Latest update 09/01/2025 Tulare IHSS care providers rally at Board of Supervisors demanding livable wages and healthcare benefits.
On September 01, 2025 – In honor of Labor Day, Tulare County caregivers rallied at the Board of Supervisors demanding investments in care that includes livable wages and good healthcare. Caregivers lifted their voices to underscore the urgent need for county leaders to respect, protect, and invest in the care workforce.
“This Labor Day is supposed to honor the workers who built this country and fought for the rights we have today,” said Thomas Magana, a Tulare County IHSS caregiver. “But for caregivers like me, it’s also a reminder of how much we’re still fighting for. Too many of us are barely getting by—some are even losing their homes—while we care for older adults and people with disabilities. We know the system is broken. Tulare County must stop ignoring us and start investing in us.” 📰 Read more here.
Tulare County caregivers like Thomas provide essential care that enables older adults and people with disabilities to live safely and independently in the comfort of their home. Yet, despite this essential role, many Tulare caregivers are paid poverty-level wages that create insecurities and disparities in being able to afford housing, healthcare, and basic necessities.
Tulare County elected officials need to invest in its care workforce to make care jobs better jobs to attract and retain the workforce to address the growing demand for essential care. Stay tuned.
Latest update 4/11/2025 Tulare IHSS care providers launch joint community briefing for strong contract that features better wages and increased healthcare coverage!
On April 11, we held an exciting joint community briefing kick-off for Tulare and Kings Counties with our very own Executive Vice President Marcus Mc Rae-Alexander who spoke on the urgency behind these campaigns as caregivers across both counties have been without adequate healthcare and living wages. Stay tuned for more updates as these two county contracts mobilize for healthcare and living wages! See photos here 📸
Latest update 07/16/2024 on Tulare County IHSS providers continue their fight for a contract with livable wages and health care.
On Tuesday morning, dozens of Tulare County caregivers gathered to give public comments at the County’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Afterward, they continued their rally outside the board of supervisors. Many of the workers spoke out about the need for livable wages and the right to adequate healthcare. It was a powerful display of unity and advocacy for important issues. If you’d like to see photos from the event, please visit this link https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBzXFP
Latest update 05/14/2024 on Tulare County IHSS providers continue their fight for a contract with livable wages and health care.
On May 14th, Tulare County In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) care providers gathered before the County’s Board of Supervisors to continue to call for fair livable wages and access to adequate healthcare benefits.
The IHSS needs for many care providers in Tulare County continues in a growing crisis. Long-term care workers in Tulare are struggling to make ends meet, prompting many to leave the long term care industry altogether. Right now, many care providers across the county like Thomas and Maria feel that the love for work they do is often overlooked by those in power, leaving caregivers, like them, to fend for themselves. One (1) in five (5) home care providers say they may leave the care industry, citing low wages and lack of benefits.
Last year, there were more than 324,000 unused authorized care hours, meaning that folks who needed care could not get a provider. 10,000 people across the country turn 65 every day—as the aging population accelerates, we need to retain and invest in our long term care providers. Approximately 75% of IHSS caregivers report being underpaid for the essential work that they do.
A recent poll of In-Home Supportive Service (IHSS) care workers in Tulare County underscored the urgent challenges that many of these essential workers face. They are in crisis and in need of immediate relief. Some of the distressing findings include:
- Nearly 63% of IHSS providers in Tulare County reported having difficulty paying their mortgage or rent each month, reporting that they are sometimes or always late with their payments.
- More than 40% of IHSS providers in Tulare County currently rely on public assistance programs like CalFresh and MediCal on low poverty wages.
- Just over 80% of IHSS providers in Tulare County reported working multiple jobs – at least some of the time – to make ends meet.
- More than 77% of IHSS providers reported living with either a partner or family members and one in three providers say their home is overcrowded.
Stay tuned for more updates next month.
Latest update 4/19/2024 on Tulare County IHSS providers continue their fight for a contract with livable wages and health care.
Currently, Tulare County IHSS providers are in the process of negotiating a contract that includes livable wages. This effort is crucial in recognizing the valuable work they provide, and improving the financial security of these essential caregivers.
On April 19th, Tulare caregivers rallied before the County’s Board of Supervisors. They demanded fair wages and a stronger contract. During the worst of the pandemic, caregivers were hailed as ‘heroes’ by the elected officials around them. Now it’s time for those elected officials to start paying these healthcare heroes what they are worth.
Latest update 3/12/2024 on Tulare County IHSS providers rallied for a contract with livable wages and health care.
On March 12th, Tulare caregivers rallied before the County’s Board of Supervisors to demand better. Caregivers are fed up with being given scraps. They know the value of the service they provide to the community. They are now saying “enough is enough,” and are prepared to push back even harder against the BOS if their demands go unmet.
There is already a shortage of Tulare County In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) providers. Right now, over 400,000 authorized care hours went unused in Tulare County, indicating thousands of people in the county having difficulty finding care.
- More than 80.4% of IHSS providers in Tulare County reported working multiple jobs – at least some of the time – just to make ends meet. That’s 4 out of every 5 providers in the county.
- More than 49.1% of IHSS providers in Tulare County experience consistent food insecurity, relying on CalFresh and/or food banks at least monthly.
- Nearly 63% of IHSS providers in Tulare County have difficulty paying their mortgage or rent each month, with many reporting that they are sometimes or always late with their payments.
- More than 60% of IHSS providers in Tulare County are sometimes or often unable to access medication because they cannot afford the cost of prescriptions.
IHSS Provider Maria Paredez
“IHSS work is incredibly important, and it’s crucial that the Tulare County Board of Supervisors truly comprehend and know: It’s not just a job — it’s vital services that deserve recognition and support from those we vote into leadership.”
IHSS Provider Thomas Magana
“The work requires skill sets that only human touch and empathy can bring. It comes naturally to me. It’s something I really love doing. I think about it this way: when I get really old someday, or if I somehow got disabled, I’d want to be cared for by someone who actually cares. This is what I need Tulare County Board of Supervisors to think about when it’s their turn in life. ”