New Contract Delivers $2.00 an-hour Wage Increase for Home Care Workers

Santa Clara County, Calif. – The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a new two-year contract Tuesday covering more than 36,000 In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) workers, concluding negotiations and securing $2 in hourly wage increases over the life of the agreement. IHSS providers are members of SEIU Local 2015, the nation’s largest long-term care union, representing more than 500,000 workers across California.

Through IHSS, older adults and people with disabilities can receive essential long-term care at home rather than in institutional settings. Providers assist with personal care, paramedical services and household tasks that help people live safely and independently in their communities.

The new contract includes a $2.00 increase in the IHSS wage supplement over the next two years. The current IHSS wage is $20.44 an hour–upon implementation by the California Department of Social Services in two to three months, IHSS wages will rise to $21.54 an hour, then to $22.44 in July 2027.

These raises come as Santa Clara homecare workers contend with housing and food insecurity. As Bay Area housing costs continue to rise, recent polling of Santa Clara IHSS workers by SEIU 2015 reveals nearly 2 out of 3 (61.8%) care providers have trouble paying their rent or mortgage. More than half (52.3%) of providers experience food insecurity, relying on CalFresh or food banks on at least a monthly basis.

The survey also found 78% of Santa Clara’s IHSS workers work multiple jobs—at least some of the time—just to make ends meet. “I work as an insurance agent, and I’m in law school while providing care to my sister with mental health issues,” said Tonya York, a Santa Clara County IHSS worker. “I wish I didn’t have to work more than one job to afford living in this county.”

Yi Gao, an IHSS provider and member of the SEIU 2015 bargaining team, thanked the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors for negotiating in good faith and recognizing the essential work of in-home caregivers.

“Caregiving takes a physical and emotional toll, and too many caregivers struggle to take care of themselves while taking care of others,” she said at the August 25 Board meeting.

Union leaders said the new agreement represents an investment in both the workers who provide essential home care and the Santa Clara County residents who depend on it. 

“SEIU 2015 members and County Supervisors worked together to secure this union contract, which will help IHSS workers provide for themselves and their families,” said SEIU Local 2015 Executive Vice President Kim Evon. “Their collective effort puts Santa Clara County on a path toward a more just and equitable future of care where every person in the county can access the long-term care they need.”

SEIU Local 2015 negotiates with county Boards of Supervisors, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, and private home care agencies across California to secure union contracts, improve wages, benefits and working conditions, and empower workers with a voice in the care they provide. 

For more information about SEIU Local 2015, visit SEIU2015.org or follow @SEIU2015 on social media.