To claim paid sick leave as an In-Home Supportive Services provider, complete the SOC 2302 IHSS paid sick leave form with your name, provider number, and the specific dates and hours you are claiming, then submit it either through the Electronic Services Portal at etimesheets.ihss.ca.gov or by mail to the address printed on the form. The form must be received by the end of the month following the month you took the leave, or the claim cannot be processed.1California Department of Social Services. Paid Sick Leave Program Information
Before You File, Check That You Have Hours to Claim
You have to have worked at least 100 hours of authorized IHSS services before any sick leave becomes available to use. For providers hired after July 1, 2018, that 100-hour count starts from your hire date.2DPSS ePolicy. IHSS AR 5699 Paid Sick Leave for IHSS Providers
Once you cross that threshold, you accrue paid sick leave up to a cap of 40 hours per state fiscal year, which runs July 1 through June 30. Unused hours expire on June 30 and do not carry over.1California Department of Social Services. Paid Sick Leave Program Information
Check your available balance before filling anything in. You can see it in the ESP or get it by calling the IHSS Service Desk at (866) 376-7066, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding major holidays.3IHSS Website. IHSS Electronic Services Portal Claiming more hours than you have accrued will get the request rejected.
Filling Out the Form
You can download the SOC 2302 from the CDSS website or pick one up at your county IHSS office.1California Department of Social Services. Paid Sick Leave Program Information The paper form asks for four things: your name, your provider number, and the dates and hours of sick leave you are claiming.
A few points that catch providers off guard:
- Only you sign the form. Your recipient’s signature is not required.
- You do not have to state a reason for the leave. The form does not ask.1California Department of Social Services. Paid Sick Leave Program Information
- Write legibly. Missing or unreadable information is a common reason claims get denied.
How to Submit
Two channels are accepted: the Electronic Services Portal or paper by mail. The CDSS does not list fax or telephone as submission methods for sick leave.
Through the Electronic Services Portal
If you have an ESP account at etimesheets.ihss.ca.gov, you can file the request electronically and skip the paper form entirely. Enter your dates and hours in the sick leave section and you will get a confirmation on submission.1California Department of Social Services. Paid Sick Leave Program Information If you have not registered, go to the ESP site and select “Register Here.”3IHSS Website. IHSS Electronic Services Portal
By Mail
Send the completed form to the address printed on it. One rule trips people up: the SOC 2302 has to go in a separate envelope from your regular timesheet. Do not put them together.1California Department of Social Services. Paid Sick Leave Program Information Make a copy of the form before you mail it, and keep any mailing receipt. If there is later a question about whether the form arrived on time, that receipt is your only proof.
The Filing Deadline
Your SOC 2302 must be received by the end of the month following the month in which you took the sick leave. Take leave in March, the form has to arrive by the end of April. Miss that window and the claim cannot be processed. There is no late filing.1California Department of Social Services. Paid Sick Leave Program Information If you are mailing the paper form, build in enough time for delivery.
What Sick Leave Can Be Used For
California’s Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act covers IHSS providers who work at least 30 days in a year for the same employer.4Department of Industrial Relations. California Paid Sick Leave: Frequently Asked Questions Permitted uses include your own physical or mental illness or injury, medical diagnosis, treatment, and preventive care, as well as caring for a family member for the same reasons.5Department of Industrial Relations. Paid Sick Leave (PSL) Again, you do not disclose which of these applies on the form.
Getting Paid and Tracking Your Claim
Sick leave is paid separately from your regular IHSS wages. The CDSS does not publish a specific processing timeline. To see where your request stands, use the sick leave claim history section of the ESP, which shows pending, approved, or paid status. You can also call the IHSS Service Desk at (866) 376-7066 to check your earnings, usage, and balance.1California Department of Social Services. Paid Sick Leave Program Information
The pay rate is the IHSS wage rate for your county, and rates vary. CDSS posts county-specific figures on its website.6California Department of Social Services. County IHSS Wage Rates
If Your Request Is Denied
Most denials come from one of three things: the form arrived after the deadline, the hours claimed were more than the accrued balance, or required information was missing or unreadable. If the ESP shows your request as denied, the CDSS website links to appeal information. Calling the IHSS Service Desk is the fastest way to find out the specific reason and whether you can correct and resubmit.