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Telephone Procedures
Clerical Responsibilities
Clerical staff must answer incoming calls promptly during business hours and maintain a professional, clear manner at all times. Calls must be handled without eating, drinking, or chewing gum, and background noise should be kept to a minimum. If noise prevents effective communication, place the caller on hold briefly and resolve the issue before continuing.
Clerical staff must identify the office and themselves when answering calls. Communication should remain neutral and focused on obtaining or providing accurate information. Avoid assumptions about the caller and avoid statements that disclose internal staff activities or personal details. When staff are unavailable, offer voicemail or follow district procedures for emergency situations. If the caller prefers not to leave a voicemail, advise them that someone will return their call within two business days.
Calls must be routed accurately. When transferring a caller to a specific worker, provide the worker’s name and phone number in case the call disconnects. For cases assigned to a caseload rather than an individual worker, transfer the call to the designated day‑line supervisor. If a caller reports repeated transfers, remain on the line until the call is routed correctly.
Messages must include the date and time, the staff member the message is for, the caller’s name and phone number, case name and number when applicable, a concise description of the message, and the clerk’s initials. Confirm the information with the caller before ending the call.
For case‑related inquiries, use CalSAWS to identify clients by case number, SSN, or name and date of birth. If the client has an active case in another district, provide the worker’s name and phone number. Follow district procedures when callers report no response to previous messages. Do not provide direct phone numbers for supervisors, managers, Fiscal, or the Control Clerk unless district policy allows it.
For application‑related calls, provide appropriate options based on the caller’s situation. Clients may apply online through MyBenefitsCalWIN.org, by telephone through the nearest intake office, or in person at any district office during business hours. For Medi‑Cal‑only applications, inform callers they may apply by mail, phone, or online.
Clerical staff support call screening and routing, but do not provide case determinations or act in place of staff with primary responsibility for case actions.
For additional information regarding Customer Service, refer to the Customer Service topic in Common Place HB, Chapter 18.
Related Topics
California Relay Services (CRS)