SAR7 submitted late & incomplete - waiting on social worker decision for CalWORKs benefits

This happened to me last quarter! My SAR7 was late cos my hours at work changed and I didn't have all my paystubs ready. When you submit late, they have to review it instead of just accepting it over the phone. The 3 days is normal wait time for the worker to look at it. You should be okay as long as you submitted everything they asked for!

When a SAR7 is submitted late AND incomplete, the county worker has to do a manual review rather than being able to process it immediately. The 3-day timeline is standard for CalWORKs eligibility reviews. If you submitted all the missing documents, they should reinstate your benefits without requiring a new application, but it might not be immediate. If you were already discontinued (check BenefitsCal portal), they'll need to do a "rescind discontinuance" action, which is why it takes a few days. The important thing is that you got all the documents in - even with late SAR7s, they typically restore benefits back to the original date if you submit within 30 days of discontinuance.

wats ur county? in LA they cut me off right away when my sar7 was late and made me do a whole new application!!!!! had to wait like 30 days to get benefits back. the system sucks they dont care if ur kids need food

I work with CalWORKs clients regularly, and here's what's happening: The receptionist probably isn't authorized to process your SAR7 since it was both late and incomplete. Only your assigned eligibility worker can make the determination to accept the late report. The 3-day timeline is accurate - they need to review your complete circumstances, including why the report was late. Just to make sure everything goes smoothly, I recommend calling your worker directly tomorrow to confirm they received your documents. The county offices are extremely busy right now with the quarterly reporting period, so following up is important. Make sure to document the name of anyone you speak with and the time of your call.

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to your CalWORKs worker? I was in a similar situation with my SAR7 last month and couldn't get past the automated system for days. Found this service at claimyr.com that got me through to a real person in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE. Totally worth it because I got my issue resolved that same day instead of waiting and stressing for days.

omg they always do this!!! say theyll give u an answer in 3 days but then it takes like 2 weeks. i submitted my sar7 late in february and my benefits got cut off even tho they said theyd process it. had to go to the office in person and wait 4 hours to get it fixed. so annoying.

Just to clarify something important: even if your benefits get temporarily discontinued because of the late SAR7, once they process your complete form, they should restore benefits retroactively to the beginning of the month. You might see a gap in your EBT deposits, but you should eventually receive the full benefit amount you're eligible for. Make sure to keep documentation of when you submitted everything in case there's any dispute about timelines.

Did they tell you WHY the SAR7 was incomplete? Sometimes they mark it incomplete for really small reasons. One time they said mine was incomplete because I used blue ink instead of black ink on one signature (which is ridiculous). Another time they said I was missing proof of rent but I had included it. Always get specific details about what's missing and get the name of who you speak with. The 3-day timeline is standard but sometimes it takes longer because they're processing so many reports at once.

I'm going through something similar right now! My SAR7 was due last week and I just submitted it 2 days ago with missing documents. The stress is real when you're waiting to hear back about your benefits. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like the 3-day timeline is pretty standard when there are complications like late submission AND missing documents. I'm trying to stay positive that they'll process it correctly since you got everything in. The retroactive payment thing that Carmella mentioned gives me hope too - at least we won't lose the full month's benefits if they approve it. Keep us updated on what happens! Sending good vibes your way.

I've been through this exact situation twice! The first time I panicked just like you are now, but the 3-day review period is really standard when your SAR7 is both late and incomplete. What helped me was calling early in the morning around 8:30 AM - that's when I had the best luck actually reaching my worker instead of getting voicemail. Also, since you mentioned you got the school attendance verification and paystub submitted, that should cover what they needed. The key thing is that you got it all in relatively quickly after they told you it was incomplete. In my experience, as long as you submit the missing documents within a few days of them telling you about it, they usually process it without too much hassle. Try not to stress too much (easier said than done, I know!) - it sounds like you did everything right once you realized the issue.

I'm new to CalWORKs and this thread is super helpful for understanding the SAR7 process! I have my first SAR7 due next month and I'm already worried about making sure I get everything right. From reading everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key things are: submit on time, make sure all documents are included, and if something goes wrong, get the missing stuff in as quickly as possible. @Leeann I hope you get good news from your worker soon! It's clear from all the responses that late submissions with complete documents usually work out fine, even if there's a stressful waiting period. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this gives me a much better idea of what to expect and how to handle any issues that might come up.

I just went through this exact situation last month! My SAR7 was 5 days late and I was missing my rent verification. The 3-day review timeline they gave you is pretty standard - they can't just process it over the phone when it's both late AND incomplete because it requires supervisor approval. What really helped me was following up on day 3 if I hadn't heard anything yet. In my case, they ended up approving it and my benefits continued without any gap. The key is that you got those missing documents in quickly after they told you what was needed. Try to stay positive - from what I've seen, most people who get their paperwork in within a day or two like you did end up being fine. The waiting is definitely the hardest part though!

I'm also dealing with CalWORKs right now and this thread has been so helpful! I had a question about the BenefitsCal portal - when your case is under review like this, does it usually show any kind of status update or does it just stay as "active" until they make their decision? I've been checking mine obsessively every day but it never seems to change, even when I know they're processing something. Also, has anyone had luck with emailing their worker instead of calling? Mine has an email listed but I wasn't sure if that's actually a good way to follow up or if phone calls are better. Thanks for sharing all your experiences - it really helps those of us who are new to navigating this system!