CalWORKs redetermination stuck in limbo for 6 weeks - supervisor approval delay?

omg same!!!! been waiting since feb 3 for my redetermination. every tim i call they just say "its pending" and hang up basically. my worker neve answers direct line. its like they dont care we have bills??!! already had notice from landlord because rent is late

There's actually a 30-day processing timeframe that DPSS should follow for redeterminations, but yes, they are experiencing major backlogs right now. The supervisor approval step shouldn't take more than 1-2 days normally, so something else is happening. Three things you should do immediately: 1. Request a case status update in writing through your BenefitsCal account - document everything 2. Ask specifically if there are any missing verification documents they need 3. If your benefits get discontinued despite submitting on time, immediately request a fair hearing to protect your right to aid-paid-pending You have rights during this process! They should have given you conditional approval if they verified your eligibility but are just waiting on supervisor review.

supervisor approvals r taking FOREVER right now. i heard they lost a bunch of staff and the ones left r drowning in cases. my cousin works for the county (not calworks but different dept) and says ALL county offices are behind on everything wouldnt hurt to ask for a case manager change if its been that long. sometimes ur file just sits on someones desk and they forget about it

I was stuck in a similar situation last month with my redetermination. After calling every day for two weeks and getting nowhere, I tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual CalWORKs worker instead of the general call center. They had my case updated within hours after I finally reached someone who could actually help. Their service calls the county for you and connects you when a human answers, so you don't waste hours on hold. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE When I finally got through, I found out my case was actually missing one verification document they never told me about, and once I submitted it that day, my redetermination was approved the next day.

When this happened to me they were waiting for income verification from my employer that they never actually requested!!! Check if there's something missing they forgot to tell you about. You have the right to see exactly what's in your case file and what they're waiting for. Also, did you submit through BenefitsCal or paper forms? They lose the paper ones sometimes. The electronic submissions through BenefitsCal are documented better and harder for them to claim they never received.

This is just how DPSS operates now. They're TERRIBLE with redeterminations. My cash aid was cut off for 2 months even though I submitted everything on time. They finally fixed it and gave me retroactive payments, but not until after I got an eviction notice and had my utilities shut off. The system is broken.

Just to add some important info: if your benefits do get discontinued due to their processing delays, make sure you request a fair hearing within 90 days AND specify that you want "aid paid pending" the hearing decision. Since you submitted your redetermination packet on time, you're entitled to continued benefits while they sort this out. Also, if you're having trouble reaching someone by phone, try sending a secure message through your BenefitsCal account specifically asking: 1. The exact status of your redetermination 2. Any outstanding documents needed 3. The name of your assigned eligibility worker and their direct number 4. The expected timeline for completion Put "URGENT - RISK OF EVICTION" in the subject line.

Update: I called using the advice from others here and FINALLY got through to someone helpful. Turns out they were missing a school attendance verification for my teenager even though I included it in my original packet! They just overlooked it. The worker was able to note it in my file and said the supervisor should approve it within 48 hours. She also said they'll backdate my benefits to when they should have started. Sometimes it really is just about getting to the right person who will actually look at your file instead of giving you the standard response.

Wow, this is so frustrating but unfortunately not surprising. I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - submitted my redetermination in early February and still waiting on "supervisor approval" too. The lack of communication is the worst part. One thing that helped me was documenting every single phone call I made (date, time, who I spoke to, what they said). When I finally got through to someone who could help, having that record made them take my case more seriously. Also, if you haven't already, try calling first thing in the morning right when they open (8 AM). I've had better luck getting through to actual caseworkers instead of just the screening line. The afternoon calls always seem to go nowhere. Keep pushing - you shouldn't have to stress about rent because they can't do their job properly. Hoping you get some movement on your case soon!

This thread is exactly what I needed to see! I'm going through the same nightmare right now - submitted my redetermination in late January and it's been "pending supervisor approval" for over a month. The stress is killing me because my rent is due and I have no idea when (or if) my benefits will come through. Reading everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key is persistence and getting to the right person who will actually look at your case. I'm going to try the 8 AM calling strategy and also send that urgent message through BenefitsCal like Admin_Masters suggested. One question - has anyone had luck going directly to their local DPSS office and asking to speak with a supervisor in person? I'm wondering if showing up physically might get better results than endless phone calls. At this point I'm willing to camp out there if that's what it takes! Thanks to everyone sharing their stories and advice. It helps to know we're not alone in dealing with this broken system.

