Hey Ellie! I just wanted to jump in and say how much I appreciate you asking this question because I'm in almost the exact same situation. I just got approved for CalWORKs too and was completely confused about the payment schedule. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the case number system or that payments could come early if the date falls on a weekend. I'm also dealing with rent timing issues since my payment will come on the 9th but my rent is due on the 1st. All the suggestions here about talking to landlords, setting up automatic bill pay, and using the BenefitsCal app are exactly what I needed to hear. It's such a relief to know I'm not the only one feeling overwhelmed by all the different rules and schedules. Thanks for being brave enough to ask the question that so many of us newbies needed answered!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm also new to CalWORKs and had no idea about the payment schedule being based on your case number. I've been stressing about when my money would come in each month. One thing I learned from my worker that might help others is that you can also call the CalWORKs Information Line at 1-877-847-3663 to get basic info about your payment dates and case status without having to wait on hold for your specific worker. They can't make changes to your case, but they can at least confirm when your next payment should hit if you're ever unsure. Also, if anyone is struggling with the timing like the original poster, some food banks and community centers offer small emergency cash assistance or gift cards that can help bridge the gap between payment dates - it's worth asking around in your local community!

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm also new to CalWORKs and had never heard about the 6AM restriction until stumbling across this discussion. It's honestly mind-blowing that something this important for employment isn't explained during the initial process. I just accepted a position at a local gym that opens at 5:00am, and now I'm realizing I could have had a major problem if I hadn't read everyone's experiences here first. The fact that so many people have almost lost jobs or missed opportunities because of this undisclosed policy is really unacceptable. I'm definitely going to implement the Sunday evening withdrawal strategy and ask my caseworker about transportation vouchers at my next appointment. It sounds like being specific about what resources we need is key, since they apparently don't volunteer this information otherwise. Thank you everyone for sharing both the struggles and the practical solutions. This community is providing better guidance than any official channel I've encountered so far. It's sad that we have to figure out these workarounds on our own, but I'm grateful we have each other to navigate these challenges together!

I'm also new to CalWORKs and this whole thread has been absolutely eye-opening! I had no clue about the 6AM restriction and honestly feel frustrated that this wasn't explained during my orientation. I'm currently job hunting and several positions I've looked at start before 6AM - thank goodness I found this discussion before accepting something that could have created immediate problems. It's really troubling how many experienced recipients are learning about available resources like transportation vouchers and emergency assistance for the first time here. Makes me wonder what else we're not being told about! I'm definitely going to my next appointment prepared with a list of specific questions instead of just waiting for my worker to volunteer information. The practical solutions everyone has shared are incredibly helpful - especially the Sunday evening withdrawal strategy and getting transportation barriers documented. It's unfortunate we have to be this strategic just to navigate basic policies, but this community support is invaluable when the official system falls short on communication. Thanks to everyone for sharing your real experiences!

I'm new to this community and just went through this exact situation! Want to share what worked for me - I created a simple spreadsheet to track both my EDD payments and CalWORKs reporting. I have columns for: EDD payment date, amount received, which SAR7 period it falls into, and whether I've reported it yet. This has been a lifesaver for staying organized! Also, something I learned the hard way - if you get any retroactive EDD payments (like if there was a delay in processing), those count as income in the month you actually receive them, not the original benefit period. Make sure to report those right away since they can be large amounts that might put you over your IRT. One more tip - keep your EDD debit card statements too, not just screenshots. Having multiple forms of documentation has saved me when my worker questioned the timing of certain payments. Everyone's advice here about being completely transparent is so important - it's better to over-communicate than risk compliance issues!

This thread has been incredibly informative! I'm new to this community and currently receiving CalWORKs for my family. I haven't had to deal with EDD yet, but reading through everyone's experiences has given me such valuable insight into what to expect if I ever need unemployment benefits. The complexity of coordinating between these two programs is honestly overwhelming, but seeing how supportive and knowledgeable this community is gives me confidence that there are resources and people to help navigate these challenges. I'm definitely bookmarking this discussion for future reference and will be sure to follow all the advice about detailed record-keeping and transparent reporting. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's clear that helping each other understand these complicated systems is so important for protecting our benefits and avoiding costly mistakes!

