This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also in LA County and had my benefits stolen about 3 months ago. Got reimbursed in 16 days, which seems pretty typical based on what everyone is sharing here. One thing I want to add that saved me a lot of stress - when you call to check on your claim status, ask specifically if there are any "pending verifications" or documents they need from you. Sometimes they'll sit on your case waiting for something you didn't know they needed. Also, if anyone is struggling to get through on the phone, try calling right at 8am when they open - I had much better luck getting through early in the morning. The whole experience really taught me to be way more careful with my EBT card. Now I check my balance obsessively and transfer money out immediately!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! Benefit theft is unfortunately becoming more common. Based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like LA County is actually pretty responsive compared to other areas. A few things that might help while you're waiting: 1) Contact 211 (dial 2-1-1) - they often have emergency rental assistance programs that can help bridge the gap until your benefits are restored, 2) Reach out to local food banks so you're not going hungry while waiting, and 3) Definitely ask your worker about that Immediate Need request that QuantumQuest mentioned - explaining that you're facing eviction could really speed things up. Also document everything - dates, times, who you spoke with, reference numbers. If you end up needing to escalate this, having a paper trail helps. Keep your chin up - from what everyone's saying here, you will get your money back, it's just a matter of when. The system does work, even though it's frustrating how long it takes when you're in crisis mode.

Since you're pregnant, make sure you're also on WIC if you're not already. It won't replace Cash Aid, but it provides nutritional support during pregnancy and after baby arrives. Also look into the Pregnancy Special Needs payment through CalWORKs which gives you a small additional amount each month while pregnant. After reporting your change in living situation, if your benefits are reduced significantly, ask your worker about what will happen after the baby arrives. Once the baby is born, you'll need to provide verification (birth certificate, hospital documents) to add the child to your case within 10 days. At that point, the situation changes again because you and your boyfriend will share a child, which affects how they consider your household composition.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I went through something similar when I was expecting my second child. Here's what I learned from my experience: You definitely need to report the address change within 10 days - that's a firm requirement regardless of how it affects your benefits. When you call, be very specific about your living arrangement. Tell them: - You're pregnant with your boyfriend's child (due July) - Who's on the lease - Exactly how much each of you pays toward rent/utilities - That you're not married Since you're pregnant with his child, they may treat this differently than if you were just roommates. Ask specifically about: 1. The Pregnancy Special Needs payment ($47/month) 2. How they'll calculate any "in-kind income" from shared housing costs 3. What happens to your case after the baby is born One tip: if possible, try to contribute something toward the rent from your Cash Aid (even if it's just $50-100) and document it. This shows you're using your benefits for housing costs, which can sometimes work in your favor during their calculations. The rules change again once baby arrives since you'll share a child together, so ask them to explain both scenarios. Getting everything in writing helps too - workers sometimes give different info and having documentation protects you. Good luck mama! The system is confusing but being proactive and honest is always the best approach.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! I went through benefit theft about 8 months ago when someone got my card info at a sketchy ATM. The whole process is nerve-wracking, especially when you have bills due. From my experience, here's what you can expect: - CalWORKs cash benefits usually come back in 7-14 business days if your case is straightforward - CalFresh takes longer - typically 3-4 weeks - The "immediate need" payment you got is a lifesaver while waiting One thing that really helped me was keeping a detailed log of every interaction with the county office - dates, times, who I spoke with, and what they said. It made follow-up calls much easier and showed I was serious about tracking my case. Also, when you do get your benefits back, consider using your CalWORKs cash at ATMs inside banks rather than standalone ATMs - they're generally safer from skimmers. And definitely change your PIN to something completely different from what you had before. The waiting is the hardest part, but legitimate theft cases like yours do get resolved. Stay persistent but patient with the workers - they're processing a lot of these cases lately unfortunately.

I'm so sorry this happened to you! Benefit theft is becoming way too common and it's terrifying how vulnerable our accounts are. I actually work for a nonprofit that helps people navigate these situations, and here are a few things that might help: 1. If you haven't already, ask your worker for a "case tracking number" specifically for the theft investigation - this makes follow-ups much easier 2. Request email updates if possible - sometimes workers are better at sending quick status emails than answering phones 3. Keep calling every 3-4 days to check status - the squeaky wheel really does get the grease in these situations For immediate help while waiting, try: - 211 for local emergency assistance (as others mentioned) - Contact your local Community Action Agency - they often have emergency funds for situations exactly like this - If you're religious or open to it, many churches help with groceries/bills regardless of membership Also, I know this is frustrating to hear when you're already stressed, but make sure to check your credit reports too. Sometimes card skimmers get enough info to attempt other types of fraud. You can get free reports at annualcreditreport.com. Hang in there - the system is slow but you WILL get your money back. Most people I've worked with see their cash aid returned within 10-15 business days.

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone today! Turns out when I reapplied, they created a duplicate case in the system which was causing the delay. The worker I spoke with said she'll fix it and my benefits should be processed within 48 hours. I also asked about Immediate Need and they're processing that for me today - should get $200 emergency funds by tomorrow! Thank you all for your help and suggestions. This has been so stressful but I feel relieved now that I know what was happening.

That's such great news! I'm so relieved you finally got through and figured out what was causing the delay. A duplicate case - that's exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes technical issue that we would never know about without speaking to someone directly. The Immediate Need funds are a lifesaver too. I've been in similar situations where every day without benefits feels like forever when you're trying to feed your family and keep up with bills. Thanks for updating us with what worked! Your experience will definitely help other members who run into similar problems. It's a good reminder that sometimes the "pending" status doesn't tell the whole story and you really do need to keep pushing to get answers from a real person.

I'm new to this community and wanted to add my experience! I was in a very similar situation about 6 months ago - needed about $900 for car repairs and was terrified of losing my CalWORKs benefits if I tried to earn extra money. I ended up calling 211 first (like so many people here recommended), and they were amazing! They connected me with three different local organizations. One was a church-based program that covered $400, another was a community nonprofit that helped with $300, and I was able to scrape together the rest from family. The whole process took about 2 weeks, but it was SO much better than dealing with income reporting stress or the physical toll of plasma donation. Plus I learned about all these resources I never knew existed - now I have a whole list saved for future emergencies. @PrinceJoe - definitely start with 211 on Monday morning! When you call, mention that the car is needed for your husband's work and emphasize the employment connection. That seemed to help prioritize my case. Also ask specifically about "transportation assistance" or "emergency car repair" programs. Some organizations have funding specifically set aside for work-related transportation needs. Good luck! This community has been so helpful in sharing all these resources - I had no idea so many assistance programs were available until I read through everyone's responses here.

As someone who's been navigating CalWORKs for about a year now, I wanted to share what I learned from a similar situation. I was considering doing DoorDash to help with some unexpected expenses, and I was so confused about the income reporting rules. What really helped me was actually getting through to my worker (I know, I know - easier said than done!) and asking directly about the earned income disregard. She walked me through the calculation just like @Connor Rupert did here, and it made me realize that sometimes earning extra money can actually leave you better off overall, even if your cash aid gets reduced a little. But honestly, after reading about everyone's success with 211 and emergency assistance programs, I think those are definitely your best bet! The fact that @Harper Collins got help from multiple organizations totaling $700 is amazing. And @Isabella Silva's sister getting $800 for transmission work shows these programs really do help with exactly your type of situation. One tip I learned - if you do call 211, ask them to email you a list of the organizations they recommend. That way you can follow up with multiple places and increase your chances of getting help. Some organizations might be out of funding but others might have money available. Really hoping the emergency assistance route works out for you! Car troubles are stressful enough without having to worry about benefit complications on top of it.