The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued information to counties about the two weeks of emergency paid sick leave in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act for In Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and Waiver Personal Care Services (WPCS) providers. An IHSS or WPCS provider may request sick leave from April 2, 2020 until December 31, 2020 if the provider is unable to work because of one of six listed COVID-19 related reasons.
If the provider normally works 160 hours or more per month, they are entitled to 80 hours of COVID-19 sick leave. If the provider works less than 160 hours per month, the county must calculate an average of monthly paid hours for the previous six months, and divide that by half to determine the number of hours of sick leave. If the provider has less than six months of employment, the county uses the available employment history. If the provider has less and two weeks of payroll history, counties will use the authorized hours for this calculation.
When a provider needs to take COVID-19 sick leave, they should contact the recipient and tell them they will be out sick and to advise them to contact the county, or for WPCS, the Department of Health Care Services, for assistance. The provider should then complete the COVID-19 sick leave form, TEMP 3021.
CDSS will inform all IHSS and WPCS recipients and providers about COVID-19 sick leave by mailing two informational notices. (ACL 20-40, April 14, 2020.)