In a 5-1 vote, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved a tentative employment agreement with United Domestic Workers (UDW), AFCSME Local 3930, for three years of wage increases for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). The wage increases will raise the hourly wage for IHSS providers by $2.50 over three years.
Should the tentative agreement reach approval by union members and the state, it will return to the board of supervisors for final approval. If all approvals are met, the hourly wage for IHSS providers will increase to $16.75 later this year, then to $17.50 in January 2024. The final $1 hourly increase in January 2025 will make the hourly wage $18.50. The final $1 increase is contingent upon the state increasing the hourly cap for IHSS providers, as the state partially funds IHSS wages.
Additional costs associated with this contract include increased contributions to a health insurance fund, developed by the county and administered by UDW. The health insurance contributions will be $0.71 per hour, up from $.57 per hour. In addition, life insurance benefits and personal protective equipment will be provided.
IHSS providers deliver in-home care and personal services to low-income individuals who are either elderly or disabled. The assistance provided by IHSS providers allows elderly or disabled individuals to stay in their homes and avoid skilled nursing placement or hospitalization.
According to the county,, there are currently 38,000 IHSS providers in Riverside County, with thousands of elderly and disabled clients on the waiting list to be matched up with a provider.
“In-home workers perform a critical service to help elderly and disabled residents safely stay in their homes,” Board Chairman Kevin Jeffries said. “This tentative agreement acknowledges the difficult service these providers offer, as well as the need to attract more workers for the thousands of elderly residents currently waiting for a caregiver.”
The county costs for this fiscal year are more than $9.1 million, $17.4 million for the next fiscal year, and $29.1 million for the third year. These figures represent the county’s costs, which account for 16 percent of the entire contract. The federal government will cover 50 percent of the costs, and the state will cover 34 percent.
