Collective Bargaining Agreement Highlights

The Home Services Program (HSP) / Central Management Services (CMS) worked together with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining agreement for the year 2023-2027. Few highlights of the negotiations are as below.

Effective July 1, 2024

1. Paid Leave - 16 hours of Paid Sick Time will be replaced with 40 hours of Paid Time Off (PTO). Any unused sick time an IP currently has will roll into a PTO bank. PTO will be capped at 40 hours per year. IPs can accrue 1 hour PTO per every 40 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours paid leave in a calendar year. Any unused PTO hours at the end of the year will be carried over to the next year, with a maximum of 40 hours rolling over. IPs' paychecks will have information about PTO usage and balances. PTO must be utilized in increments of no less than two (2) hours per day.
2. Overtime Policy - The Overtime (OT) policy has been changed to shorten the ineligibility (suspension) period following a fourth occurrence of unauthorized overtime, from 3 months to 1 month.
3. IP Training Requirements
   1. New IPs - New IPs (Approved by HSP to work for a customer) hired on or after 07/01/2024, who are within their 1st year working or returning to work are required to attend the SEIU paid New IP Training within 1 month of their hire date. If an IP fails to attend the orientation within one month of commencing services, the State shall provide notice to the IP that they must complete the orientation within six months, after such time they will be temporarily ineligible for funding from the Home Services Program until such time as they complete the orientation.
   2. Existing IP's - IP hired prior to 7/1/2024 are required to attend the SEIU paid Annual Mandatory training within 60 days of their annual hiring date. If an IP fails to complete the annual mandatory training within 60 days of their annual hire date, the State shall provide notice to the IP that they must complete training within six months, after such time they will become temporarily ineligible for payment for any services they provide until they finish the training.
   3. Training Curriculum - HSP and SEIU's joint committee will work on improving the training materials as needed.
4. Timesheet Submission - IPs can submit timesheets to the field office through Email, Fax, USPS mail, Drop Box and in-person. Each office has a dedicated email inbox for sending timesheets. Please refer to DHS webpage for more information.

Effective July 1, 2025

1. Seniority Pay - IPs who reach seniority milestones based on their cumulative total work hours since their hire date will be paid a seniority increase to their hourly rate, as follows:
   

   Milestones	Additional Pay Per Hour
   10,000 hours	$1.00
   20,000 hours	$2.00
   30,000 hours	$4.00

   
   

   Over the next year, HSP will work with SEIU to calculate IP's cumulative hours. Additional information will be shared.

2. IP Training Requirements
   1. New IPs - New IPs hired on or after 07/01/2025 are required to attend the SEIU paid New IP Training within 1 month of their hire date. If an IP fails to attend the orientation within 1 month of commencing services, the State shall provide notice to the IP that they must complete the orientation within 60 days, after such time they will be temporarily ineligible for funding from the Home Services Program until such time as they complete the orientation.
   2. Existing IPs - Existing IPs hired prior to 07/01/2025 who have worked 1 year, or more are required to attend the SEIU paid Annual Mandatory training within 60 days of their annual hiring date. If an IP fails to complete the annual mandatory training within 60 days of their annual hire date, the State shall provide notice to the IP that they must complete training within 60 days, after such time they will become temporarily ineligible for payment for any services they provide until they finish the training.
3. IP Retirement - The Union and the State will establish a Joint Committee on Retirement Benefits to discuss the feasibility and explore possible options for establishing a retirement benefit for IPs covered under this agreement. We will communicate to you any finalized improvements after these discussions.
4. Wages - Pay rates for Personal Assistants and Maintenance Home Health Providers will increase per the pay chart below. The rate increases shall be paid effective the dates mentioned below or upon federal approval, whichever is later.

Personal Assistants

Maintenance Home Health Providers (Nursing Providers)