EDD appeal hearing for quitting job to care for mom with dementia - chances of winning?

I won my appeal in a somewhat similar situation last year. The key factors working in your favor are: 1) you attempted to secure FMLA first, 2) you requested accommodations before quitting, and 3) your employer acknowledged they understood your situation and couldn't accommodate you. The fact that your mom has a documented condition with a serious safety incident (wandering for 8 hours) strengthens your case significantly. Make sure you submitted medical documentation showing her dementia diagnosis and the incident report about her wandering episode if possible. These types of caregiving cases often succeed on appeal when you can demonstrate you had no reasonable alternative. Your situation sounds compelling - not being able to get FMLA certification due to distance/medical requirements creates what's called a "compelling family circumstance" in EDD terms.

i think you'll probly get approved. my cousin had almost same thing with her dad last june and she won her aproval. they know dementia patients cant be alone and if the dr wouldnt do fmla thats not ur fault

I'm going through something similar right now (caring for my father with Alzheimer's), and it's INSANE how the system makes us wait while bills pile up. The EDD claims to care about family caregivers but then puts us through this ridiculous process. Your employer KNEW your situation and still contested it? That's shameful. I'm sorry you're dealing with this stress on top of caring for your mom. Have you applied for other caregiver assistance programs while waiting? Sometimes county-level services can provide stopgap help.

Based on what you've described, you have a strong case for what's called "good cause" to leave employment. For caregiving situations, the EDD looks for several factors that appear present in your case: 1) You attempted alternative arrangements (FMLA request, schedule modifications) 2) The care need was sudden/urgent (wandering incident demonstrates this) 3) Your employer couldn't accommodate reasonable alternatives 4) The family member has a serious documented medical condition 5) You were the only reasonable care provider available Decisions after appeal hearings are currently taking about 4-5 weeks in most cases. If approved, you'll receive retroactive benefits for the eligible weeks. One suggestion - if you haven't already, compile a simple timeline document with dates of each request you made to your employer before quitting. This can help if they request additional information while making their decision.

Have u tried calling EDD to check on status???? I was in similir situation (not same but similar) and after my appeal it was IMPOSSIBLE to get anyone on the phone. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an actual EDD rep in like 20 mins. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/DOLxZQb92wM?si=6N1iCQ3a8Cdb2Ay5 showing how it works. Was worth it for me to stop the calling madness!! The EDD rep was able to tell me my appeal was actually already decided but the letter was delayed in being sent.

Just be aware that caregiving for parents under PFL has different rules than quitting a job for UI benefits. When you quit and file for unemployment, you need to prove good cause. For PFL caregiving benefits, you need medical certification that your presence is needed. They're completely different systems even though both are through EDD. Did you specifically apply for Paid Family Leave caregiving benefits? Or regular unemployment? This makes a huge difference in your case. If you applied for unemployment after quitting, the standard is harder to meet than PFL.

what did the judge say at the end of ur hearing? sometimes they give clues

One more thing based on your response about UI vs PFL - there's a strategy some people use in your situation that might help financially while you wait. If you win your UI appeal, you can structure your benefits this way: 1) Claim UI benefits for the initial period after quitting 2) Use PFL caregiving benefits for up to 8 weeks (in 2025) 3) Return to UI benefits if you're still providing care but not during "care activities" that would qualify for PFL This way you maximize your total benefit period. Just make sure you're very clear about which program you're using during which weeks to avoid any overpayment issues. And document everything for each program's different requirements.

Did your former employer show up to the hearing with an attorney? Or just an HR rep? That makes a big difference too.

the waiting is THE WORST!!!! hang in there. sending positive vibes ur way!!!!