CalWORKs renewal interview automation is TORTURE - stuck in phone loop for 2 hours

I feel your frustration! The CalWORKs phone system is designed to make people give up. Here's what worked for me - call exactly at 8:00 AM when they open. Like, be dialing at 7:59. The queue fills up FAST. Also, you can request a specific interview time by submitting a message through BenefitsCal if your son has an account set up there. Under 'Contact Us' there's an option to request a callback appointment instead of waiting on hold. Make sure your son has all his verification docs ready before the interview - pay stubs, rent receipt, utility bills, school enrollment if applicable. The worker will need those for the SAWS 2 recertification. Good luck!

the recordings are SO ANNOYING!! i just mash 0 over and over again sometimes it works to get a human faster lol

omg i had the EXACT same problem last month!!! sat on hold for literally 3.5 hours one day trying to do my renewal interview. ended up getting discontinued and had to reapply all over again which was a NIGHTMARE with my 3 kids. took almost 3 weeks to get benefits back. the whole system is designed to make us fail i swear

I had this same issue with my daughter's renewal. The recordings are unnecessarily long and the wait times are insane. After struggling with the phone system for days, I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to a CalWORKs worker in about 20 minutes instead of hours. They basically wait on hold for you and call you when a real person picks up. Saved me so much stress! You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE or check their website claimyr.com. Before finding that, I tried going in person to the county office but they just told me to call the same number I had been struggling with. Apparently some counties have specific worker direct lines, but mine didn't offer that option.

Try contacting your son's assigned caseworker directly if you know who that is. Sometimes they have direct extensions that bypass the main queue. Also, if your son has a learning disability, he might qualify for a WTW exemption or accommodations if he hasn't already applied for those. The county should be providing reasonable accommodations for his disability during the renewal process too, including offering alternative interview methods.

@user6 - It's not free but it wasn't expensive considering it saved me from losing a full day's pay waiting on hold. I was skeptical too but it actually works. They don't keep any of your CalWORKs info or anything, they just connect the call. Way cheaper than losing my benefits or missing work to sit on hold for 4 hours.

The whole system is designed to discourage people from getting the help they need. The county gets rewarded for REDUCING their caseloads, not for HELPING people. 😡 That's why they make the process so complicated and frustrating. I bet half the people who get cut off just give up rather than go through the nightmare of reapplying. If you can't get through on the phone, try sending an email through BenefitsCal explaining the situation. Sometimes they'll see it's not your fault and give an extension. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING - take screenshots of how long you've been waiting, write down times you called. If they try to discontinue him for 'missed interview' when you've been trying, you can file for a fair hearing.

Since your son has a learning disability, you should request a reasonable accommodation under ADA. Call the county's Civil Rights Liaison (every county has one) and explain that the automated system is a barrier for someone with his disability. They should offer alternatives like an in-person interview or a scheduled call with a specific worker. Also, since his renewal deadline is so close, request a 'good cause' extension due to county accessibility issues. Make sure to mention you've been trying repeatedly to complete the interview requirement. Finally, if his benefits do get cut off despite your efforts, immediately request a State Fair Hearing. You have 90 days to request it, and if you request it within 10 days of the notice of action, his benefits can continue pending the hearing decision.

Did you ever get through? If you're still having trouble, you might try going to a local community organization that helps with benefits. Places like legal aid societies or community action agencies often have direct contacts at the county and can help facilitate the interview process, especially for people with disabilities who should receive accommodations.