What happens after submitting SAR7? Does CalWORKs worker call you or just process silently?

If everything on your SAR7 is complete and you included all required verification (pay stubs, etc.), your worker will just process it without contacting you. You'll get a Notice of Action in the mail confirming your benefit amount for the next 6 months.They only call if something is missing or if they need clarification on something you reported. No news is good news when it comes to SAR7 processing! Regarding your rent increase - you did the right thing by not reporting it on the SAR7. Rent changes don't affect your CalWORKs cash amount (unless you're getting homeless assistance). The only things you MUST report between SAR7s are:1. Income goes over your Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) 2. Address changes3. Someone moves in/out of your home4. Fleeing felon statusYour benefits should continue without interruption as long as your SAR7 was complete.

Thank you!! That makes me feel so much better. I didn't realize they wouldn't call if everything was okay - I've been checking my phone constantly lol. I was worried about the rent increase because I thought maybe they'd increase my grant amount to help cover it, but sounds like that's not how it works. Thanks for explaining what needs to be reported between SAR7s - that's super helpful!

LOL they NEVER call if things r good, only if u messed something up!!! i never hear from my worker unless i forgot to sign something or didnt send a paystub. thats how u know ur good, when u DONT hear from them haha. but u can always call ur worker if ur worried, thats what there their for

This is so true! I've been on CalWORKs for 3 years now and I literally only hear from my worker when there's a problem. I used to get stressed about it but now I'm like, no news = everything's fine! 😂 OP, just check BenefitsCal in a week or so, you should see your next month's payment listed there if everything went through okay.

Not to scare you, but my experience has been completely different than what others are saying. In my county (Los Angeles), workers are SUPPOSED to process SAR7s without calling if everything is complete, but the reality is they often don't process them at all until the last minute - even when everything is perfect! I've had my benefits stopped THREE TIMES despite sending in perfect SAR7s with all verification because my worker \

I agree with this 100%!!! I never trust them to process anything correctly. I always call to confirm they got my SAR7 and then call AGAIN a week later to make sure it was processed. My county office is so disorganized they've \

Everybody's giving different answers because it actually depends on your county AND your specific worker. Some counties have good tracking systems and efficient workers, others are a mess.When I submit my SAR7, I ALWAYS call my worker about 3-4 days later to confirm they received it. Then I ask them directly: \

Thank you for the suggestion! The county office here is IMPOSSIBLE to get through to by phone. I'll check out that service if I don't hear anything in the next week. It's so stressful not knowing if my paperwork is being processed correctly.

I submit my SAR7 online through BenefitsCal.com now instead of mailing it. When you do it that way, you get a confirmation number immediately and can upload all your verification documents right there. Then you can actually see the status change to

I had no idea you could submit the SAR7 online! That would definitely make things easier. I'm going to create an account on BenefitsCal right now so I'll be ready for next time. Thanks for the tip!

My last worker was amazing and would actually call me to let me know she received my SAR7, but then she retired and my new worker never calls about anything. I found out later that the first worker was going above and beyond - they're not actually required to call if everything is fine.One thing to watch for: check your mail carefully for the next couple weeks. If there's any problem with your SAR7, they'll send you a form called \

what county r u in? each county does stuff different. in sacramento they never call just send letters. my friend in SF says her worker sometimes texts her which is crazy! wish mine would do that lol

I'm in Alameda County. My old worker would call sometimes but like other people are saying, it was usually when something was wrong. That makes sense they all handle things differently by county. Texting would be amazing though!

u should definitely check ur EBT account in about a week!!! if ur benefits are still coming thru it means they processed it fine. if nothing shows up for next month then PANIC and start calling like crazy!!! thats how i always know if theres a problem lol. also the BenefitsCal website will show if ur case is active or discontinued

To directly answer your question - NO, your case worker will NOT call you if everything on your SAR7 is fine. They will only contact you if there's a problem.BUT - and this is a big but - that doesn't mean your SAR7 is actually being processed correctly. The sad reality of our broken system is that CalWORKs workers are so overwhelmed with cases that things fall through the cracks ALL THE TIME.I always recommend taking these steps after submitting your SAR7:1. Wait 5-7 business days (so they have time to receive and scan it)2. Call your worker to confirm receipt (be prepared to call multiple times)3. Specifically ask if anything is missing or unclear4. Ask when you can expect it to be processed5. Get your worker's name and write down the date/time of your call6. If you can't reach anyone by phone after several attempts, visit the office in personIt sucks that we have to be so proactive, but I've seen too many people lose benefits because they trusted the system to work properly. It often doesn't.

