IHSS Caseload Management Forum Update: Sept. 5, 2023

Dear OCEA member,

This is an update regarding recent activity involving your IHSS Caseload Management Forum.

Of course, we are all aware that rising caseloads must be aggressively addressed. We're fortunate OCEA members Shannon Captain, Isabel Franco, Erandi Oropeza, Miguel Lopez, and Veronica Valadez have volunteered as IHSS Forum participants to partner with OCEA staff to actively pursue meaningful caseload relief. Thanks in no small part to your co-workers' commitment, management representatives recently informed us they have been given the green light to hire an additional 6 staff positions and 1 additional supervisor. While this is only a small step, it is a step in the right direction. We will continue to pressure IHSS management to increase staffing to relieve workload stress and prioritize your health and safety.

But management's responsibility to you doesn't stop there. They must do more for existing workers to retain the staff we have. This is another top priority for OCEA and your IHSS Caseload Management participants. To that end, we have been able to persuade management to authorize additional overtime for case-carrying workers to address overdue cases. While the ability to utilize overtime is still far too restrictive, we continue to push management to utilize this tool as one way to help mitigate the stress you each feel.

There's more. We're holding management accountable by demanding more consistent training standards; improved communication between TCD, QA, and management; updated equipment; a safer workplace; and more flexible summer and holiday time off.

Please reach out to your co-workers on the Forum or to OCEA Labor Relations Representatives Charles Leon (cleon@ocea.org) or Kerensa Schupmann (kschupmann@ocea.org) with any and all concerns. Don’t hesitate to send us an email or call us direct. Thank you for your hard work. We will continue to fight for you and will provide additional updates whenever there is news to share.

In Solidarity,

OCEA

Publication Date: September 5, 2023