UDW members Asifa Sohail, Debbie Dumm, Cindy Wilson, and Lidia Rodriguez try out the new electronic timesheet system on their smart phones.

In 2016, UDW caregivers played a pivotal role in making much needed improvements to the IHSS payroll system.

With the timesheet audit victory under our belts, we continued to speak up and tell our late timesheet and paycheck stories throughout the year. The state heard us, and announced it would finally offer an electronic timesheet option in 2017. Last December, small groups of IHSS providers were able to try out the state’s electronic timesheet prototype, and offer our opinions.

Overall, we are excited about the improvement, and believe it will help reduce the time providers currently spend waiting for our paychecks. A pilot of the optional electronic timesheets will be rolled out in two counties in May 2017, and then to the rest of the state in July.

And while electronic timesheets will be a great option for thousands of caregivers, we know that not all IHSS providers or recipients will want to use them. That’s why we must continue our work to fix the paper timesheet system, too.

At a Senate Committee on Human Services hearing in Los Angeles last November, we held the Department of Social Services accountable for their role in paycheck delays – delays that have forced our families to go without for holidays, or worse, led to providers being evicted from their homes. Lawmakers were appalled, and pledged to help us fix the system in 2017.

We all deserve a payroll system that works, and a paycheck we can depend on for the hard work we do. Have a late paycheck story to share with lawmakers? Take our survey at bit.ly/IHSSpay.