URGENT: Starting July 1, 2016*, IHSS providers who submit incorrect timesheets will be subject to violations, including and up to termination from IHSS.
Note that many IHSS recipients and providers will not be impacted by the new timesheet rules, as overtime, travel time and medical wait time does not apply in their individual situation. The greatest impact will be to providers who work more than 40 hours each workweek, providers who work for multiple recipients, or providers who travel directly from one recipient’s home to another on the same day.
IMPORTANT: If you receive a violation notice in the mail but were never counseled by a social worker about how to properly fill out your timesheet to avoid penalties, contact UDW immediately at 1-800-621-5016.
Timesheet Violations Starting on July 1, 2016
1st violation: Notice only
2nd violation: Notice with option of avoiding the second violation by attending a one-time training on the new rules
3rd violation: Notice and three month suspension from IHSS
4th violation: Notice and one year termination from IHSS*
*If a provider is terminated, they will have to reapply and complete all the provider enrollment requirements again.
You may incur a violation if:
- You work more than 40 hours in a workweek for a recipient without your recipient getting approval from the county when that recipient is authorized 40 hours or less in a workweek;
- You worked more hours for your recipient than they are authorized in a workweek without your recipient getting approval from the county, and this caused you to work more overtime hours in the month than you normally would;
- You work for more than one recipient and you worked more than 66 hours in a workweek; or
- Your claimed travel time was more than seven hours in a workweek.
Our union continues to work with the state and lawmakers to ensure that IHSS providers have adequate time to learn the new program rules and are not penalized unfairly. We will post updates on this page as they become available.
*6/1/2016: The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) recently changed the date IHSS providers will start receiving violations from May 1st to July 1st . This means CDSS will not issue violations during the period from June 1st to June 30th, but keep in mind, violations will begin in July.
Violations are penalties IHSS providers will receive for exceeding workweek or travel time limits. Violation consequences start with a notice, and progress in severity to a one-year termination from the IHSS program.
Continue reading for more information on the new IHSS timesheet rules, and how they affect the way you complete your timesheet.
Beginning February 1, 2016, IHSS providers who travel between more than one client in the same day will be eligible to be paid for the time spent traveling between the two clients, up to seven hours per workweek.
Travel time does not include the time it takes a provider to travel from his or her own home to the location where he or she provides services for a recipient or back home after the work is completed. The provider will get paid for actual travel time regardless of the method of travel used (driving a car, taking public transit, walking, riding a bicycle). The cost of the travel (gas, bus fare, etc.) is not paid.
Providers are responsible for keeping track of their travel time each week and reporting it on the travel claim form. The maximum amount of time a provider can be paid for travel is 7 hours per week. Reporting more than 7 hours a week in travel time will result in a program violation. Travel time does NOT count towards a provider’s maximum weekly hours.
If you have more than one IHSS client, you must review, complete, and return the SOC 2255 form to your local county office by April 15th. Providers who qualify for travel time will not receive a travel time claim form until this form is returned.
