EDD PFL caregiving dilemma: Who can sign form DE 2501FC when parent can't?

I had a similar situation with my father last year. You need a Power of Attorney document for healthcare decisions. Since your mom isn't able to sign one now, you may need to look into emergency conservatorship through the courts, but that takes time. Call her doctor immediately - sometimes they can help with alternatives or sign as her medical provider on certain parts of the form. Do you have any siblings who might have POA already?

call ur moms doctor ASAP! when my grandma was in hospice the doctor signed some paperwork for us saying she wasnt able to make decisions. bring that 2 edd. they should accept it but u need 2 talk to a real person there

I work with elder care issues, and this is unfortunately common with PFL caregiving claims. For the DE 2501FC form, here are your options: 1. If you have ANY documentation showing your mom previously authorized you to make decisions (even emails or texts), gather those immediately 2. You need an emergency temporary conservatorship. Contact your county's probate court - many have self-help centers for exactly this situation 3. Some hospice organizations have legal assistance programs that can expedite these documents - ask your hospice coordinator TODAY As for the EDD deadline - call first thing in the morning at 8:00am sharp when their lines open. Keep calling. Explain your situation and request an extension due to these extenuating circumstances. They can add notes to your claim and typically grant 15-day extensions in these situations.

After trying for DAYS to reach EDD about my PFL caregiving claim last month, I finally used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an EDD agent in under 5 minutes. It costs money but was totally worth it for me. They basically call EDD for you and then call you when they have an agent on the line. Saved me hours of frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 The EDD agent I spoke with told me they can put a hold on your claim deadline while you get the proper documentation together - but you HAVE to talk to someone to get this noted on your account.

The WHOLE EDD system is designed to make you fail!!! I spent 5 weeks trying to sort out my PFL claim and lost almost $4,000 in benefits because of their incompetence. They DELIBERATELY make these forms confusing and the phone lines NEVER work. It's a SCAM to avoid paying benefits that we're entitled to!!! My advice? Document EVERYTHING. Record dates, times, names of anyone you talk to. When you finally get through, DEMAND a supervisor immediately. The first-level agents don't know anything and give wrong information. Don't let them push you around!!

Just wanted to add - make sure you're applying for CFRA (California Family Rights Act) leave from your employer too if you're eligible. It doesn't pay you but protects your job for up to 12 weeks while you care for your mom. Many people don't realize this is different from PFL.

Quick update on my earlier advice - I just learned that as of January 2025, EDD has a new provision for terminal illness situations. If your mother's doctor completes the "Physician Certification of Patient Capacity" form (DE2501FC-PC) and submits it with your regular caregiving certification, this can temporarily substitute for the authorized representative requirement. This form isn't mentioned on their website yet, but if you request it specifically when you get through to an agent, they can email it to you. This is a much faster solution than emergency conservatorship for hospice situations.

When my neighbor went through something similar, there was also something about a "caregiver authorization affidavit" that might help? I'm not sure if that applies to adult parents though, I think it might be just for kids. But worth asking about maybe?

I'm so sorry you're going through this difficult situation with your mom. Based on what others have shared here, I'd recommend trying multiple approaches simultaneously since time is critical: 1. Call EDD at exactly 8:00 AM when lines open - keep trying every few minutes 2. Contact your mom's hospice doctor TODAY about the DE2501FC-PC form that Carmen mentioned - this sounds like your best option for terminal illness situations 3. Also ask the hospice social worker if they have any legal resources or can help expedite documentation I went through something similar with my grandmother last year, and the hospice team was incredibly helpful with paperwork and knew exactly what forms were needed for different benefit programs. They deal with these situations regularly and often have connections with agencies like EDD. Don't give up - you're doing everything right by seeking help and advocating for your mom. The system is frustrating but there are solutions available for your exact situation.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now with my father who has dementia and can't sign any documents. What saved me was contacting the local Area Agency on Aging - they have emergency legal aid specifically for situations like this. They helped me get a limited conservatorship for healthcare decisions within 5 days instead of the usual weeks. Also, don't wait for EDD to call you back - I found that faxing a letter explaining the urgent medical situation directly to their disability services department (along with a doctor's note about your mom's condition) got me a faster response than phone calls. The fax number is on the back of the DE 2501FC form in small print. Keep documenting everything and don't give up. Your mom is lucky to have you advocating for her during this difficult time.

I'm going through something very similar with my disabled sister right now, and I wanted to share what finally worked for me after weeks of frustration. The breakthrough came when I contacted my county's Public Guardian's office - they have a specific process for emergency situations involving family caregivers and government benefits. They were able to provide me with a "Declaration of Incapacity and Emergency Authorization" form that satisfied EDD's requirements without needing a full conservatorship. Here's what I'd suggest doing TODAY: 1. Call your county's Public Guardian or Public Administrator office (not the same as Area Agency on Aging) 2. Explain you need emergency authorization to sign government benefit forms for a terminally ill parent 3. Ask specifically about their "emergency caregiver authorization" process For EDD, I also found that calling their Disability Insurance line (not the regular unemployment line) at 1-800-480-3287 got me through faster. When you do get through, immediately say "I need to speak to someone about a PFL caregiving claim for a terminally ill patient who cannot sign required forms." This usually gets you transferred to someone who actually knows about these special circumstances. The whole process took me about a week once I found the right people to talk to. Hang in there - there are solutions, the system just doesn't make them easy to find.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this during such a difficult time. Based on the helpful advice shared here, it sounds like you have several promising options to pursue immediately. I wanted to add one more resource that might help - many hospitals and hospice facilities have patient advocacy departments that specifically deal with insurance and benefit issues. They often have direct contacts at EDD and can sometimes expedite urgent cases like yours. Ask your mom's hospice if they have a patient advocate or social worker who handles benefit claims. Also, if you do get through to EDD, make sure to get the representative's name and employee ID number, and ask them to email you a summary of what was discussed. This creates a paper trail that can be crucial if there are any delays or miscommunications later. You're doing an incredible job advocating for your mom during this challenging time. Don't let the system wear you down - keep pushing and using all these resources people have shared. Sending you strength and hoping you get this resolved quickly.

I'm really sorry you're going through this stressful situation while caring for your mom. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like you have some excellent actionable steps to take tomorrow. One thing I wanted to add that I learned when helping my aunt navigate similar issues - if you do end up needing to go the emergency conservatorship route, some counties have expedited processes specifically for terminal illness situations. When you call the probate court's self-help center (as Carmen suggested), make sure to emphasize that this is for a hospice patient with limited time. They often have special procedures that can fast-track these cases. Also, I noticed you mentioned having trouble reaching EDD by phone. In addition to the calling strategies others shared, try calling different regional offices if the main number isn't working. Sometimes the Fresno or San Bernardino offices have shorter wait times than the main Sacramento line, and they can all access your claim information. You're being such a devoted caregiver to your mom during this difficult time. Don't let the bureaucratic obstacles discourage you - there are people and systems in place to help, even if they're not easy to find initially. Wishing you success with all these leads tomorrow.