Where an individual who would be eligible to receive disability benefits is mentally unable to make a claim therefor, the director shall, in accordance with authorized regulations, allow the filing of a claim for these benefits by the spouse or domestic partner of the individual, in the absence of any other legally authorized representative of the individual. A payment shall be made upon affidavit executed by the spouse or domestic partner or person or persons claiming to be entitled to the benefits and the receipt of the affidavit or affidavits shall fully discharge the Director of Employment Development from any further liability with reference to the payments, without the necessity of inquiring into the truth of any of the facts stated in the affidavit.
For the purposes of this section “mentally unable to make a claim” shall be limited to those cases in which the individual is certified by a healing arts practitioner specified in Sections 2708 and 2709 to be mentally unable to make a claim pursuant to this part.
(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 893, Sec. 60. Effective January 1, 2002.)