I'm dealing with this exact same situation! Just got approved for CalWORKs two months ago and the deposit timing has been my biggest source of stress. My first month I literally stayed awake until 3 AM checking my balance every 10 minutes because I had no idea when to expect it. What I've learned from my short experience is that the timing has been pretty consistent for me personally - both months it hit around 2:30 AM on my deposit date. But like everyone's saying here, it's definitely NOT midnight despite what some people claim online. The text alert suggestion through the EBT app is genius - I'm definitely setting that up tonight! And I had no clue about that EBT customer service number that can give you your deposit history. That seems way more reliable than calling the county office where you're on hold forever. Thanks to everyone sharing their real experiences in this thread. It's honestly such a relief to know other people go through this same stress and have found ways to manage it. The emergency fund idea is something I'm going to try to work toward too, even if it's just a few dollars at a time. One question - has anyone noticed if the timing changes when there are holidays around your deposit date? My next deposit falls right after New Year's and I'm wondering if I should expect any delays.

This thread has been so incredibly helpful! I'm about 6 months into receiving CalWORKs and I've been dealing with this exact midnight confusion. I actually found some old posts on Reddit claiming that California switched to midnight deposits in 2024, which got my hopes up, but clearly that was just more misinformation floating around. What's been working for me is using the EBT Edge app to check my transaction history - you can see the exact timestamp of when your deposits hit in previous months. Mine has been consistently hitting around 4:15 AM, so now I just plan for that instead of the midnight wishful thinking. One thing I wanted to add that I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you bank with certain credit unions or community banks, some of them will give you early access to direct deposits (including EBT deposits) up to 2 days early. It's not available everywhere and you have to specifically ask about it, but it might be worth checking with your bank if timing is really stressing you out. Also, for anyone new to this - don't feel bad about the learning curve! The whole CalWORKs system has so many unwritten rules and timing quirks that you only figure out through experience. This community has been a lifesaver for getting real answers instead of just the official generic responses.

I'm going through something similar right now - lost my retail job 2 weeks ago and just submitted my CalWORKs application yesterday. From what I learned researching this, you definitely don't need a formal termination letter. I brought my last paystub and filled out the unemployment declaration form they gave me. One thing that really helped me was calling 211 - they connected me with a local nonprofit that helps people navigate the application process for free. They even helped me gather all my documents before applying. Might be worth trying if you're feeling overwhelmed with all the paperwork. Also, since you mentioned having only $42 left, definitely ask about emergency aid when you call. Some counties have programs that can help with immediate needs while your regular CalWORKs application is being processed. Don't suffer in silence - there are people who want to help you through this!

I work as a CalWORKs eligibility technician and wanted to clarify a few things for you. You absolutely do NOT need a formal termination letter - your last pay stub plus a signed statement declaring unemployment is sufficient verification. If your former employer is uncooperative about providing documentation, we have other ways to verify job separation. A few important things to expedite your case: 1. Apply for expedited processing immediately - with only $42 and rent due in 3 weeks, you likely qualify for emergency CalWORKs 2. Bring ALL required documents to your interview: ID, Social Security cards for you and your child, birth certificate for your child, rent receipts/lease, bank statements, and that last pay stub 3. Don't wait for your interview to be scheduled - call first thing Monday morning at 8am when phone lines open Since you have a 4-year-old, your maximum aid will be higher, and yes, you'll need to cooperate with child support services. The whole process can take up to 30 days, but emergency aid can be issued within 3 business days if you qualify. Hang in there - you're doing the right thing by applying now rather than waiting until you're completely out of money.

This is such valuable information for everyone! I've been on CalWORKs for about 2 years and learned about these ATM issues the hard way too. One thing I'd add is that some grocery stores like Safeway and Vons also do cash back 24/7, and you don't even need to buy anything expensive - a pack of gum or a banana works. I keep a mental list of which places near me are reliable for emergency cash access. It's really sad that families already struggling financially have to navigate all these banking system quirks just to access our own benefits. The system definitely needs to be more user-friendly, especially for parents dealing with emergencies at odd hours. Thanks to everyone for sharing their workarounds - this thread should be pinned somewhere!

