Confused about random CalWORKs payments - was I approved or not?

Those small payments sound like prorated benefits for a partial month. When you're approved mid-month, CalWORKs calculates your benefits based on the exact date of approval, not just giving you a full month. So if you were approved late in March, you'd get a small payment for those few remaining days, then your regular monthly amount starting April. Check your BenefitsCal Message Center - there should be a Notice of Action (NOA) explaining your approval and benefit calculation. Sometimes these take a few days to show up after payments start. The regular monthly benefit would normally hit your EBT card on the same day each month based on your case number.

ya this happened to me but i got like $76 first then my real amount after. its weird how they break it up but my worker said its cuz they approved me on like the 24th so i only got benefits for the rest of that month. u probly got approved its just confusing how they do it lol

Sometimes the system issues payments before notices go out which is SO ANNOYING!!! I would NOT spend that money yet unless you're sure you're approved. CalWORKs can come back later and say it was an error and make you pay it all back!!! I had a friend who spent her benefits and then the county said it was a mistake and she had to pay back over $800. Just be careful and keep calling until you get confirmation.

After working with the CalWORKs system for years, I can tell you these are definitely approval payments. The first payment ($100) was your prorated March benefit from your approval date through the end of March. The $120 + $20 on April 1st is likely your regular monthly grant amount, but it seems quite low. Do you have just one person on your case? The $20 cash portion is strange - typically CalWORKs is just one payment, not split like that. You should receive a Notice of Action within 10 days of approval explaining your benefit calculation. If not, you need to contact your worker to request a copy. Your regular payment will be available on the same day each month based on your case number.

had same thing happen last yr when i applied they give u partial for first month then regular amount after that. but ur amount does sound super low tbh. do u have other income? they subtract 55% of earnings from ur grant amount. also first month is always confusing af they never explain anything right

If you're having trouble reaching your CalWORKs worker (which is incredibly common!), I'd recommend trying Claimyr. It's this service that basically waits on hold with the county for you and then calls you when they reach a real person. Saved me hours of my life when I was dealing with a similar issue of random payments. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE I was in a similar situation where I got mysterious partial payments and needed to confirm my ongoing eligibility. Using Claimyr, I got through to a worker in about 20 minutes instead of calling for days with no answer.

ur amount is super low did u put that u have a job or something on ur application??? cuz they take money off if u work

Based on what you've shared, you are definitely approved for CalWORKs, but there appears to be some confusion about your benefit amount. Here's what's happening: 1. The $100 on March 31st was your prorated benefit for the partial month of March. 2. The $120 on April 1st is likely your regular monthly CalWORKs grant. 3. The separate $20 might be a special needs payment or supplement. However, $120 is unusually low for a CalWORKs grant, even for a single person. The minimum grant for one person should be around $350-400 in 2025, unless you have significant countable income. With part-time minimum wage work, your grant would be reduced, but not typically this low. Possible explanations: - They calculated your income incorrectly - They may have applied a sanction or penalty - Your case might be categorized incorrectly - Only part of your grant is being issued while they verify something You need to contact your county worker ASAP to request an explanation of your benefit calculation. Ask specifically for your "Assistance Unit Payment Calculation" which breaks down how they determined your grant amount.

The form is typically called the "CalWORKs Budget Worksheet" or "Payment Calculation Worksheet" (form number varies by county). Just ask for a copy of your benefit calculation or budget worksheet. Also request a copy of your Notice of Action (NOA) for your approval, which should have been mailed to you. One more thing - make sure you've completed all your Welfare to Work (WTW) requirements if you're not exempt. If you miss orientation or don't turn in your WTW plan, they can reduce your benefits as a sanction, which might explain the unusually low amount.

omg i NEVER get my notices either!!! the system is so broken they say they mail stuff but half the time it never comes and then they blame you! make sure you opt in for electronic notices on BenefitsCal that way you'll at least get emails when they post something new

One other thing to check - did you have an overpayment on a previous CalWORKs case? Sometimes if you owed money from before, they'll recover it by reducing your current benefits. That could explain why your grant amount seems so low.

CalFresh is a separate program and wouldn't reduce your CalWORKs amount. However, since you mentioned working part-time (15 hours at minimum wage), that's almost certainly why your grant is reduced. With the current disregard rules, they don't count the first $450 of earned income, but then they subtract 55% of your remaining earned income from your grant amount. At minimum wage (approx. $16.50 in 2025) working 15 hours weekly, you'd earn about $1,072 monthly. Minus the $450 disregard = $622. Then 55% of that is about $342. If the maximum grant for one person is around $450-500 in 2025, subtracting $342 would leave you with approximately $108-158, which aligns with the $120 you received. The separate $20 payment might be a special needs supplement or transportation allowance related to Welfare to Work activities.

Hey Omar! I went through almost the same exact thing when I first got approved. The prorated payments followed by the small regular amount had me so confused too. Just wanted to add that you should definitely keep all your pay stubs and report any changes in your work hours to your worker right away - even small changes in income can affect your grant amount. Also, once you get connected with your worker, ask about any work-related expense deductions you might be eligible for (like transportation or childcare if applicable) since those can help increase your benefit amount. The system is really confusing but it sounds like everything is working correctly for your situation!

Based on everything you've shared, it definitely sounds like you're approved! Those payment amounts make perfect sense given your work situation. Just to add to what others have said - you should get your regular monthly payment on the same date each month going forward. The date is usually based on your case number, so it might be the 1st like you got in April, or it could be a different day. One thing I'd suggest is setting up text alerts in your BenefitsCal account if you haven't already. That way you'll get notified when benefits are deposited and when new documents are posted. It's really helpful for staying on top of things when workers are hard to reach. Also, don't stress too much about the missing approval letter - sometimes the system is just slow. As long as you keep getting your monthly payments, you're good. Just make sure to complete any Welfare to Work requirements they give you and report income changes within 10 days like others mentioned.

The confusion is totally understandable - CalWORKs payment timing can be really confusing when you're new to the system! From what you've described, those payments definitely indicate you've been approved. The $100 on March 31st was your prorated benefit for the remaining days of March after your approval, and the $120 on April 1st is your regular monthly grant amount. Your benefit amount being around $120 makes sense given that you're working 15 hours per week. CalWORKs has income disregards, but they still reduce your grant based on your earnings. The $20 cash aid portion might be a separate supplement or transportation allowance. Even though you haven't received your approval letter yet, the payment pattern you're experiencing is exactly how new approvals work. Keep trying to reach your worker for confirmation and to get a copy of your benefit calculation worksheet - that will show you exactly how they arrived at your grant amount. In the meantime, you can expect your regular monthly payment to continue on the same date each month (likely the 1st based on your April payment).