On the job with an In-Home Supportive Services worker By ERIC GALVAN, Staff Writer
Saturday, September 15, 2007 10:02 PM PDT
TODD KRAININ PHOTO
In-Home Supportive Services worker Lily Sandoval helps Jose Fernandez stay balanced as he leaves his Calexico apartment.
Lily Sandoval says she works 10 hours a day, five days a week as an In-Home Supportive Services worker.
That equals out to 50 hours a week and about 200 hours a month.
But as an IHSS worker, the hours she works with Isabel and Jose Fernandez are determined by Imperial County Social Services.
So, before Isabel and Jose could receive an in-home worker, it was determined they were eligible for about 21 hours worth of service each week, Sandoval said.
Instead of getting paid for the 50 hours of work, the 34-year-old Sandoval gets paid for only 21.
“I don’t even get $800 a month,” Sandoval said. “I mean, I could go work at Jack in the Box, but I’d rather be doing this.”
Sandoval started working as an IHSS worker about five years ago in Riverside County. There, she said, she was making about $9 an hour and was receiving medical benefits.
After moving to the Imperial Valley two years ago, she started working as an IHSS worker, figuring she’d get paid the same, with similar benefits.
“We had a union, we had medical assistance and we were told how to work as a provider,” Sandoval said.
The pay locally is minimum wage at $7.50 an hour, and there are no medical benefits.
For her, the days are monotonous. She said the work is usually the same with her arriving at the Fernandez home in Calexico about 7:45 or 8 a.m. daily. At that point she’s cleaning up the Fernandez’s home, doing laundry, cooking, changing and bathing Jose and taking him to any appointments.
Sandoval will leave, go work with another IHSS client for about two hours then return to the Fernandez’s home, finish cleaning and help Isabel.
Sandoval said even after she leaves around 6 p.m. she’s still on call and available to Jose and Isabel.
She works the extra hours and is available around the clock but doesn’t get paid overtime.
Gary Andrews, Imperial County Adult Services deputy director, said the assessment of the hours received for each client is the only hours for which Sandoval will get paid.
“Each client is advised as to how many hours are authorized,” Andrews said. “If they work beyond those hours, they’re on their own.”
Eventually Sandoval sees herself moving on.
She’s going to school to become a certified nursing assistant and ideally would like to work at El Centro Regional Medical Center or Pioneers Memorial Hospital in Brawley.
For now, she’ll continue her job as an in-home worker.
“I’m doing this because this is what I wanted,” she said.
" Congrats to Lily Sandoval who loves what she does. I think she and all of the other IHSS workers should be paid more for what they do. I am also glad this story was printed. "
burn33 wrote on Sep 20, 2007 4:07 PM:
" I am a little confused, If they only get payed for 20 something hours, why are they staying for 50+ I love my job, but I don't work for free usually, and when I do, I have no one to complain to but myself, it is called volunteering. "
mailbag wrote on Sep 19, 2007 4:32 PM:
" I'm glad they wrote this story too.it's alot of patience and hard work to tend to the handicap and elderly,unless you have done it,don't say the workers don't deserve better pay,people who cares for others,are special people,they are rewarded with smiles from their clients.but they need raises to help pay their bills,thank you all for helping the people you do,my mom had polio,I had to help her all the time...she had alot of pride,when she ask for my help ...I knew she needed it "
udw_kristine wrote on Sep 18, 2007 7:12 PM:
" Thank you so much for printing this story. I am a consumer of In Home Supportive Services and have been one of the activists in Riverside County that have worked with our union (United Domestic Workers of America) as well as made many personal appearances before the Board of Supervisors in Riverside as well as networking with the IHSS Public Authority, so that things might be improved for those of us who depend on IHSS for our survival.
Although it has taken us about 5 years of slow progress, I have learned that with perseverance and RESPECT, the political process can work. I also give great credit to our union UDW.
For those who feel their hours have not been fairly assessed, I cannot stress the following enough. PLEASE read the "IHSS Fair Hearing and Self Assessment Package" available in several languages including Spanish at the Protection & Advocacy website: http://www.pai-ca.org/issues/inhome_pubs.html
or call them and have it mailed for a small fee at 1-800-776-5746
English version is PAI document #5013.01 Spanish is PAI document #5013.02
You will learn your real rights.
"
highlander wrote on Sep 18, 2007 6:56 PM:
" After helping care for my grandmother who had Alzheimers it is shameful how low the sick and elderly are on America's conscience. I think the public and leaders should walk a mile in their shoes. IHS workers aren't paid nearly enough for what they do and the hours allotted to clients aren't enough to provide the services they need. America needs to stand up and protest before you find yourself in this situation and can't get the help you need. It's disgusting that there are all these pork belly projects in Congress but essential services are being cut yearly and Americans are losing more and more because of it. "
catsdecor wrote on Sep 18, 2007 1:41 PM:
" I am an IHSS worker in Imperial County as well.
The person I care for is my 30 year old son who is 100% disabled.Well his care is a 24/7 and every year they are cutting his hours.This
year they have cut 22+ more hours.Well as it was I couldn't even make ends meet and now I am totally in trouble but I won't let my son
suffer for government policy or whatever.We do have a Union.I have been a member for about 5 years.Not sure how it helps. I would like
to invite my son's social worker up to care for
him for 48 hours and see how much time is being used to care for him.Get up 3 times a
night just to turn him over so he doesn't ever
get a bedsore and maybe a couple more times a night to get him up to the bathroom as well.If I get sick so what.I suffer it out because I have no medical insurance.I can't go out and suppliment my income because my son needs me.
"
bermudezfamily wrote on Sep 16, 2007 8:21 PM:
" Thank you IVP for writing this story. Real people, real stories, real facts. "
bfusi wrote on Sep 16, 2007 1:45 PM:
" They deserve more pay for what they do. It is a shame the scale has been left so low. "
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wikiscogg wrote on Sep 20, 2007 4:37 PM: