OMG I LOVE when people find out they're actually eligible for MORE benefits than they thought! Fill out that SAR7 TODAY and get it submitted. Don't wait until the deadline because processing can take a few days. And once your cash aid is back, make sure to ask about the diaper benefit and childcare assistance - those are HUGE helps when you have a toddler. The CalWORKs childcare benefit alone can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars if you're working or in school!

Great job figuring this out! Just wanted to add that when you do start looking for work, make sure to let your CalWORKs worker know - they have programs that can help with job search, training, and even transportation assistance. And the childcare benefit through CalWORKs can cover daycare costs while you're working OR looking for work, which is amazing. Also, with a child under 2, you're in the "young child exemption" category, so you won't have strict work requirements right away. Take advantage of this time to get stable housing, finish any education/training you want to do, and plan for when those requirements kick in after your daughter turns 2. You're doing great advocating for yourself and your little one!

I'm new to this community and CalWORKs, and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I just received my first SAR 7 form last week and was completely confused about what documentation I needed to include. Reading everyone's experiences - especially the stories about benefits getting discontinued for missing paystubs - has really opened my eyes to how strict these requirements are. I'll definitely be including all my paystubs from the report month, even though my income has been steady. It's reassuring to know there's such a supportive community here willing to share their knowledge and help newcomers like me avoid costly mistakes. Thank you all for taking the time to explain these requirements so clearly!

This thread is exactly what new CalWORKs recipients need to see! I've been helping people with benefit applications for over 5 years, and the SAR 7 paystub requirement is one of the most misunderstood rules. What everyone has said is absolutely correct - you MUST include paystubs for the report month even if nothing changed. I always tell people to think of it this way: the SAR 7 isn't just about reporting changes, it's about proving your current situation to DPSS. They need actual documentation showing what you earned that specific month, not just your statement that it's the same. Also want to add that if you're paid weekly, make sure to include ALL paystubs that cover any part of the report month. And if your pay date falls right at the beginning or end of the month, include stubs from both months if there's any overlap. The key is being thorough - DPSS would rather see too much documentation than too little!

You're doing great by being proactive about this! One thing I'd add - when you call your worker tomorrow, ask them to note in your case file that you reported the job and uploaded the paystub. Sometimes different workers see your case and having notes helps avoid confusion later. Also, since you mentioned you have a 2-year-old, definitely ask about the childcare right away. The approval process can take a few weeks, so the sooner you apply the better. And don't forget about transportation assistance if you need help getting to work - that's another supportive service that can really help during the transition period. You're asking all the right questions and being responsible about reporting. That's exactly what you need to do to stay in compliance!

Hey Hannah! First off, congrats on the new job - that's awesome! 🎉 And don't worry, your question isn't dumb at all. The CalWORKs system can be really confusing, especially when you're new to it. Everyone here has given you great advice. Definitely upload those check stubs ASAP to BenefitsCal - verbal reporting alone isn't enough. They need the actual documentation to verify your income and adjust your benefits accordingly. Since you're in WTW, here's what I'd recommend doing right now: 1. Upload your paystub immediately (sounds like you already did this - great!) 2. Call your worker and confirm they received it 3. Ask about how your work hours will affect your WTW participation requirements 4. Request childcare assistance for your 2-year-old (this can take time to process, so start now) 5. Ask about transportation assistance if you need help getting to work Keep uploading every single paystub you get going forward, and always take screenshots like others mentioned. Better to over-document than under-document with CalWORKs! You're being super responsible by asking these questions and reporting everything properly. That's exactly the right approach to avoid any issues down the road. Keep it up!

This thread has been so informative! I'm a single mom with one toddler in Fresno County and I've been on CalWORKs for about 4 months now. Getting $492/month currently which is really tough to stretch, so hearing about this 5% increase gives me some hope. I was actually starting to panic because I heard rumors that they might be cutting benefits due to budget issues, so this is such a relief! My caseworker hasn't said anything about it either - seems like that's a common theme here. I'm not working right now because I'm taking care of my 18-month-old full time, so hopefully I'll get the full increase amount. Does anyone know if Fresno County is usually quick with sending out those Notice of Action letters, or do they tend to be on the slower side? I want to make sure I don't miss it!

This is such valuable information for all of us! I'm a single mom with my 8-year-old daughter in Sacramento County and currently receive $587/month. Like so many others here, my caseworker hasn't mentioned anything about this increase either - it's honestly kind of disappointing that we're all finding out through each other instead of from the people who are supposed to be helping us navigate these programs. I've been really stressed about rising costs lately, especially with school starting back up soon and needing to budget for supplies and clothes. Even a $30 increase would help so much! I'm currently doing online classes for my medical assistant certification while she's at school, so hopefully since that's an approved WTW activity I'll get the full benefit. It's encouraging to see everyone sharing information and supporting each other - this community is honestly more helpful than my actual case management sometimes! I'll definitely be watching my mailbox in May and June for that Notice of Action letter.

Make sure when you call that you specifically mention you need to know why your CalFresh dropped from $850 to $397 even after your sanction was removed. Sometimes the workers don't volunteer information unless you ask very specific questions. Also, it's possible that the $850 might have included some retroactive benefits that made it temporarily higher. Did you receive any lump-sum payments or back benefits around the time you were getting $850?

I'm really sorry you're going through this stress with your benefits. From what I'm reading in the other comments, it sounds like there might be several factors at play here. The reduction from $850 to $397 does seem steep for just removing one household member, but if that $850 included back pay or retroactive benefits, then your regular monthly amount was probably never actually that high to begin with. Here's what I'd suggest: definitely use that Claimyr service someone mentioned to get through to your worker faster. When you do connect, ask for three specific things: 1) A CalFresh Budget Worksheet showing exactly how they calculated your current $397, 2) Clarification on whether the original $850 included any back pay or lump sum, and 3) Verification that they have your correct household size, income, and expenses (especially rent since you mentioned it went up). Also double-check that they're not counting child support you're not actually receiving consistently. That's a common issue that can really mess up the calculations. Hang in there - once you get the actual breakdown, you'll at least know if the amount is correct or if there's an error to fix.