To get paid as a caregiver in California, you apply through one of two programs depending on what you’re doing. If you’re providing ongoing personal care at home to an elderly, blind, or disabled family member who qualifies for Medi-Cal, you apply for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) through your county social services office. If you’re taking time off from your own job to care for a seriously ill family member, you file a Paid Family Leave (PFL) claim with the Employment Development Department. Here is how to apply for caregiver benefits in California under each program, what documents you’ll need, and what happens after you file.
Which Program Fits Your Situation
IHSS pays a caregiver an hourly wage to help an eligible person with daily tasks like bathing, cooking, and housekeeping so that person can stay at home instead of moving into a facility. The caregiver can be a spouse, parent, adult child, other relative, or a non-relative, and the care recipient generally chooses their own provider.1California Department of Social Services. In Home Supportive Services
PFL is a wage-replacement program for workers who already have jobs and need to step away temporarily. It pays roughly 60 to 70 percent of your usual wages (or 90 percent if your income is low), up to $1,765 per week in 2026, for up to eight weeks in a 12-month period.2EDD – CA.gov. California’s Paid Family Leave General Overview3EDD – CA.gov. Paid Family Leave PFL only replaces wages. It does not protect your job by itself, which is covered further down.
The two programs can also work together in some situations. A worker on job-protected leave to care for a relative can draw PFL benefits during that leave, and a family member providing long-term in-home care can be paid through IHSS.
Applying for IHSS
Who Qualifies
The care recipient must be aged, blind, or disabled, eligible for Medi-Cal, and living in their own home rather than a residential care facility. A licensed health care professional must complete Form SOC 873 confirming the person cannot independently perform certain activities of daily living and would risk out-of-home placement without help.4California Department of Social Services. IHSS Program Health Care Certification Form SOC 873
Because IHSS runs under Medi-Cal, the recipient must also meet the financial rules. The current Medi-Cal asset limit is $130,000 for one person, with an additional $65,000 for each additional household member.5Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Asset Limit Frequently Asked Questions
Documents to Gather
- SOC 295 application form, available from your county IHSS office or the CDSS website.
- SOC 873 Health Care Certification, completed by a licensed health professional, with diagnosis and functional limitations. You have 45 calendar days from the date the county requests this form to return it, or the county must deny the application.6California Department of Social Services. All-County Letter No 11-55
- Social Security numbers and government-issued photo ID for the caregiver and the care recipient.
- Bank statements, proof of income, and documentation of countable assets for Medi-Cal verification.
- Proof of residency such as a utility bill or lease.
Where and How to File
Applications are handled by the county where the care recipient lives. You can call, visit in person, or mail the completed SOC 295 to the local county IHSS office; some counties also accept fax. To find the right office, search for your county on the CDSS site or call 211. Keep a copy of your stamped application, fax confirmation, or mailing receipt. That date matters if you later need to appeal.
After the county receives your application, expect a confirmation notice within a few days with a case number and the name of your assigned social worker.
The Home Assessment
A county social worker visits the care recipient’s home in person, observes the environment, interviews the recipient, and evaluates how much help is needed with daily tasks such as bathing, dressing, meal preparation, housework, and moving around the home.7CDSS.ca.gov. In-Home Supportive Services Assessment and Authorization That assessment sets the number of authorized care hours per month.
The county then sends a Notice of Action stating the approved hours, which tasks are covered, and when services can begin.
Enrolling as the Paid Caregiver
Approval of the recipient is only half the process. Before any payment goes out, the caregiver has to enroll as a provider. That means visiting the county IHSS office in person to submit Form SOC 426, giving fingerprints for a criminal background check, attending a provider orientation, and signing the Provider Enrollment Agreement (SOC 846).8California Department of Social Services. IHSS Program Recipient/Provider Enrollment Agreement SOC 426A No payments issue until every step is done and the background check clears.
Once enrolled, you submit timesheets, usually every two weeks, through the state’s electronic timesheet system or on paper. Payment comes by direct deposit or state check at the county’s applicable hourly rate.