This is absolutely ridiculous - I'm dealing with the exact same situation! Filed my redetermination on January 20th and it's been "pending supervisor approval" for over 5 weeks now. Every single call I make, they tell me the same thing about emailing the supervisor. What really gets me is that they act like WE'RE the problem for calling to check on OUR benefits that we need to survive. I've already had to borrow money from family twice to cover rent because of their delays. Has anyone tried contacting their state assembly member's office? I heard they sometimes have staff who can help with CalWORKs issues when the regular system fails. At this point I'm ready to try anything because the stress of not knowing when (or if) my benefits will come through is affecting my health and my kids are asking why we can't buy groceries like normal. The fact that so many of us are going through this exact same thing shows this isn't just individual case problems - there's clearly something systemically broken with their redetermination process right now.

I'm so sorry you're all going through this - reading everyone's experiences makes me realize how widespread this problem really is. I submitted my redetermination back in mid-January too and I'm still waiting on the same "supervisor approval" runaround. What's really helped me is keeping a detailed log of every interaction like Natalie mentioned. I also discovered that if you ask the phone representative for their employee ID number and the exact date/time they claim they sent the supervisor email, they sometimes actually follow up more quickly. It's like they realize someone is paying attention to their specific actions. I'm definitely going to try the assembly member route that Ravi suggested - I had no idea that was even an option! It's absolutely ridiculous that we need political intervention just to get our legally entitled benefits processed in a reasonable timeframe. For anyone else reading this thread, don't give up. Document everything, call early in the morning, and use every resource available including fair hearings and assembly member offices. We shouldn't have to fight this hard for basic survival assistance, but unfortunately that's the reality right now.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my redetermination on February 1st and it's been "pending supervisor approval" for 3+ weeks. The frustrating part is that nothing has changed in my situation - same job, same income, same housing - yet they're acting like it's some complex case that needs extensive review. I've been calling every few days and getting the same scripted response about "we've sent an email to the supervisor." When I asked to speak directly to a supervisor, they said supervisors don't take calls from clients and only communicate through the caseworkers. It feels like they're deliberately making this process as difficult as possible. My biggest worry is that they'll let it drag on until the deadline passes and then claim I didn't complete my redetermination on time, even though I submitted everything weeks ago. Has anyone had their benefits actually discontinued due to processing delays, and if so, were you able to get them reinstated retroactively? The stress of not knowing when my next payment will come is honestly worse than just being denied - at least then I'd know where I stand and could make other arrangements. This limbo is killing me financially and emotionally.

This entire thread is both infuriating and validating - I thought I was going crazy dealing with this exact same situation! Filed my redetermination on January 28th and I'm now on week 7 of the "supervisor approval" delay. What really bothers me is how they make it sound like supervisor approval is just a quick rubber stamp, but clearly something is seriously broken in their system if dozens of us are all stuck at this same bottleneck for months. I've started wondering if there even IS a supervisor reviewing these cases or if they're just buying time hoping we'll give up. The financial stress is unbearable - I've already had to use my security deposit money for rent and I'm terrified about what happens next month. My caseworker won't return calls and the general line just keeps giving me the same scripted responses. I'm definitely going to try the assembly member route and the 8 AM calling strategy that others mentioned. It shouldn't take a village and political intervention to get basic benefits processed, but here we are. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - it helps knowing we're not alone in this nightmare. Has anyone kept track of how long their case ultimately took once they got past the supervisor approval step? I'm trying to mentally prepare for how much longer this might drag on.

This is absolutely outrageous! I just joined this community after searching desperately for help with my own redetermination nightmare. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm shocked at how widespread this "supervisor approval" delay problem really is. I submitted my CalWORKs redetermination on February 12th and I'm going on 6 weeks of the same exact runaround - "we sent an email to the supervisor" every single time I call. Meanwhile, I'm behind on utilities and my kids are asking why we can't go grocery shopping like we used to. What really gets me is that they act like WE'RE being unreasonable for wanting updates on OUR benefits that we depend on to survive. The lack of transparency is infuriating - we can't talk to supervisors directly, we can't get real timelines, and we're just supposed to sit in limbo indefinitely while they "process" cases that should be straightforward renewals. I'm going to try every single strategy mentioned here - the 8 AM calls, assembly member contact, documenting employee IDs, urgent BenefitsCal messages, everything. It's insane that it takes a community support group to figure out how to navigate what should be basic government services. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and solutions. At least now I know I'm not alone and there ARE ways to fight back against this broken system!