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IHSS representative tells supervisors caregivers are leaving county due to low pay and high cost of living
Summary
An SEIU representative told the Board of Supervisors that Inyo County IHSS home-care providers face low wages, housing pressures and retention challenges, citing a survey of 77 former providers; the board received the comment during the public comment period.
During public comment at the March 11 Inyo County Board of Supervisors meeting, Oscar Maciel, representing SEIU Local 2015 (In‑Home Supportive Services caregivers), urged the board to prioritize caregivers in upcoming contract negotiations.
Maciel said IHSS providers are the "backbone of our community," providing care for elderly residents and people with disabilities, but many remain "undervalued" and face poverty wages and housing pressures. He reported a recent survey of 77 former providers in Inyo County in which more than half said they left IHSS for higher‑paying jobs and over a quarter said they left the county because of housing costs. Maciel asked the board to bring a "dignified pay" proposal to upcoming negotiations so caregivers continue to serve local residents.
No direct response or formal action was recorded on the comment during the meeting; the board moved on to department reports. The public comment is part of the record and will be available in meeting minutes.
Quote from the meeting: "Unless these jobs become better jobs ... providers will continue to leave this profession for fast food, warehouse, retail and other jobs that have started paying substantially more." — Oscar Maciel
Speakers referenced in this article are from the public comment portion of the March 11 meeting; no formal county commitment or policy change was made on this agenda item during the session.