Applying for Paid Family Leave
Who Qualifies
PFL is open to most California workers who have paid into State Disability Insurance through payroll deductions. There is no minimum tenure with a specific employer. The covered family members are broader than under federal law: spouse or registered domestic partner, child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, and sibling. The family member must have a serious health condition certified by their doctor. Benefits start from the first day of leave.2EDD – CA.gov. California’s Paid Family Leave General Overview
Documents to Gather
- Your employer’s name, address, and phone number, plus recent pay stubs.
- A medical certification from the care recipient’s doctor with a specific diagnosis, the ICD diagnostic code, the estimated duration of care, and the hours per day the patient needs help.9EDD – CA.gov. Licensed Health Professionals’ Guide to Paid Family Leave DE 2548FD
- Identity verification, handled through the EDD’s online process during filing.
Vague or incomplete medical certifications are the most common reason claims stall. It’s worth confirming the doctor has entered a specific code and a duration before you submit.
How and Where to File
The fastest route is the EDD’s SDI Online portal. After creating an account, you’ll enter employer information, upload the medical certification, and verify your identity, with the system flagging missing fields as you go. You can also mail a paper claim (Form DE 2501F), but it takes longer.
You’ll get a confirmation number after submitting. The EDD generally processes PFL claims within 14 days and notifies you through your online account or by mail. Approved benefits pay by direct deposit or a state-issued debit card.10EDD – CA.gov. Paid Family Leave Claim Process
PFL Does Not Protect Your Job on Its Own
PFL pays you while you’re away from work. It does not require your employer to hold your position. Job protection comes from two separate laws, and if you qualify for one you can layer PFL wage replacement on top of it.
The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) covers employees who have worked at least one year and 1,250 hours for an employer with five or more employees, and gives up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year to care for a family member with a serious health condition. Your employer must reinstate you to the same or a comparable position when you return.11California Civil Rights Department. Family Care and Medical Leave Quick Reference Guide
The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) offers similar protection but applies only to employers with 50 or more employees within 75 miles of your worksite.12eCFR. Part 825 The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 Because CFRA’s employee threshold is much lower, many California workers who don’t qualify for FMLA still have CFRA protection. When you qualify for both, the leave usually runs concurrently.
How Caregiver Pay Is Taxed
For IHSS, the treatment depends on whether you live with the person you care for. If you do, your IHSS wages can be excluded from both federal and California state income tax as “difficulty of care” payments under IRS Notice 2014-7.13Internal Revenue Service. Notice 2014-7 You claim the exclusion by filing Form SOC 2298 to self-certify that you share a home with the recipient.14California Department of Social Services. IHSS Provider Self-Certification SOC 2298
If you don’t live with the recipient, your IHSS wages are taxable. For 2026, Social Security and Medicare taxes apply once a household employee earns $3,000 or more in cash wages during the year; the combined employee share is 7.65 percent.15Internal Revenue Service. Publication 926 2026 Household Employer’s Tax Guide
PFL benefits are not subject to Social Security or Medicare tax. They are taxable as income on your federal return, and California does not tax them at the state level.
If You’re Denied or Your Hours Are Cut
If your IHSS application is denied or the approved hours are lower than you expected, you can request a state hearing. The Notice of Action includes the deadline, generally 90 days from the date of the notice. You can present medical evidence, testimony from the doctor, and other documentation showing why more hours are needed. If your existing hours are being reduced, requesting a hearing before the reduction takes effect can keep your current hours in place until a decision.16Justia. California Code Welfare and Institutions Code Article 7 In-Home Supportive Services
If you’re denied enrollment as an IHSS provider because of a criminal background check, you have 60 days from the date of denial to appeal using Form SOC 856. Send the completed form to CDSS in Sacramento; CDSS reviews the appeal and issues a written decision within 180 days.17California Department of Social Services. How to Appeal if You Are Denied
If the EDD denies your PFL claim or you disagree with the benefit amount, you can appeal to the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. The denial notice includes the deadline and filing instructions.