IHSS California: News, Rights & Free Benefits for Home Care Workers
1.5M+
Workers in CA
$18.65
State Min. Wage
58
CA Counties
Rights Spotlight
What Every IHSS Worker Must Know
Overtime Pay
You are entitled to 1.5× your hourly rate after 9 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week. Many IHSS employers illegally deny this. Keep a time log.
Sick Leave
California law guarantees you at least 40 hours (5 days) of paid sick leave per year. You can use it for your own illness or a family member's.
Travel Time
If you travel between two or more clients in the same day, that travel time must be paid at your regular rate. Agencies cannot deduct it.
Wage Theft
If you are paid late, paid less than agreed, or have deductions taken without consent — that is wage theft. You can file a claim with the CA Labor Commissioner at no cost.
Report Wage Theft
Call the CA Labor Commissioner's free wage theft hotline. No cost. No immigration status required.
1-844-522-6734
Wage Watch
Are You Being Paid the Right Amount?
California's minimum wage is $18.65/hour as of 2025. But your county may pay more — and some counties have IHSS-specific supplemental wages on top of state minimums. If you work in Los Angeles, San Francisco, or other high-cost counties, your rate may be higher.
$18.65+
Los Angeles
$18.67+
San Francisco
$18.65+
Alameda
$18.65+
San Diego
Am I Being Underpaid?
Enter your hours, county, and rate. We'll calculate what you should have been paid — including overtime — and flag any gap.
Open calculator →Benefits Eligibility Checker
Answer 3 questions. Find out which free programs — Medi-Cal, CalFresh, Lifeline, VITA, CARE — you qualify for right now.
Check my benefits →Free Benefits
What You Qualify For — At No Cost
Most IHSS workers qualify for several state and federal programs. Here's what to apply for today.
Medi-Cal
Most IHSS workers qualify based on income.
Free health insurance — doctor visits, prescriptions, dental, mental health.
Apply at coveredca.gov or your county DPSS office.
CalFresh (EBT / Food Stamps)
Single adults earning under ~$2,005/month qualify.
Monthly grocery benefits loaded onto a debit card — average $200+/month.
Apply at getcalfresh.org (takes 10 minutes online).
VITA Free Tax Prep
Anyone earning under $67,000/year.
IRS-certified volunteers file your taxes for free, including Earned Income Tax Credit (worth up to $7,430).
Find a site at irs.gov/vita or call 211.
Lifeline Phone Discount
Medi-Cal or CalFresh recipients automatically qualify.
Free or $0/month cell phone service.
Apply at lifelinesupport.org.
CARE Utility Discount
Medi-Cal or CalFresh recipients.
20–35% off your monthly electric and gas bill.
Call your utility provider or visit cpuc.ca.gov/care.
SEIU 2015 Member Benefits
All IHSS providers — you are already a union member.
Free legal aid, training, scholarships, and worker support services.
Call SEIU 2015 at 1-855-810-2015.
Weekly News
What's Happening in Sacramento & Your County
Navigating the IHSS Landscape: What Every Caregiver in Los Angeles Needs to Know
A plain-language walkthrough of the IHSS system — how to get paid, what to document, and who to contact when something goes wrong.
Avoiding Caregiver Burnout: Essential Tips for IHSS Workers
Caregivers are among the most at-risk workers for burnout. Here's how to protect your mental health while still showing up for the people who depend on you.
Must-Know Resources & Exclusive Discounts for IHSS Workers
From free legal aid to grocery benefits — a full roundup of programs California caregivers can access right now, at no cost.
Latest from the newsfeed
Careers With CDSS
The California Department of Social Services has more than 5,000+ employees and offers many career choices in locations throughout California.
How to Get More IHSS Hours: The Reassessment and Increase Request Process
To get more IHSS hours, request a formal reassessment from your county social worker by calling the county IHSS office. A successful increase typically requires documenting a new diagnosis, worsening condition, or new ADL limitations — supported by a physician's note. The social worker uses the IHSS Assessment Tool to score each task on a 1–5 functional index scale, which determines authorized hours.
IHSS Live Scan Background Check: What It Covers and What Disqualifies You
All new IHSS providers in California must complete a Live Scan fingerprint background check before being authorized to work. The check runs through the California DOJ and FBI databases and typically takes 2–3 weeks. Serious felonies (murder, rape, robbery, elder abuse) and registered sex offenses are automatic disqualifiers. Arrests without conviction, minor misdemeanors, and marijuana offenses after Prop 64 are generally not disqualifying.
IHSS Provider Taxes California: What You Owe and the IRS Exclusion Explained
Under IRS Notice 2014-7, IHSS wages earned by a provider who lives with the recipient are excluded from federal and California state gross income — meaning no income tax owed on those wages. Non-live-in providers receive a W-2 from Public Partnerships LLC and must report wages as taxable income. IHSS workers are employees, not contractors, so self-employment tax does not apply to anyone.
Deals & Discounts
Exclusive Savings for Homecare Workers
Programs and discounts available specifically to California caregivers.
Services
- ✓Free legal aid — SEIU 2015
- ✓Financial counseling — CDSS
- ✓Free tax prep — VITA
- ✓Worker's comp support
- ✓Mental health access
Travel
- ✓Transit discounts — CalACT
- ✓Mileage reimbursement
- ✓Reduced-fare bus passes
- ✓Caregiver car insurance
- ✓Ride-share credits
Products
- ✓CalFresh / EBT groceries
- ✓Medical supply programs
- ✓Free PPE — SEIU
- ✓Lifeline phone plan
- ✓CARE utility discount
Report & Get Help
Who to Call When Something Goes Wrong
Every number below is free. Immigration status is never a barrier to filing a complaint in California.
CA Labor Commissioner
Unpaid wages, overtime violations, illegal deductions
1-844-522-6734
SEIU 2015
Union support, legal aid, workplace problems
1-855-810-2015
IHSS Fraud Hotline
Report fraud by providers, recipients, or agencies
1-800-822-6222
Legal Aid at Work
Free legal help for low-income workers
1-415-864-8848
CA Dept of Social Services
IHSS program questions, recipient issues
1-916-651-8848
211 CA Helpline
Benefits, housing, food — connect to local services
Dial 2-1-1
Support the Mission
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Unified Savers is a free, community-supported newsletter. No advertising, no sponsors. Every dollar helps us keep this resource available to California's 1.5 million homecare workers — accurate, up to date, and always free.
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