By the Unified Savers Editorial Team
SEIU 2015, which represents approximately 500,000 In-Home Supportive Services providers across California, is escalating its statewide campaign for a $25 minimum hourly wage for all IHSS workers — a push that would mark the largest single statewide wage floor increase in the program’s history.
The campaign, dubbed “Care Can’t Wait,” launched formally in May 2026 with rallies in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Fresno. As of July, the union is preparing a signature push at the state capitol ahead of the August legislative recess, with union officials calling on Governor Newsom and legislative leaders to include the wage floor in upcoming budget trailer bill negotiations.
Current IHSS wages vary widely by county. The state contributes a base rate, with counties required to fund wages above a negotiated threshold. Many rural counties remain at or near the state minimum — which sat at $17.00 per hour as of January 2026 — while larger counties like Los Angeles ($18.20/hour) and San Francisco ($20.75/hour) have negotiated higher rates through prior SEIU campaigns. Even those higher-wage counties remain well below the union’s $25 target.
“Providers are leaving the program because they can’t survive on these wages,” said Arnulfo De Leon, an IHSS provider from Riverside County, speaking at a Sacramento rally in June. “We’re caring for California’s most vulnerable people. The state needs to pay us what the work is worth.”
The Cost Estimate and State Budget Context
SEIU 2015 estimates that a uniform $25/hour floor would cost approximately $3.1 billion annually in additional state and federal Medicaid matching funds combined. California currently receives roughly a 50 percent federal match on IHSS costs, meaning the state’s direct outlay increase would be approximately $1.55 billion per year.
The 2026-27 state budget signed in June did not include the $25 floor. However, legislators included a study provision directing the Department of Social Services to report on IHSS wages and workforce retention by March 2027 — which advocates see as a foundation for a 2027-28 budget push. Senate Budget Committee Chair Sen. Caroline Menjivar (D-Van Nuys) signaled she intends to hold fall hearings on IHSS wages and workforce shortages.
Provider Shortage Driving the Campaign
SEIU 2015 and county IHSS offices cite a significant provider shortage as the core argument for higher wages. Los Angeles County’s IHSS program reported in May 2026 that approximately 18,000 IHSS recipients were awaiting provider matches — up from roughly 11,000 two years earlier.
Alameda County reported its provider registry had only 1,400 registered providers available for more than 4,000 recipients who need registry matches, leaving some recipients without care coverage for days at a time.
Union research released in June found that IHSS provider turnover statewide ran at approximately 35 percent annually. The union argues that low wages are the primary driver.
What a $25 Wage Would Mean in Practice
A provider in Fresno County currently earning $17.80/hour and working 40 hours per week earns approximately $2,848/month gross before taxes. At $25/hour, that same provider would earn $4,000/month — a $1,152/month increase, or roughly $13,824 annually.
For providers working part-time hours caring for a family member, the proportional rate increase is the same, though the monthly dollar gain is smaller.
What Comes Next
SEIU 2015 is planning statewide member meetings in August to organize testimony for fall legislative hearings. The union is also pursuing county-level campaigns in Sacramento, San Bernardino, and Fresno counties to negotiate higher county-funded IHSS wage rates in advance of any statewide change.
For workers in counties where wages remain near the state minimum, these county campaigns represent the fastest path to a pay increase while statewide legislation takes shape. Providers can find information about participating in SEIU 2015’s advocacy at seiu2015.org.
Related guides: County IHSS Wage Increases: July 2026 Update by County · IHSS Overtime Rules California: Complete Provider Guide · IHSS Union Benefits and SEIU 2015 Membership Guide