This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! I'm currently on CalWORKs with my 8-year-old daughter and have been so scared to look for work because I thought it would just mean losing my benefits. But seeing everyone's real experiences with the earned income disregard has completely changed my understanding. The fact that the first $500 is completely disregarded and then only 50% of earnings above that counts against your grant is so much better than I imagined. And reading actual examples like earning $800 but only having $150 count against benefits makes it crystal clear that working really does put you ahead financially. I'm also inspired by hearing how many people successfully saved for cars within 6-8 months. That's exactly what I need to do - reliable transportation would open up so many more job opportunities and make everything easier with school pickups and grocery shopping. Starting my job search this week! Thank you to everyone who shared such detailed, practical advice about everything from organizing pay stubs to asking caseworkers to calculate the numbers upfront. This community support means the world to parents like me who are trying to build a better future for our families.

This has been such an amazing thread to read! I'm a newcomer to this community and currently on CalWORKs with my two young kids. Like so many others here, I was absolutely terrified that getting a part-time job would just mean losing benefits dollar-for-dollar, but reading everyone's real experiences has been incredibly eye-opening. The earned income disregard explanation with actual examples - like earning $1000 but only having $250 count against your grant - makes SO much more sense than trying to understand the confusing official paperwork. And seeing how many people have successfully saved for cars while working part-time gives me real hope for my own situation. I'm particularly grateful for all the practical tips shared here: organizing pay stubs from day one, asking caseworkers to calculate numbers upfront, starting with 15-20 hours to balance everything, and being upfront with employers about needing consistent scheduling as a single parent. These are the kinds of real-world details you just can't get from official resources. Reading about people reaching their transportation goals within 6-8 months of working has motivated me to finally start my job search. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space and sharing your experiences so openly - it's making a huge difference for parents like me who are trying to build better futures for our families!

Based on what you've shared, here's what I would do in your situation: 1. Call your worker ASAP (using Claimyr if you can't get through) and ask specifically about lump sum averaging for worker's comp settlements 2. Get documentation from your lawyer outlining what portions of the settlement are for medical expenses versus lost wages 3. Ask your doctor for updated documentation about your work limitations for your WTW exemption 4. Create a budget for how you'll handle expenses if you do lose benefits for one month 5. Report the settlement within 10 days of receiving it, but not before 6. If you have a bank account, be aware that the month after you receive the settlement, your resources will be checked to make sure you're still under the $10,000 limit The good news is that even in the worst-case scenario where you lose benefits for one month, you should be automatically reinstated the following month without having to reapply.

One more thing to consider - if your doctor has said you can't return to your old job, make sure you're also looking into vocational rehabilitation services through the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR). They can help with job training or education for work you CAN do with your injury limitations. This could be really important for your long-term financial stability since $8,500 won't last forever. Also, when you do report the settlement, ask your worker about any hardship exemptions or special circumstances that might apply since this is related to a work injury that's affecting your ability to earn income. Sometimes there are additional protections for people in situations like yours that workers don't automatically mention. Stay strong - it sounds like you're handling this the right way by asking questions and planning ahead!

I'm new to this community and wanted to add my perspective as someone who recently went through this exact situation! I was on CalFresh for about a year without reporting a small checking account that had maybe $300 when I first applied. When I became unemployed a few months ago and needed CalWORKs, I was terrified about the unreported account. After reading similar advice online, I decided to be completely transparent on my CalWORKs application. I reported ALL my accounts, including the one I hadn't mentioned for CalFresh. During my eligibility appointment, I actually asked the worker about it directly. She told me that CalFresh and CalWORKs have very different verification systems - CalWORKs uses much more comprehensive bank account checking through their Asset Verification System. She said what mattered most was being honest on my current application, and that they understand people might not have reported everything perfectly on previous applications for different programs. My account had about $650 at the time (way under the $10K limit), and I was approved without any issues. The relief I felt after being honest was incredible - so much better than the stress of trying to hide anything. Don't let past oversights prevent you from getting the help you need now. Be transparent about everything on your CalWORKs application and you should be fine!