I'm new to this community but your situation is almost exactly what I'm going through right now! I reported an income increase through BenefitsCal about 12 days ago when I started a position that bumped me from $2,200 to $3,900 monthly, and like you, my benefits loaded yesterday while I'm still waiting to hear from my worker. Reading through all these responses has been so reassuring - it's clear you did everything perfectly by reporting immediately within that 10-day window. That timely reporting is what protects you from overpayment issues, and the consistent message from everyone who's been through this recently is that benefits loaded after your proper report are safe to use until you get that official Notice of Action. Your income jump and family size sound very similar to what others have shared who ended up losing CalWORKs Cash Aid but keeping reduced CalFresh benefits. The 2-4 week processing time seems to be standard based on everyone's experiences, which is frustrating but at least we know what to expect. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr callback service someone mentioned since the regular phone lines have been impossible to get through. It would be nice to get direct confirmation from our workers even though everything points to us being protected by proper reporting. Congratulations on your new job! It's easy to get caught up in the stress of benefit changes, but doubling your income is a huge accomplishment toward financial stability. We're both moving in the right direction even if the transition feels overwhelming. Keep those screenshots and don't stress about using what's on your card - you followed all the rules perfectly!

I'm new to this community but your situation really resonates with me! I just went through something very similar about 6 weeks ago when my income increased from $1,800 to $3,200 after starting a new job. Like you, I reported immediately through BenefitsCal and then got really anxious when my benefits loaded while I was still waiting to hear back. Everything everyone is telling you here is absolutely correct - you did the right thing by reporting within that 10-day window, and that timely reporting protects you from overpayment issues. The benefits that loaded after your report are yours to use until you get an official Notice of Action letter. I know the waiting is nerve-wracking (it took about 3 weeks for me to hear back), but you can use those benefits with complete confidence. With your income going from $1,900 to $3,800 for a family of 3, you'll likely lose CalWORKs Cash Aid like I did, but you might still qualify for reduced CalFresh benefits since they calculate differently and consider various deductions. The county worker who posted here confirmed what my worker told me - when you report timely and benefits load after that report, you're protected. Keep that screenshot of your BenefitsCal submission safe and don't let the waiting period stress you out too much. You followed all the rules perfectly! And huge congratulations on your new job - doubling your income is an amazing accomplishment toward financial independence, even if navigating these benefit changes feels overwhelming right now. You're definitely moving in the right direction!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! The same thing happened to my neighbor last year - her benefits dropped from $400 to $31 overnight with no explanation. It turned out the county had flagged her case for review because she reported working some temp jobs, but they never sent her the paperwork requesting additional verification. One thing that might help while you're waiting to reach your worker - check your BenefitsCal account online to see if there are any pending requests or notices you might have missed. Sometimes they post things there even if the mail doesn't reach you properly after an address change. Also, if you're really struggling to make rent next week, you might want to call 211 or check with local churches/community centers for emergency rental assistance while you sort this out with CalWORKs. Many places have one-time help available for situations exactly like this. Good luck - I really hope you get answers soon!

I'm so glad you found the missing notice on BenefitsCal! That's probably exactly what caused your benefit drop. When they request updated verification and don't receive it by the deadline, they automatically reduce benefits to the minimum amount until you provide the documents. Once you upload those pay stubs, your benefits should be restored pretty quickly - usually within a few days to a week. Make sure to upload everything they're asking for in one go so you don't have any more delays. For future reference, definitely check your BenefitsCal account regularly, especially after moving or changing jobs. The mail system isn't always reliable, but they almost always post notices online too. You can also sign up for email notifications in your account settings so you get alerts when new documents are posted. Hope this gets resolved fast for you! And definitely look into that emergency rental assistance as a backup plan just in case.