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Health and Human Services Agency recommending the Board receive and authorize the Chair to sign the attached letter of support addressed to the Honorable Joaquin Arambula, Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee 1, thereby supporting the ongoing maintenance of current fiscal tools pertaining to local bargaining for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) wages and benefits increases.
FUNDING: Social Services 1991 Realignment.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
According to information provided by the California State Association of Counties (CSAC), “Under current law, counties are responsible for 35 percent of the nonfederal share and the state participates in 65 percent of the nonfederal share of cost for locally negotiated increases to In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) provider wages and benefits. This applies to increases under the state participation cap, but there is a tool available that allows a county to receive state participation in a specified amount above that cap.
On January 1, 2022, two changes are set to occur that will make it more difficult to reach agreements. The historic sharing ratio will flip so that counties would instead be responsible for 65 percent of the nonfederal share and the tool for participation above the cap would no longer be available.”
The budget proposal would preserve the existing funding mechanisms by maintaining the current sharing ratio and extending the use of the tool for participation above the cap. Without this budget proposal, progress on IHSS collective bargaining is likely to stall as the county costs for most future wage and benefit increases would nearly double.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to support this proposal, collective bargaining for IHSS agreements would be impacted as the County cost for most future wage and benefit increases would nearly double.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
February 11, 2020, 20-0113, IHSS PA / UWDA MOU
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
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