When do I need to recertify for CalWORKs in Sacramento County and what documents to bring?

For your annual CalWORKs recertification in Sacramento County, you'll need to complete the SAWS 2 PLUS form (it's a longer version of the SAR7). You'll need to provide: • Proof of income (your Walmart paystubs from the last 30 days) • Rent/mortgage receipt • Utility bills • Child care receipts if you're claiming that expense • Vehicle registration if you own a car • Bank statements • Any changes in household (if someone moved in/out) You will need an interview too - they should send you the recertification packet with an appointment date, but you can also check BenefitsCal.com to see if there's information about your recertification there. Sacramento County will send this about 45 days before your certification period ends.

they always say ur gonna lose ur bennifits to scare u!! i got the same message last month. sacrameto is THE WORST for this!! they sent me my recert paperwork a week b4 it was due and then when i called to ask questions NO ONE ANSWERED FOR 3 DAYS!! had to go down there in person and wait 4 hours with my kids just to get help!!!! dont trust them to do anything right, go in person if u can.

When exactly did they say your recertification is due? Sometimes they send those messages way in advance and scare people for no reason.

I just went through recertification last month in Sacramento County. Here's what happened: 1. They mailed me the SAWS 2 PLUS form about 45 days before my certification period ended 2. I had to schedule an interview (you can do phone interviews now) 3. Before the interview, I uploaded all my documents to BenefitsCal.com 4. Had my phone interview where they verified all my info 5. Got approval letter about a week later For documents, I needed paystubs, rent receipt, utility bills, and bank statements. Since you already provided identity documents when you applied (birth certificates, Social Security cards), you don't need those again unless they specifically ask. If you haven't received your recertification packet yet, log into BenefitsCal.com to check your renewal date. Or try calling again - I know it's frustrating but sometimes you have to call right when they open at 8am to get through.

Have you guys tried Claimyr? When I had to reach Sacramento County for my CalWORKs recertification last month, I used them and they got me through to a person in about 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They basically wait on hold for you and call you when a real person answers. Really helped with my anxiety about the whole recertification process! The website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE

One more thing about CalWORKs recertification in Sacramento - if you're meeting your Welfare to Work hours through your Walmart job, make sure you have documentation of your hours worked. They'll verify you're meeting the WTW requirements during recertification. And if you're worried about timing, you can check your certification period end date by: 1. Looking at your last approval notice (it states the certification period) 2. Checking BenefitsCal.com under your case details 3. Looking at your most recent Notice of Action The county is required to give you at least 10 days to complete recertification before your benefits can be discontinued.

For your WTW hours verification, they usually want the most recent 30 days of paystubs, but it's always better to have the last 2-3 months just in case. And yes, if your certification ends 4/30/2025, they should send your recertification packet in March. You're in good shape time-wise! One thing to prepare for: during the recertification interview, they might ask if your situation has changed in any way since you last reported. Think about things like: - Has your rent changed? - Any new income or changes in your hours? - Any changes in who lives with you? - Any changes in child care arrangements? Having answers ready for these questions will make your interview go smoothly.

A $50 rent increase doesn't need to be reported mid-period unless you're requesting more homeless assistance or housing support. You can just report it during your recertification. But this is a good example of something to mention during your interview! Make sure to have your updated lease or a letter from your landlord showing the new rent amount. This might actually increase your CalWORKs grant a bit depending on your specific situation and Sacramento County's shelter deduction calculations.

Btw has anyone notice that the CalWORKs worker never seem to know the answers wen u ask them stuff?? Last time I recertified the lady told me I had to bring my kids school records but then when I got there another worker said that wasn't necessary at all and I wasted time getting all that paperwork for nothing 🙄

Hey Camila! I'm new to this community but I'm also in Sacramento County and went through my first annual recertification a few months ago. I was SO nervous too but it ended up being way less scary than I thought! Everyone here has given great advice already. One thing that really helped me was making a checklist of all the documents I needed and gathering everything early. I put everything in a folder organized by category (income, housing, utilities, etc.) so when I had my phone interview I could easily find whatever they asked for. Also wanted to add - if you're still working at Walmart, they should be able to print you a verification of employment letter if the county asks for one. I had to get one from my job and HR was super helpful about it. You got this! The fact that you're asking questions and preparing ahead of time shows you're going to do great. And it sounds like you have plenty of time since your cert doesn't end until April. 😊