By Edith Gong
January 2024 | 2024 Winter Newsletter
Independent Providers (IPs) in Santa Clara County received a $0.50 wage increase to $19.54. This exciting news is due to the increase in the state minimum wage.
In addition, due to the passing of Senate Bill 616 (SB 616), paid sick leave for all IHSS IPs will increase from 24 hours to 40 hours every year. According to California Department of Social Services (CDSS), this increase to 40 hours of sick leave will begin on July 1, 2024.
The requirements for sick leave will not change:
- IPs will accrue sick leave after providing authorized IHSS services for 100 hours
- Before accrued sick leave hours can be used, the IP must work an additional 200 hours or actively provide authorized services for 60 calendar days, whichever comes first
These requirements only need to be met once. An IP who completes the requirements and continues to claim hours as an IHSS IP will continue to accrue hours of sick leave every year. If a current IP has already met these requirements, they do not need to do so again.
Any IP who stops being paid by IHSS for one year becomes inactive and would need to complete the requirements again to earn and use sick leave.
At the end of each State Fiscal Year on June 30, any unused sick leave hours expire. On July 1, a provider’s available sick leave hours reset back to 40 hours.
Additional information and eligibility guidelines can be found here on the CDSS website: cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/ihss-providers/resources/sick-leave.