I'm new to CalWORKs (just started my application process last month) and this thread is so helpful! I had no idea about the SAR7 form or that you could submit it online through BenefitsCal. Reading everyone's experiences makes me realize I should probably be more proactive about staying on top of things rather than just assuming everything will work smoothly. @Mei Liu your step-by-step advice is really practical - I'm going to save that for when I get to my first SAR7. It's kind of scary that the system is so inconsistent between counties and workers, but at least now I know what to expect. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences!

@Andre Rousseau - I'm in Alameda County too! Just wanted to share that my experience there has been pretty good overall. Most of the time they do process SAR7s without calling if everything is complete, but I've learned to be proactive just in case. Since you mentioned your worker is new to you, I'd suggest calling the main office number and asking to speak with your worker just to introduce yourself. Even if it goes to voicemail, leave a message saying you submitted your SAR7 on [date] and wanted to confirm they received it. That way you have a record of trying to contact them. Also, definitely set up that BenefitsCal online account like @Giovanni Conti suggested - it's a game changer for tracking your case status. You can see when documents are received and processed, which gives you so much peace of mind. One more tip for Alameda County specifically - if you can't reach your worker by phone, try calling the main number and asking to speak with a supervisor. They're usually more responsive and can check on your SAR7 status right away. Hope this helps and good luck finishing school!

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who's been on CalWORKs for about 8 months now. The anxiety after submitting your SAR7 is SO real - I remember pacing around my apartment for days after my first one! What I've learned is that it really does vary by county and worker, but here's what has helped me manage the stress: I keep a simple log in my phone of when I submit things and any follow-up I do. That way if there's ever an issue, I have dates and details ready. Also, don't feel bad about calling to check on your SAR7 status! Your benefits are essential and you have every right to make sure things are being processed correctly. Some workers might act annoyed, but honestly, the squeaky wheel gets the grease in this system. One last thing - since you mentioned you're in school, make sure you're aware of the time limits and work requirements. Sometimes the rules change and they don't always communicate it clearly. Staying informed through communities like this one has been a lifesaver for me. You've got this! 💪

As someone who's been navigating CalWORKs for over two years, I can tell you that the waiting period after submitting your SAR7 is always nerve-wracking! The good news is that if you triple-checked everything and included all your pay stubs like you said, you're probably in good shape. Here's what typically happens: Your SAR7 gets processed within 10-15 business days, and if everything is complete, you'll just receive a Notice of Action in the mail confirming your benefits for the next 6 months. No phone call needed - which honestly used to confuse me too because I expected more communication! Since you're in Alameda County (saw your other comment), I'd recommend calling the main office number in about a week if you want peace of mind. The staff there has been pretty helpful in my experience. You can also check your EBT balance around the usual deposit date - if your next month's benefits show up on schedule, that's a good sign everything went through smoothly. And don't worry about the rent increase - you handled that correctly by not reporting it on the SAR7. CalWORKs grant amounts are based on family size, not housing costs, so rent changes don't affect your cash aid amount. Good luck finishing school! It's tough juggling everything but you're doing great by staying on top of your reporting requirements. 👍

Hey Andre! I'm pretty new to CalWORKs myself (been on it about 4 months) and I totally get the anxiety about not knowing what happens after you submit your SAR7. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful - it sounds like the main thing is that no news is actually good news, which is the opposite of what I would have expected! I'm also in school (finishing my nursing prerequisites) so I really relate to trying to balance everything while depending on these benefits. It's encouraging to see other people making it work. One thing I learned from my first SAR7 experience is to take a screenshot or photo of everything before I mail it in - that way I have a record of exactly what I sent if any questions come up later. Definitely sounds like setting up that BenefitsCal online account is the way to go for next time. I've been putting it off but after reading about being able to track the status and get confirmation numbers, I'm going to do it today. Good luck with school and I hope your SAR7 processes smoothly! 📚

I've been on CalWORKs for about 6 months now and I remember having this exact same anxiety after my first SAR7! The waiting and not knowing is honestly the worst part. What really helped me was creating a little calendar reminder to check my BenefitsCal account and EBT balance about 10 days after submitting - that way I wasn't obsessively checking every day but still stayed on top of it. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier is that you can actually call the county office and ask them to confirm they received your mailed SAR7 without having to talk to your specific worker. Just ask for "document verification" and give them your case number. They can usually tell you right away if it's in their system. Since you mentioned this is only your second SAR7, you're still learning the rhythm of how this all works. It gets less stressful once you realize that the system, while flawed, does generally work if you submit everything correctly. The fact that you triple-checked and included all your pay stubs sounds like you did everything right! Also wanted to say good for you for working part-time while finishing school - that's not easy to balance but you're investing in your future. Keep up the good work! 🎓