EDD denied my claim after quitting to care for special needs daughter - any appeal options?

they ALWAYS deny claims when u quit, doesnt matter if its for a good reason or not!! ive seen this happen to so many people. the system is RIGGED against parents especially. u should definitely appeal though, you have 30 days from the date on that letter to submit the appeal form. make sure you include ALL your daughters medical documentation, letters from her doctors, everything!!!

I went through something similar last year with my son who has special needs. Under CA Unemployment Insurance Code Section 1256, you may qualify for benefits if you quit due to 'domestic circumstances' that include care for an ill or disabled family member. However, EDD typically expects that you first exhausted all reasonable alternatives before quitting, such as requesting schedule modifications, FMLA leave, or other accommodations from your employer. For your appeal, you'll need to demonstrate: 1. Your daughter's condition required your care (medical documentation) 2. Why continuing employment made providing that care impossible 3. That you communicated with your employer about your situation before quitting Did you discuss your situation with your employer at all before resigning?

I had a somewhat similar situation and discovered that caring for a disabled family member CAN qualify as good cause for quitting - but the burden is on you to prove it. For your appeal, here's what worked for me: 1. Get detailed documentation from your daughter's doctor specifically stating she requires full-time care and why 2. Write a timeline showing when her condition worsened and how it conflicted with your work schedule 3. Document any conversations with your employer about your situation (emails, texts, etc.) 4. Explain why alternative solutions (like leave of absence) wouldn't have solved your financial situation The appeal hearing is usually by phone, and the judge will want very specific answers about why you felt quitting was your only option. Be prepared to explain why you couldn't reduce hours instead of quitting completely. Also, have you looked into In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS)? You might qualify to be paid as your daughter's caregiver through that program.

my cousin got denied too when she quit her job bc of childcare issues. its like they expect us to just abandon our kids or something?? the whole system is broken. good luck with ur appeal

Have you tried calling EDD to discuss your case with someone? Sometimes talking to the right person can make all the difference. I've been trying to call them about my claim for weeks, but can never get through - always get the 'too many callers' message and then it hangs up.

I'm gonna be honest with you - your situation sounds really tough but from my experience working with UI claims, quitting for better pay is almost never considered good cause by EDD standards. HOWEVER, quitting to care for a disabled family member absolutely can be good cause IF properly documented. The key to your appeal will be separating these two reasons. Focus ENTIRELY on your daughter's care needs and how your work schedule made it impossible to provide necessary care. Do NOT mention the pay issue in your appeal - that will likely hurt your case. Also, for the appeal hearing, be prepared to answer why you couldn't have requested intermittent FMLA leave or schedule accommodations instead of quitting outright. The judge will definitely ask this. You'll need to explain why those options wouldn't have worked for your specific situation with your daughter's care schedule.

u shuld check if u qualfy for SDI or PFL insted of UI. those r for family care situations i think

BTW - when u appeal make sure u check the box requesting an IN PERSON hearing not phone!! its alot harder for them to deny u when ur sitting right infront of them with ur disabled child. my friend did this and won her appeal even tho she also quit her job!!!

One more important thing - if you're filing an appeal, you should continue certifying for benefits every two weeks during the appeal process. If you win your appeal, they'll pay all those weeks retroactively, but only if you kept certifying. Many people don't realize this and miss out on back benefits even when they win their appeals.

Just wanted to update that I won my appeal in a similar situation. The key was having detailed medical documentation that specifically stated my family member required my personal care and a doctor's note explaining why my work schedule was incompatible with providing that care. The judge was actually quite understanding once all the medical evidence was presented. Good luck with your appeal!