Delayed paychecks, no matter the reason, cause headaches and frustration for IHSS caregivers. When many of our checks from June 15th – 30th were delayed, we were forced to figure out how to stretch our budgets and provide for our families for weeks without our normal pay. When we inquired with the state about these outrageous delays, we were told the 4th of July holiday caused more timesheets than usual to arrive at the processing center at the same time, slowing down the process.
With Labor Day just around the corner, we didn’t want to see a repeat of late IHSS paychecks. We urged the state to be proactive to ensure caregivers receive our checks in a timely manner.
In response to our demands, the state has agreed to have payroll processing staff work extra hours to process our IHSS timesheets on the evening of Friday, September 2nd, as well as Saturday, September 3rd. The state is also working with the postal service to ensure our timesheets are delivered to the processing facility Saturday, September 3rd, and with the Controller’s office to ensure that timesheets received on Tuesday, September 6th will be processed that day. Keep in mind, a minor delay in processing may still take place, as the timesheet processing facility will be closed on Labor Day, Monday September 5th.
This is a victory for UDW caregivers and a testament to our persistence and hard work. Now, our timesheets will be processed for an additional day and a half, which should cut down on the delays caused by the September 5th Labor Day holiday.
This victory comes on the heels of another victory won by IHSS providers. After our insistence that the state finally upgrade the IHSS payroll system, it was announced last month that a pilot electronic timesheet program will begin in May 2017. The state’s goal is to move to electronic timesheets throughout the state later that year. Electronic timesheets could mean a permanent end to paycheck delays. However, we want it to happen sooner, and will continue to work with the state and keep providers up-to-date on our progress.
