right now to confirm your account status - if it shows "active" you're good to go with the same card!
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