I just went through this same process in San Bernardino County last month! The $200 WTW participation incentive definitely exists, but like others mentioned, the timing varies. For me, it took exactly 4 weeks from when my sanction was removed to when I saw the payment. What I learned is that your worker has to complete two separate actions in the computer system: 1) officially close/cure your sanction case, and 2) enter your participation verification for the incentive payment. Sometimes there's a gap between these two things happening. I'd suggest calling and specifically asking if both steps have been completed. Also, when you do get it, it'll show up as a separate line item on your Notice of Action - mine said "WTW PARTICIPATION INCENTIVE $200.00" so you'll know exactly what it is. Hang in there, it should come through!

I just wanted to add my experience from Orange County - I got my sanction removed about 8 months ago and had a similar situation. The $200 WTW participation incentive took about 3 weeks to show up for me, but here's something important that I don't think anyone mentioned yet: make sure you're meeting the minimum weekly participation hours AFTER your sanction is removed. In my county, I had to complete at least 32 hours per week of approved WTW activities (job search, education, work experience, etc.) for a full month before the incentive payment was triggered. My worker initially forgot to tell me this requirement, so I was only doing like 20 hours a week thinking it was enough. Once I started hitting the 32 hours consistently and turned in my participation verification sheets on time, the payment came through. Also, if you're doing job search activities, make sure you're documenting everything properly - they want to see specific employer names, dates, and contact methods for each application. Hope this helps!

One more tip - when you reapply, you can actually request a reasonable accommodation based on your disability. This means they can give you extra time to submit documents, help you fill out forms, or even do a phone interview instead of requiring you to come in person if your back injury makes it difficult to travel. Just be sure to mention your need for accommodation when you apply.

I just went through this exact situation 6 months ago! Definitely reapply - don't waste time with an appeal. Since your income changed due to becoming disabled, that's a completely new circumstance and appeals won't help you here. When you reapply, make sure to bring your SDI award letter as proof of your new income level. Also ask about expedited processing since you have a young child and are dealing with a disability. In my county they processed my reapplication in about 10 days once I had all the right paperwork. Pro tip: Since you're now on disability, you'll likely qualify for the disability exemption from work requirements, which means you won't have to do job search or training activities while you're recovering. This is a huge relief when you're already dealing with health issues! Good luck - you've got this! Your situation is exactly what these programs are designed to help with.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! As someone new to this community, I wanted to share what I learned from a similar situation. You should absolutely report your pregnancy right away - your mother-in-law is correct! When you report your pregnancy, CalFresh will immediately count you as a household of 2, which should significantly increase your monthly benefits. The increase is retroactive to when you report it (not when you became pregnant), so don't delay. For CalWORKs cash aid, you're right that you typically need to wait until your third trimester unless you have pregnancy complications preventing you from working. However, getting into the system early makes the transition much smoother. I'd recommend using the BenefitsCal website to report online rather than dealing with phone wait times. Make sure to have your pregnancy verification form from your doctor ready to upload - they'll need your due date clearly stated. Also apply for WIC immediately! It's completely separate from CalFresh and you qualify right away when pregnant. WIC provides vouchers for nutritious foods specifically for pregnancy and is much easier to access than other programs. Since you mentioned you and your partner handle food separately, just be honest about your actual living arrangement. The system is designed to help pregnant women, not create barriers. Don't stress too much - you've got this mama! 💕

Congratulations on your pregnancy! As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to add my voice to all the excellent advice you've received. Your mother-in-law is absolutely right - you should report your pregnancy immediately! I recently went through this process myself and can confirm that reporting pregnancy increases your CalFresh benefits right away since they count you as a household of 2. My benefits went from around your amount to over $400/month just from reporting pregnancy. The key is getting that pregnancy verification from your doctor with your due date clearly stated. Everyone's advice about using BenefitsCal online is spot on - it's so much easier than trying to get through on the phone. For CalWORKs, you're correct that you typically wait until third trimester, but starting the process early helps everything go smoother. Don't forget about WIC! It's separate from CalFresh and you qualify immediately when pregnant. They provide vouchers for milk, eggs, and other nutritious foods specifically for pregnancy. The WIC office is usually much more responsive than the welfare office too. Since you mentioned handling food separately from your partner, just be honest about your actual living situation. The system is designed to support pregnant women, not create obstacles. You've got this - take that first step and report your pregnancy this week! Best of luck mama! 💕

As someone who's dealt with this exact situation multiple times, I can confirm everything others have shared here. The fraud protection system is actually pretty sensitive - I've had my card blocked just for using it at a different grocery store chain than usual, even within California! One thing I'd add is that when you call EBT customer service, be prepared with your full SSN, card number, and be able to verify some recent transactions. They ask a lot of security questions before they'll remove the block. Also, if you're planning to be out of state for more than a few days, ask them how long the "travel authorization" lasts - sometimes it's only good for 30 days and you might need to call again for longer trips. The whole system definitely needs better upfront communication, but at least the protection has gotten better since the skimming got so bad. I lost $400 in cash aid to skimmers at a gas station ATM last year and it took 3 weeks to get it replaced. So while the travel blocks are annoying, I'd rather deal with a phone call than lose all my benefits again.

I'm really glad this worked out for you! This whole thread has been incredibly educational - I had no idea about the travel notification requirements either. It's honestly shocking that this information isn't clearly communicated when you receive your EBT card. For anyone else reading this who might travel frequently, it sounds like calling ahead before your trip might be the smartest approach to avoid getting stuck without access to your benefits. The fraud protection makes total sense given all the skimming horror stories, but the lack of clear guidance from the state is really problematic. Also want to echo what others said about keeping that EBT customer service number (1-877-328-9677) saved in your phone and having all your card info ready when you call. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical knowledge that helps families navigate these systems successfully!

Definitely report your pregnancy NOW! I wish I had known about the pregnancy supplement when I was expecting my daughter. I only found out about it after she was born and missed out on 3 months of extra money. When you call to report your pregnancy, make sure to ask specifically about the "pregnancy special needs" payment - sometimes they don't automatically tell you about it. You'll need a doctor's verification form but it's worth the extra $47/month. After your baby arrives, don't stress too much about getting the birth certificate right away. The hospital discharge papers work fine initially to add the baby to your case. I brought mine to the office the day after we got home from the hospital and they processed it same day. Also, once you report the birth, your next payment date might be different since they have to recalculate everything. Mine came a few days later than usual but it was the full increased amount. Good luck with everything and congrats on your upcoming arrival! 🍼

Hey Gabriel! I just went through this exact situation 6 months ago. Definitely report your pregnancy NOW - don't wait! You're missing out on the pregnancy special needs payment ($47/month) for every month you don't report it. I reported mine at 6 months and still got 3 months of back payments. Here's what worked for me: Called my caseworker, told them I was pregnant, and they sent me a form for my doctor to fill out. Once I returned that, they added the pregnancy supplement to my next payment. After my baby was born, I went to the office with the hospital discharge papers within a week. They had me fill out the SAR 3 form right there and added my son to my case same day. My cash aid went from $607 to $817 starting the next month. Pro tip: If you can't reach your caseworker easily, try calling first thing in the morning (8 AM) or right after lunch (1 PM). Those seem to be the best times to actually get through. And don't stress about the birth certificate - hospital papers work fine to get things started! You've got this mama! 💕