I'm new to this community but facing almost the identical situation! I've been receiving CalFresh benefits for about 5 months and didn't report my checking account when I applied because it only had around $90 at the time and I genuinely didn't realize it needed to be reported. Now I'm unemployed and seriously considering applying for CalWORKs, but I've been really stressed about potential consequences. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief! It's incredible how many people have been in this exact same boat - it really shows how confusing the different reporting requirements can be between benefit programs. The consistent advice from everyone seems to be: be completely honest on your CalWORKs application going forward, regardless of what was reported on previous CalFresh applications. My account currently has about $675 from my last paycheck and some odd jobs, so I'm well below the $10,000 resource limit everyone's mentioning. Based on all the success stories and advice shared here, I'm going to be totally transparent about all my accounts when I apply for CalWORKs. The fact that so many county workers have been understanding about these situations when people are honest is really reassuring. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread has been incredibly valuable for those of us trying to navigate these complicated benefit systems! It's comforting to know that honesty really is the best policy and that we're not alone in dealing with these confusing requirements.

I'm also completely new to CalWORKs and just starting the childcare process! My mom agreed to watch my 5-year-old while I complete my WTW requirements. Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly helpful - honestly way more informative than the brief meeting I had with my caseworker. From everyone's experiences, it sounds like I should expect around $4-5 per hour for my mom since she'll be a license-exempt family provider getting that 70% rate. The 4-6 week wait for the first payment is definitely something I need to prepare her for, and I'm glad to know about submitting those attendance forms by the 10th of each month. One question I have - does anyone know if the hours need to be exactly the same each week, or can they vary based on your WTW schedule? My training program has some weeks with more hours than others, so I'm wondering if that affects the payment calculation or if I need to stick to a set schedule. Also, the tip about calling the childcare payment unit directly instead of trying to reach my regular caseworker is gold! I'm definitely going to try that for county-specific information. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences - this community is amazing for helping newcomers understand what to actually expect!

I'm also new to CalWORKs and just got approved for Stage One childcare! My aunt will be watching my 2-year-old and 4-year-old while I attend my WTW activities (about 22 hours per week). This thread has been absolutely invaluable - so much more detailed and helpful than anything my caseworker provided. From reading everyone's experiences, I now understand to expect that 4-6 week wait for the first payment, the 70% rate for family providers (around $4-5/hour per child), and the critical importance of submitting attendance forms by the 10th each month. I'm definitely going to try calling the childcare payment unit directly for my county's specific rates since so many people have had better luck reaching them than their regular caseworkers. One question I have - has anyone dealt with a situation where the family provider needs to occasionally have a backup person help? Sometimes my aunt has medical appointments and her adult daughter (my cousin) would watch the kids for a few hours. Do we need to get my cousin approved as a backup provider, or can my aunt still claim those hours as long as she's supervising the overall care arrangement? Also really appreciate all the tips about meal reimbursements, direct deposit setup, and keeping detailed records from day one. The practical advice from people who've actually navigated this system is exactly what us newcomers need! Thanks everyone for being so generous with sharing your real experiences.

I've been on CalWORKs for about a year now and I still get anxious every time I submit my SAR7! The waiting period is definitely nerve-wracking, but from my experience, if you included all your pay stubs and double-checked everything like you said, you should be fine. One thing that's really helped me is keeping a simple checklist of what I include each time - pay stubs for the required months, signed form, any other verification they asked for. Then I make a note in my phone of when I mailed it and set a reminder to check my BenefitsCal account in about 10 days. Your new worker probably won't call unless there's an issue - that's been my experience with 3 different workers now. The silence is actually a good sign! You should get your Notice of Action in the mail within a couple weeks if everything processes normally. Since you mentioned being in school, just wanted to say that's awesome you're working toward your education while managing all this. It's not easy but you're doing great by staying on top of your reporting requirements. The CalWORKs support really does help make it possible to focus on school. Keep it up! 📚

I've been on CalWORKs for about 8 months and I completely understand that anxiety! The waiting period after submitting your SAR7 is always stressful, especially when you have a new worker you haven't met yet. From my experience, if you triple-checked everything and included all your pay stubs like you mentioned, you're probably in great shape. Workers typically only call if something is missing or unclear - silence usually means everything is processing normally. You should receive a Notice of Action in the mail within 2-3 weeks confirming your benefits for the next period. Since you're in Alameda County, I'd suggest calling the main office in about a week just to confirm they received your SAR7 if you want peace of mind. You don't necessarily need to reach your specific worker - you can ask anyone there to verify that your document was received and scanned into the system. Also, you handled the rent increase question correctly - that doesn't need to be reported on the SAR7 since it doesn't affect your CalWORKs grant amount. Only income changes over your threshold, address changes, and household composition changes need to be reported between SAR7s. Definitely set up that BenefitsCal online account for next time - being able to submit digitally and track the status is so much less stressful than mailing and wondering! Good luck finishing school - balancing work, education and navigating CalWORKs is tough but you're doing all the right things! 📚