Can my husband get EDD PFL to care for our hospitalized adult daughter?

Yes, he absolutely CAN apply for PFL to care for your hospitalized adult daughter! HR is wrong - PFL isn't just for baby bonding. The California program specifically covers caregiving for seriously ill family members, including adult children.\n\nHe'll need to submit a DE2508F form (Claim for Paid Family Leave Benefits - Care) and have your daughter's doctor complete the medical certification portion. The doctor needs to certify that she requires care from a family member. Under CA law, he could qualify for up to 8 weeks of PFL benefits.\n\nMake sure he clearly explains that he's applying for PFL Care benefits (not baby bonding) when he submits the claim.

Thank you so much! This gives me hope. Do you know what counts as \

Hi there - I went through something similar with my mom last year. The key part is that your husband needs to be providing DIRECT care to your daughter to qualify. Just watching your other kids while you visit the hospital probably won't qualify him for PFL benefits.\n\nBasically, the law defines \

thats not 100% right... my cousin got PFL last yr when his wife had cancer. the EDD did approve his claim even tho part of his \

This is really helpful information. So it sounds like he needs to be providing some direct care to our daughter but could also count time watching our other kids? I'll make sure he documents the hospital visits he does make.

omg ur HR dept is so wrong!!! my husband just got PFL approved to help when my dad was in hospice care last month. its definitely not just for babies!!! he should apply right away. they approved my husbands claim in like 10 days and backpaid from when he first took time off. dont let HR discourage u.

That's encouraging to hear it was approved quickly! Did your husband have to provide a lot of documentation about the care he was providing?

I was an HR manager for 10 years, and I'm constantly amazed at how many HR departments give completely WRONG information about CA leave benefits! PFL absolutely covers care for ill family members including adult children.\n\nOne thing to note: Your husband's employer cannot guarantee his job is protected while on PFL unless he also qualifies for FMLA/CFRA job protections (usually requires working there for at least a year with 1,250+ hours). PFL provides wage replacement but not job protection on its own.\n\nAlso, there's a 7-day unpaid waiting period before benefits start, so keep that in mind for your financial planning.

Thank you for this clarification! He's been with his company for 4 years, so hopefully FMLA would cover him. I didn't realize there was a waiting period though.

I know trying to reach EDD by phone is practically impossible right now - it took me 3 days of constant redial to get through when I had questions about my own PFL claim for my father. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD rep in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5\n\nThe agent I spoke with confirmed that PFL absolutely covers care for adult children with serious health conditions. Your husband should definitely apply right away - and if your daughter's hospitalization continues, the doctor can extend the certification for additional time if needed.

does that claimyr thing actually work? i tried calling edd 37 times yesterday and got disconnected every single time! so frustrating when you're already dealing with family in the hospital

Just to clarify an important point: Your husband needs to be providing care directly to your daughter for at least part of the time. This can include:\n\n1. Physical assistance (helping with mobility, personal needs, etc.)\n2. Psychological comfort and reassurance\n3. Transportation to/from medical appointments\n4. Assistance with essential daily living needs\n\nThe claim form will need the doctor to certify your daughter needs care from a family member. However, the EDD understands caregiving situations are complex - your husband splitting time between hospital visits and watching your other children could still qualify if he's providing direct care to your daughter during those hospital visits.\n\nHave your husband apply ASAP, and make sure the doctor clearly indicates the need for family care on the medical certification.

Thank you so much for spelling this out. I think he does qualify based on this. He does hospital visits in the evenings and helps with her care then, while I go home to be with our younger kids. During the day, he stays with the little ones while I'm at the hospital. We're completely tag-teaming everything right now.

Your HR person has NO idea what they're talking about!!! I literally just finished my PFL claim for taking care of my husband after his stroke. It was approved in 2 weeks. The medical certification part is the most important - make sure the doctor fills it out completely and clearly states why your daughter needs family care. Good luck!!

That's really reassuring to hear. I'll make sure we get detailed information from her doctor for the certification.

has your husband talked to his boss directly? sometimes HR gives generic info but managers have more flexibility. my boss let me use a combo of PFL and remote work when my sister was hospitalized. i took PFL when i needed to be at the hospital with her, then worked from home to watch her kids other days. worth asking! cuz ur right that financially its tough to go without full pay.

That's a good point. He has talked to his direct supervisor who seemed sympathetic but said he needed to

Quick update on benefit amounts since I just went through this: PFL pays about 60-70% of his wages up to a maximum of $1,620/week in 2025. It's not full pay, but it helps a lot. Just make sure his application clearly states it's for care of a family member (not baby bonding), and have your daughter sign the authorization for disclosure of medical information.\n\nIf the doctor indicates your daughter needs assistance with basic activities or supervision due to her condition, and your husband is providing some of that care, he should qualify. The program is definitely intended for situations like yours.

Actually, I believe the 2025 maximum weekly benefit for PFL is $1,648 after the latest adjustment. But you're absolutely right about everything else. The key is making sure the medical certification clearly establishes need for care.

I'm so sorry your family is going through this difficult time. As someone who recently navigated PFL for my own family situation, I want to reassure you that your husband absolutely qualifies for Paid Family Leave to care for your hospitalized daughter. The fact that he's splitting his time between providing direct care at the hospital and managing childcare at home actually strengthens his case - this shows he's an essential part of your daughter's care team. When he applies using form DE2508F, make sure to document both his hospital visits and how the family caregiving responsibilities have been divided between you two. One tip: when the doctor completes the medical certification, ask them to be specific about why your daughter needs family support during her recovery. Phrases like "requires assistance with daily activities" or "benefits from family emotional support during hospitalization" can help establish the medical necessity. Also, don't let his HR department's misinformation delay the application. PFL has covered family caregiving since 2004 - it's definitely not just for new parents! The sooner he applies, the sooner you'll have some financial relief during this stressful time.

I'm so glad you found all this information helpful! Your family's situation really highlights how important PFL is for real caregiving emergencies like this. One additional tip that might help: when your husband submits his claim, he should include a brief written statement explaining the care arrangement - something like "I provide direct care to my hospitalized adult daughter during evening visits while alternating childcare responsibilities with my spouse to ensure continuous family support during her recovery." This helps EDD understand the full scope of his caregiving role. Also, if your daughter's condition requires ongoing care after discharge, the doctor can extend the PFL certification. Many people don't realize that PFL can continue even after the initial hospitalization if she still needs family assistance during recovery at home. Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery and hoping the PFL application process goes smoothly for your family. Don't hesitate to keep pushing back against any misinformation from his employer - you have the law on your side here.