IHSS providers have been plagued with late timesheets and paychecks for years.

In March, the State Auditor released a report on their audit of the IHSS payroll system, confirming what we already know to be true — the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) could be doing a lot more to help providers avoid paycheck delays.

Some of the audit’s recommendations for CDSS:

• Change the timesheet rules so that a provider’s work week matches their pay period — reducing errors that lead to longer processing times
• Monitor the system more closely to identify problems and correct errors right away
• Develop new procedures so that the counties are consistently and proactively resolving timesheet errors

Next steps: our union UDW is sponsoring AB 237, a bill that would make these and other recommendations law.

The state is also putting its new electronic timesheet process into place. The pilot program launches in Riverside County this month, with a statewide rollout in Summer or Fall of 2017.

None of this would have happened without UDW caregivers! We put pressure on the state to develop electronic timesheets and we fought for the audit of the payroll system. Way to go!