I'm so glad this thread exists! I've been on CalWORKs for about 8 months and honestly wish I had found this community sooner. Reading everyone's experiences with ATM restrictions has been a real eye-opener. I had a similar situation a few weeks ago where I needed to access my cash aid at midnight for an emergency grocery run (my toddler was sick and we ran out of formula), and the ATM just kept saying "transaction cannot be completed." I was so panicked and frustrated! I ended up having to ask a neighbor for help, which was embarrassing. The cash back trick at 24-hour stores is genius - I had no idea that was even possible with EBT cards. I'm definitely going to map out which stores near me offer this service. It's really unfortunate that we have to become experts on all these banking system limitations just to access our own benefits when our families need them most. Thank you everyone for sharing your knowledge and helping each other navigate this complicated system!

This is such valuable information! I'm pretty new to this community and CalWORKs in general (just got approved a couple months ago) and I had NO idea about the timing delays with EBT deposits. I was planning to try getting cash out at midnight for my next payment but after reading everyone's experiences, I'll definitely wait until at least 4am and try the grocery store ATMs first. It's so helpful to see all the specific recommendations about which banks and stores work earliest - Walmart, Safeway, CVS around 4-4:30am seems to be the sweet spot. Really appreciate everyone sharing their trial-and-error experiences so the rest of us don't have to go through the same frustrations! The "midnight deposit" marketing is definitely misleading when there's actually a 4-6 hour processing delay. Thanks for starting this thread - it's going to save me and probably lots of other newcomers a lot of wasted time and stress!

I've been on CalWORKs for about 8 months now and still get caught off guard by this timing issue sometimes! What really helped me was downloading a notes app on my phone where I track which ATMs near me work at what times. So far I've found that the ATM at my local 24-hour Walgreens works by 3:45am consistently, and the one at the gas station on the corner doesn't work until almost 6am. It's annoying that we have to do all this detective work ourselves, but once you figure out your reliable spots it makes life so much easier. For your landlord situation - maybe try explaining that it's a banking processing issue, not you being late with payment? Most reasonable people understand that technology delays aren't our fault. Good luck tomorrow morning, and definitely don't waste your time before 4am!

As someone who went through this exact situation last year, I can tell you that dealing with both CalWORKs and EDD reporting can be super overwhelming at first! The good news is that everyone here has given you really solid advice - these are definitely two separate systems that don't talk to each other. From my experience, the EDD letter is most likely about wage verification from your employer, especially if you've had multiple jobs this year. Don't panic about it affecting your CalWORKs benefits as long as you're staying on top of your SAR7 reporting and watching your IRT. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track all my income reporting - when I reported to CalWORKs, when I submitted pay stubs, what my current IRT is, etc. It saved me from making mistakes later on. Also, if you do end up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned, it's definitely worth it. I used it once when I was dealing with a similar EDD issue and it saved me literally 3 hours of being on hold. Sometimes you just need to talk to a real person to get clarity on what they actually need from you. Keep all your documentation organized and don't stress too much - you're being proactive by asking questions here, which means you're already on the right track!

I just went through this exact same confusion a few months ago! Like everyone said, EDD and CalWORKs are totally separate systems. The EDD letter you got is probably just routine wage verification - they cross-check what your employer reported against their records, and sometimes there are small discrepancies that need to be cleared up. Don't worry about it affecting your Cash Aid as long as you're staying current with your CalWORKs reporting. I'd suggest calling the specific number on the EDD letter (usually has shorter wait times than their main line) or trying that Claimyr service if you keep getting stuck in phone hell. The most important thing is making sure you know your IRT amount and report to your CalWORKs worker if you go over it. That's what can actually affect your benefits. The EDD thing is probably just paperwork cleanup that won't impact anything once you respond to their letter. You're doing everything right by asking questions and staying on top of it!