In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) is a social service that allows people who need long-term care to receive it in the comfort and safety of their own homes. In Santa Clara County, over 36,000 IHSS workers provide long-term care services (including household work, personal care services, and paramedical services) to older adults and people with disabilities.
Click here to learn more about the essential long-term care IHSS workers provide.
In our last union contract, we won a path to beyond $20 an hour for Santa Clara home care workers, which became the second highest IHSS wage in the state of California at the time.
But since then, our current wage has been outpaced by the rising cost of living. Santa Clara’s home care providers currently earn $20.04 an hour, but the living wage for one adult without children in the county is $35.44. Without IHSS workers, our neighbors who receive services through IHSS would lose access to essential long-term care.
We’re getting ready to start bargaining for a new contract that increases wages and improves benefits for workers and guarantees equitable access to long-term care for all who need it in our community.
Campaign Update 3: May 6, 2025
Nearly 150 Santa Clara County IHSS workers and allies rallied outside of the Board of Supervisors and gave public comment, urging the County to address the care crisis by raising wages. Click here to read our press release
Yi Gao points to how much money the IHSS program saves the government every year.
“My client has 209 hours and 15 minutes of IHSS time each month, which means the government pays $4,193.37 monthly. If my care recipient were to live in a nursing home, the monthly cost would be over $10,000! Allowing seniors to live comfortably at home and receive personalized, attentive care not only improves their quality of life but also saves government funds.”
Darren McGee emphasizes the economic challenges of leaving the workforce to become an IHSS provider.
“IHSS providers don’t get paid enough to do this so they end up having to take another job. The economic impact to Santa Clara County is profound.”
Ruchir Pandit points to an alarming statistic and discusses the mental health impact of working as an IHSS provider.
“Over 60% of IHSS workers in Santa Clara have trouble paying their housing costs each month. For my family, this financial stress impacts our mental health which impacts the care we are able to provide. My spouse is constantly stressed and we are always tired.”
Louis Urquizu shares his experience as a care provider for his mother.
“My mother, who already needed assistance with everyday tasks, is now completely blind. On top of ensuring she gets her meds and meals every day, I also assist her with activities like bathing to ensure she doesn’t fall or get injured. It’s crucial that my mother get the care she needs. Without in-home care, she would have to enter an expensive institution that we can’t afford.”
SEIU 521 member Carter stands in solidarity with Santa Clara IHSS workers.
“People here are paid 20 dollars an hour when a living wage would be nearly 33 dollars an hour.”
Political organizer Kayla Gomez emphasizes the important work of IHSS providers in Santa Clara County.
“It wasn’t Sally’s choice when her son was in a near-fatal accident. It wasn’t Javier’s choice for the love of his life to be bed-ridden for months because she was given the wrong medication at a dialysis clinic. It wasn’t Cathy’s choice when their parents became ill due to age. But what was their choice is being there for someone who needs it most.”
Click here to view photos from the action
Campaign Update 2: March 25, 2025
Santa Clara County IHSS workers filled the Board of Supervisors meeting chambers on March 25, 2025 as contract negotiations with the county pressed on. Several caregivers shared their difficult economic circumstances while expressing dismay with the county’s latest wage offer.
Josefina Juarez said that care workers were on the frontlines during the pandemic and need to be safe as they continue providing essential services to community members in need.
“We don’t want our recipients at risk…if we’re healthy, our recipients are healthy.”
Tonya York told the Board that 78% of Santa Clara County care workers work multiple jobs, citing data from a recent SEIU 2015 survey.
“Home care workers are the people who have answered the call. We care for the sickest, weakest, most vulnerable members of our society.”
Natascha Walker points out how the County’s latest offer has left her feeling marginalized and insulted.
“The living wage for a single parent of one child is $64 an hour in this county, not $20 an hour. That’s a $44 dollar gap.”
Campaign Update 1: January 28, 2025
Santa Clara County home care workers spoke at the Board of Supervisors, sharing powerful testimonies and urging the Board to use existing funds to raise the IHSS wage now.
Meet the Santa Clara IHSS providers who represent you at the bargaining table!
Linh Mieu Ly Wong has been an IHSS provider for eight years. “We need a good contract for a better life. I’m committed to raise wages and win a reasonable stipend.”
Catherine Trinh has been an IHSS provider for over 3 years. “The cost of living is high in Santa Clara. We need to ensure the IHSS program is not affected by future budget cuts.”
Guadalupe Ruiz de Olvera has been an IHSS provider for nine years. “Results add up. I’m prepared to do more than the minimum to improve our current conditions.”
Patricia Cruz has been an IHSS provider for one year. “I love what I do. We need to participate to make a better life for every provider.”
Yueh Pi Chang has been an IHSS provider for 23 years. “Because of each other’s needs, we should be more united so that consumers and providers can have reasonable wages and benefits, create a win-win situation, and create a harmonious community.”
Yi has been an IHSS provider for 12 years. “I want to fight for a good contract for all providers. We have power in numbers.”
Natascha Walker has been an IHSS provider for 2.5 years. “There is a long term care crisis here in California and nationwide that has only begun. Our economy overall has failed to begin building the critical financial infrastructure required to address this problem. The Santa Clara County BOS has an extremely important job to do this time around because this contract will set the standard by which that infrastructure will be built.”