Can I qualify for EDD unemployment while caring for my elderly father? IHSS isn't enough
I've been taking care of my elderly father full-time for the past 8 months and recently finished receiving State Disability Insurance/Paid Family Leave benefits (the 8-week maximum). I'm in a tough situation because I can't look for work due to my caregiving responsibilities. My teenage son also needs supervision when he's not in school. I do receive IHSS (In-Home Supportive Services) payments, but that money goes entirely to paying the night caregiver who helps with my dad from 10pm-6am. During the day, I'm the only one here handling everything from medications to doctor appointments to basic care. My savings are almost gone and I'm getting desperate. Has anyone successfully gotten unemployment benefits while being a caregiver? I can't just abandon my dad to take a job, but I also can't survive financially like this much longer. Any advice?
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Libby Hassan
Unfortunately, one of the core requirements for receiving unemployment benefits in California is that you must be able and available for work. This means you need to be actively seeking employment and ready to accept suitable work when offered. Based on your description, it sounds like you wouldn't be able to meet this requirement due to your full-time caregiving responsibilities. Have you looked into other assistance programs? You might qualify for CalFresh (food stamps) or other forms of assistance. There are also respite care programs through California Caregiver Resource Centers that might give you some time to work part-time.
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Levi Parker
•Thank you for explaining. I was afraid that might be the case but was hoping there was some exception for caregivers. I'll definitely look into CalFresh - I hadn't even thought of that. Do you know if receiving IHSS (even though it goes to the night caregiver) would make me ineligible for other assistance programs?
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Hunter Hampton
im pretty sure u CANT get EDD if ur not looking 4 work. thats like the whole point of it. my cousin tried something similar when she was taking care of her mom with alzheimers and got denied.
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Sofia Peña
This is SO FRUSTRATING!! The system punishes people who take care of family members. I went through something similar with my mother last year - couldn't find work because I had to care for her, but couldn't get benefits because I "wasn't available for work." It's a cruel catch-22 and shows how the ENTIRE SYSTEM is broken! I ended up having to put my mom in a facility that drained her life savings because I couldn't afford to care for her at home. The EDD doesn't care about families!!
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Levi Parker
•I'm so sorry you went through that. It really does feel like being punished for doing the right thing. Did you ever find any programs that actually helped? I'm trying to avoid having to place my dad in a facility if at all possible.
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Sofia Peña
•Honestly, not much helped. We did get some assistance through our local Area Agency on Aging, and there was a church group that provided some free respite care once a week. But the big government programs all have these ridiculous gaps that families fall through. I'd definitely check with senior centers in your area though - sometimes they know about smaller programs that aren't widely advertised.
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Aaron Boston
My sister was in a similar situation!! She ended up finding a work-from-home data entry job that let her make some money while still being there for our mom. It wasn't much but it helped supplement the IHSS. Maybe look into remote jobs that have flexible hours?
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Sophia Carter
I work at a non-profit that assists caregivers, and I want to clarify some important points: 1. You're correct that regular unemployment benefits require being available for work, which doesn't sound compatible with your situation. 2. IHSS payments that go to another caregiver shouldn't count as your income for most assistance programs, but you'll need to clearly document this. 3. Have you explored increasing your IHSS hours? If your father's condition has worsened, you might qualify for more hours, allowing you to be paid for more of your caregiving work. 4. California has a program called the Caregiver Resource Centers (CRCs) that offer support, including possible financial assistance: https://www.caregivercalifornia.org/ 5. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging for additional resources: https://www.aging.ca.gov/Find_Services_in_My_County/ Don't give up - there are resources available, just not through traditional unemployment.
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Levi Parker
•Thank you so much for this information! I didn't know about the Caregiver Resource Centers - I'll contact them right away. And yes, I should definitely try to get my dad's IHSS hours reassessed. His condition has gotten worse over the past few months, so we might qualify for more hours. I really appreciate the links and specific suggestions.
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Chloe Zhang
When I was desperate to talk to EDD about a different issue last year, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual person. They have a system that calls EDD for you and connects you when they get through. Saved me HOURS of frustration. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Might be worth talking directly to EDD about your situation instead of just assuming you don't qualify. Sometimes there are special circumstances or other programs they can tell you about that you won't find online.
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Hunter Hampton
•does that actually work?? ive spent like 2 days trying to get thru to edd and keep getting the "too many callers" message
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Levi Parker
•Thank you for the suggestion. I might try this service because you're right - talking to an actual person at EDD might reveal options I don't know about. And at this point, I need to explore every possibility.
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Aaron Boston
My aunt got something called PFL (paid family leave) when she was taking care of my grandma last year. Have you looked into that?
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Libby Hassan
•The original poster mentioned they already received and exhausted their Paid Family Leave benefits (the 8-week maximum). PFL in California only provides benefits for a limited time, unfortunately.
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Brandon Parker
have you talked to your dads doctor? sometimes they can refer you to social services that have special programs. my moms doctor connected us with a case manager who found us a bunch of resources when we were in a similar spot. worth asking!!
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Levi Parker
•That's a great idea. My dad has an appointment next week with his primary care doctor. I'll definitely ask about a social services referral or case manager. Thank you for the suggestion!
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Sophia Carter
Just to follow up on some of the suggestions here, I'd recommend you take these specific actions: 1. Contact your local Caregiver Resource Center immediately 2. Schedule an IHSS reassessment to potentially increase hours 3. Apply for CalFresh benefits 4. Talk to your father's doctor about a social services referral 5. Consider using Claimyr to speak directly with EDD about any special programs While traditional unemployment likely won't be available to you, this combination of resources might provide enough support to make your situation manageable. The California Department of Aging also has a helpline (1-800-510-2020) that can connect you with local senior resources.
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Levi Parker
•Thank you so much for laying out these steps. It gives me a clear plan instead of just feeling overwhelmed. I've already called the Caregiver Resource Center and left a message, and I'm filling out the CalFresh application online right now. I'll work through the rest of your suggestions over the next few days. I appreciate everyone's help more than I can say.
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