CalWORKs stopped my benefits despite submitting SAR 7 verification - now can't afford groceries

omg this same thing happens to me every 6 months!!! its like they want us to fail. did u check ur online account to see if it says why they stopped it? sometimes they claim they didn't get all the papers even tho we uploaded everything

Yeah I checked my account and it just says

Unfortunately this is a really common issue with SAR 7 processing. The county systems don't always properly connect the verification documents you upload with your recertification, even when you get a confirmation. Here's what you should do right away:1. Request an expedited hearing - you have the right to challenge this discontinuance2. Ask specifically for \

Thank you for this detailed information. I didn't know about \

the same thing happend too me last month they stoped my cash aid even though i turned in the SAR 7 and i had to wait 3 weeks to get it fixed!!! try going to a food bank in the meantime thats what i had to do

3 weeks?? That's insane! I can't wait that long. My rent is due next week too. I'll look into food banks but I'm worried about the bigger bills coming up.

This situation is frustrating but unfortunately common. I work with CalWORKs recipients and there are a few technical reasons this happens:1. Sometimes the verification gets uploaded to your general document repository but doesn't get properly attached to your SAR 7 submission in their system2. If any verification was missing (even one paystub or bank statement), they can discontinue benefits without clearly communicating what's missing3. There's often a disconnect between the online system and the actual caseworkers who process documentsThe fastest solution is to reach a supervisor at your county office. When you call, make sure to explain you have children with no food and request same-day resolution. Ask specifically for a supervisor review. Your in-person submission should be in their system by now, so they should be able to resolve it quickly if you can reach the right person.

Thank you for explaining what might be happening behind the scenes. It's almost impossible to get through on the phone though - I tried calling again today and waited over an hour before being disconnected again. It feels like they're making it impossible to reach anyone.

I had this exact same issue last year and wasted days trying to get through on the county phone lines. I finally discovered a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a real CalWORKs worker in minutes instead of hours. They basically call for you and when they reach a person, they connect you. Totally saved me when my benefits were cut off incorrectly. Check out their site at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE When I finally got through, I found out they were missing ONE page of my verification even though I had submitted everything. The worker fixed it while I was on the phone and my benefits were restored the next day.

does this actually work? im tired of waiting 3 hrs just to get hung up on

Yes, it worked for me twice now. Instead of waiting for hours, I was talking to a real person within about 20 minutes both times. Made a huge difference when I was desperate to get my benefits back.

THEY PULL THIS GARBAGE ALL THE TIME!!! The system is designed to make us fail and get kicked off benefits. They WANT us to miss deadlines or get frustrated and give up. I've been on and off CalWORKs for 5 years and they pull this stunt at least once a year claiming they \

It really does feel like they're trying to push people off the program sometimes. I did tell the worker at the office today that my kids don't have food, and she just handed me a paper with local food banks. It's dehumanizing.

One thing to try immediately is to contact your county's CalWORKs ombudsperson. Every county has one, and their job is specifically to resolve problems like yours. Google \

I didn't know about the ombudsperson! That's really helpful. I'll look that up right now. And yes, I still have my EBT card - just nothing on it right now. I'll definitely ask for the case notes printout when I go back to the office tomorrow.

idk if this helps but sometimes CalFresh and CalWORKs have different offices processing the paperwork. did your CalFresh benefits get stopped too or just the cash aid? might be worth checking if you can still get food stamps even while they fix the cash aid issue

Good point! I just checked and my CalFresh is still active but it's only $275 for my family of 4 which doesn't go very far. At least it's something though. Really need that cash aid for bills coming up.

After reading all the responses, I want to add a couple more immediate action steps:1. File for a state hearing immediately - you can do this online at cdss.ca.gov or by calling 1-800-952-5253. Request \

This is so helpful. I'll file for the state hearing first thing tomorrow and contact my WTW case manager (I do have one). I've started keeping notes of everyone I talk to, so I'll continue doing that. Really hoping this gets resolved quickly.

did u make sure u reported all ur income on the SAR 7? i forgot to include some cash i made from babysitting and they cut me off for 'unreported income' even tho it was only like $80

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at the county office! Turns out they couldn't \

yay!!! so glad u got it fixed! the system is so broken its crazy

Great news! Make sure to follow up if the benefits aren't restored within the 48 hours they promised. And for future reference, when uploading documents to BenefitsCal, it's sometimes better to use the mobile app to take photos rather than scanning - their system seems to process photos better than scanned documents in many cases.